People with Criminal Records in Harris County Will Be Able to Apply for Free Review to Determine if Certain Arrests or Charges Can Be Legally Expunged or No Longer Appear in Most Public Records Checks
Registration for Fresh Start will begin on Monday, August 3, 2026, exactly at 12:00 p.m. Spaces can fill up in seconds, because thousands of people typically compete for just a few hundred spots.
The program can only review records related to Harris County. Cases from other counties in Texas or from other states do not qualify.
What It Means to Clean Your Criminal Background
“Cleaning the background” is a simple way to describe two distinct legal procedures available in Texas. The outcome depends on how the case ended, the type of charge, the person’s full history, and the waiting periods established by law.
- Expunction: allows legally erasing certain eligible arrests or charges. This option may correspond, for example, to some dismissed charges, cases that did not lead to a formal accusation, or proceedings that ended with a verdict of not guilty.
- Nondisclosure: makes an eligible record no longer available to the public and to many background checks used when applying for employment or housing. The record continues to exist, and certain authorities, government agencies, and authorized entities can still consult it.
Therefore, Fresh Start does not automatically erase all records. It first reviews each person’s history to determine whether any of their cases meet the requirements of Texas law and which of the two procedures could apply to them.
Even an arrest or a dismissed charge can still appear on a background check. This can create obstacles when seeking employment, renting a home, applying to a school, obtaining financial aid, or pursuing certain professional licenses.
Who May Apply for the Free Review
People with arrests or closed criminal cases in Harris County can attempt to obtain one of the available spaces. Registering does not mean the file is eligible, nor does it guarantee that it will be erased or restricted from public access.
Active cases do not qualify. The procedure cannot be carried out while the person remains on probation, deferred adjudication, or another pending condition. Some records also require a mandatory waiting period after case closure.
Certain charges cannot be removed or subjected to a nondisclosure order, no matter how long has passed. Eligibility is determined individually in accordance with state law.
How to Register on Monday, August 3
The form will be available online only. Interested parties should go to the Fresh Start page before noon and refresh at 12 p.m. if the registration button has not yet appeared.
- Go to the Fresh Start page on Monday, August 3.
- Answer the initial eligibility questions.
- Complete and submit the form as soon as possible.
- Save the confirmation number and email address.
Opening the form does not reserve a spot. The space is secured only after submitting the application and receiving a confirmation number. If the person does not receive that number, the registration is not complete.
There will be no waitlist, early registration, phone registration, or walk-in service. Subscribing to Fresh Start reminders does not count as registration for the day.
What Happens After Registration
Legal teams will review Harris County records over the next two weeks. Each applicant will receive by email the result of the evaluation, which could arrive as late as the Tuesday preceding the event.
Participants should enter their email correctly and also check the junk/spam folder. If they do not receive a response by 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before the day of the event, they can write to [email protected] including their name, date of birth, and confirmation number.
People whose records are found eligible must attend the event in person to receive the program’s legal services.
When and Where the Fresh Start Day Will Take Place
- Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
- Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Venue: Harris County Jury Plaza
- Address: 1201 Congress St., Houston, TX 77002
Attendees will have to go through a security check to enter. Surrounding areas include metered parking, surface parking lots, and garages with their usual rates.
Related: Federal funding cuts threaten legal aid in Houston
Immigration Procedures in Harris County: What to Consider
Deleting a record or restricting its public access under Texas law does not necessarily remove its immigration consequences. USCIS may require information and documents about arrests or prior proceedings, even when the state record was deleted, placed under a nondisclosure order, or no longer available to the public.
Those who have a residency, naturalization, visa, or other immigration process pending should consult with an immigration attorney before making decisions related to their criminal records.
The form, the requirements, and the FAQs will be available on the Harris County Fresh Start page.
