Commonly Asked Questions

Questions Regarding the Record Suspension Program

  • Absolutely. We want this process to be as comfortable as possible for you. It's important that you feel safe and seen. We understand that this process can be traumatic and emotionally difficult. Our only ask is that you provide consent for your personal contact to attend meetings and be a part of the application process.

  • Participants have expressed that retrieving court documents can take a while depending on the location of the court. This is especially common with courthouses in larger cities. We recommend obtaining fingerprints and court documents as soon as you are able in order to avoid large delays in the record suspension application process.

  • For the Northern Region of BC, we are serving Haida Gwaii, Inside Passage, Bulkley/Skeena Valleys, Fraser Plateau, Lakes District, Nass Valley, Stuart Nechako, Omineca Peace Region, Alaska Highway 97, Stewart-Cassiar Hwy 37, Yellowhead Highway 16, Fort St. John, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Terrace with over 50 First Nations Communities.

    For the Lower Mainland of BC, we are serving Abbotsford, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Coquitlam, Delta, Harrison Hot Springs, Hope, Horseshoe Bay, Ladner, Langley, Lillooet, Lytton, Lund, Maple Ridge, Mission, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Pemberton, Powell River, Richmond, Sechelt & Gibsons, Surrey, Squamish, Vancouver, West Vancouver, Whistler, White Rock with over 45 First Nations Communities.

  • It is important to note that the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) is the only federal agency authorized to order a record suspension. Third-party or private companies can only prepare your application. Many third-party companies will use similar symbols and markings to the Canadian Government on their website or marketing materials. However, they are NOT affiliated with PBC in any way.

Questions Regarding the Record Suspension Application

  • The Parole Board of Canada's Website provides links to download the appropriate forms. Forms required are:

    1. Criminal Record - To submit your application, you will need to get a criminal record check through a local police station or an accredited fingerprinting company. Most places can submit your fingerprints electronically. Be sure to indicate that you are applying for a record suspension during your request for fingerprinting.

    2. Record Suspension Application Form - This form collects personal information like your name, if you're employed and where you live. It will also require you to provide all your addresses from the past 10 years. In addition, you will be asked if there are any other convictions which don't appear on your Criminal Record, including convictions in another country.

    3. Court Information Form - This document is what you will submit for EACH of your convictions. Each court will need its own form. So if you have an offence committed in Vancouver, BC and in London, ON, you will need a Court Information Form completed individually by both courts.

    4. Local Police Records Check Form - Once completed, this check is valid for only 12 months. Complete your section and the police station will complete their sections. You must get a police record check for the city/town where:

      a. You live now AND
      b. Each city/town you lived during the past 5 years (minimum at 3 months)

    5. Measurable Benefit/Sustained Rehabilitation Form - This form is only required if your first offence was committed on or after June 29, 2010. This document will ask why you committed the offences. This can be very hard to relive traumatic events. If you need additional support outside of our staff, we welcome them to be a part of the process for you.

    6. Schedule 1 Exception Form - There are certain exceptions that can be made with Schedule 1 Offences. We recommend visiting the PBC's site. This form is only required if your conviction:
      a. Was a Schedule 1 offence AND
      b. If the Schedule 1 offence was committed on or after March 13, 2012.

    7. Photocopy of Government Issued ID with name, date of birth and signature.

    8. Credit Card Payment Form - This form is only required if you are paying the $50 application fee with a credit card. Payments can also be made by certified cheque, money order or a Bank Draft all made payable to "The Receiver General Canada", and can be submitted without the Credit Card Payment Form.

  • For court information requests and police record checks, a photo ID will be required AND an additional form of ID. Contact the police station for the types of ID they will accept. For the record suspension application, you will need a valid government issued document with your name, date of birth and signature.

  • Yes. If you served as a member of the Regular or Reserved Canadian Forces, you must get a certified, signed and dated copy of your Military Conduct Sheet. To obtain this sheet, visit PBC's site.

  • Cannabis only Record Suspension Requests are different than the regular process. Due to legislation passed in 2020 , convictions and cases related to simple cannabis possession are more lenient. The following forms are required for submitting a Cannabis Record Suspension and can be found on PBC's site :

    1. Criminal Record - To submit your application, you will need to get a criminal record check through a local police station or an accredited fingerprinting company. Most places can submit your fingerprints electronically. Be sure to indicate that you are applying for a record suspension during your request for fingerprinting.

    2. Cannabis Record Suspension Application Form - This form collects personal data and will require you to list your current address along with previous addresses up to 6 years ago.

    3. Cannabis Court Information Form - This is required to submit to the courthouse in the city where your cannabis conviction was made.

    4. Cannabis Police Record Check Form - Once completed, this check is valid for only 12 months. Complete your section and the police station will complete their sections. You must get a police record check for:
      a. The city/town where you live now AND
      b. Each city/town you lived during the past 5 years (minimum at 3 months).

    5. Military Conduct Sheet - ONLY applicable to those who have served in either regular or reserve Canadian Forces. To obtain this sheet, visit the PBC's site.

    6. Photocopy of Government Issued ID with name, date of birth and signature.

    7. Measurable Benefits Form - Only for those who have a Cannabis + One additional offence.

  • Any convictions which appear on your RCMP record check must be included on the Record Suspension Application. In some instances, youth may be convicted and tried in an adult court or convicted as a youth and aged into an adult court while fulfilling their sentence. In other cases, youth may be convicted and tried in a youth court or youth justice court.

    Depending on what appears on your RCMP check, will determine how to apply.

  • The only body of justice that can see your criminal record history are Federal institutions of Canada. Local police units and institutions who conduct criminal record checks will not be able to trace criminal records which have been suspended.

  • There is no guarantee that other countries will not detect a suspended criminal record or permit a person to enter the country. Each country has their own terms and conditions when applied to an individual’s criminal record suspension. For example, to enter the United States, individuals will need to apply for a US Entry Waiver before travelling.

  • No. Only sexual offences will continue to appear on a Vulnerable Sector Check after an approved Record Suspension.

Questions Regarding What a Record Suspension Does

Questions Regarding Fees

  • No. There are many fees associated with this process. Our staff will help create a payment plan to help facilitate funds for the various fees.

    The following fees vary depending on the location of the institution: Police Record Check Fee, Court Information Fee, Access to Information Fee (specifically for military conduct history) - $5.00, and Fingerprinting Fee.

  • Yes. While you are able to pay the fees using income assistance, we also know that depleting those funds can affect your financial capacity. We will do our best to provide you financial support so that you are not paying out of pocket for the application and fees. Our staff will create a payment plan for all the fees (including fingerprinting, court documents, police record checks, etc.) required. If using income assistance to pay, anything over $100 will need authorization from your case worker.