Federal expungement is functionally non-existent.

What does NOT exist

• A federal Clean Slate law.
• A general federal expungement statute applicable to most convictions.
• A state-level remedy that reaches federal records (state courts have no authority over federal court records).

The narrow remedies that DO exist

• Federal Youth Corrections Act / first-offender drug statutes. A small number of federal drug-possession convictions under 18 U.S.C. § 3607 can be expunged on successful completion of probation, but only for first-time offenders under 21 at the time of the offense.
• Presidential pardon. A presidential pardon does not expunge the record but is the strongest form of federal relief. Petitions are processed through the Office of the Pardon Attorney; success rates are low and timelines are long (5+ years).
• Sealing in narrow categories. Federal courts have inherent equitable authority to seal records in unusual circumstances (wrongful arrest, identity theft, etc.). This is case-by-case and requires a federal motion.
• Certificate of rehabilitation / good conduct certificate (state-issued).While these don't touch the federal record itself, some federal employers and licensing contexts give weight to state-issued rehabilitation certificates.

Practical implication

If you have a federal conviction and your goal is “clear my record so it doesn't show up on a background check,” the honest answer is that this is rarely achievable. Federal records appear on FBI Interstate Identification Index queries and on consumer reports that pull from the FBI source.

What is sometimes achievable: a presidential pardon (multi-year effort, low success rate but possible), a sealing motion in unusual procedural circumstances, or — for very old convictions eligible for FYCA-style relief — narrow statutory expungement.

An attorney experienced in federal post-conviction practice (not a state-level expungement attorney) is the right specialist for this conversation. The skills don't transfer one-to-one.

If you have BOTH state and federal convictions

State and federal records run on independent tracks. Sealing the state record under your state's Clean Slate or petition procedure does not affect the federal record, and vice versa. You can address one without affecting the other — and the state side is usually achievable even when the federal side is not.