How Much is a Clean Criminal Record Worth?

Posted by Stone River Criminal Defense Team

Last Updated: November 25, 2025

Utah believes in second chances. The state offers several paths to clean up a criminal record, including pardons, expungements, 402 reductions, and other opportunities for a fresh start.
attorney meeting with client at desk

Utah Believes in Second Chances

These tools help people reshape their record so it reflects who they are today, not who they used to be. Cleaning up a record can change a life. It is often worth the time and money to start as soon as possible.

A clean record can open the door to:

  • New jobs or promotions

  • Volunteering at a child’s school

  • Buying firearms for hunting or target shooting

  • Removal from the Child Abuse or Sex Offender Registries

  • Finally being able to say, “I am not a felon anymore.”

Sooner Is Better

The sooner someone clears their record, the sooner they can live without the weight of a criminal history. Early action also increases the long-term value. In many ways, a faster cleanup is cheaper because it gives a person more years with a clean slate.

Think about it this way. Twenty years of job opportunities are worth far more than ten. Twenty years of saying “I’m not a felon” is better than half that time. The real question is not “Can I afford to clean up my record?” but “What will this investment be worth in ten years?”

Most people later say, “Removing that felony was worth ten times what I paid.” That payoff grows when they take action now. Every day someone waits is a day they lose, and a day their future could have been better.

Originally Published: November 25, 2025

How can we help you?

Call us at 801-448-7451, or use this contact form.

    Related Articles

    State v. Bell Resets the Standard for Theft-of-Rental-Vehicle Prosecutions
    In State v. Bell, 2025 UT App 169, the Utah Court of Appeals issued a significant decision that reshapes how prosecutors must approach...
    November 25, 2025
    Lewdness in Utah
    Lewdness is one of Utah's broadest and most frequently charged sexual offenses. It covers a range of behaviors that the law considers sexually...
    November 21, 2025
    Understanding Sexual Battery in Utah
    Sexual battery is one of Utah's more commonly charged sex-related offenses — and also one of the most misunderstood. People often assume that...
    November 21, 2025

    Ready to explore our other articles?