People Change.

Records Can Too.

TWO-THIRDS

of those who apply for a pardon in
Pennsylvania actually get one!

If you are being held back by a conviction in Pennsylvania for a crime at least five years ago where no one was hurt, you need to know this good news. Since 2019, Pennsylvania has been leading the nation in pardon reform.

TWO-THIRDS

of those who apply for a pardon in
Pennsylvania actually get one!

the process is free, the form is short, you don’t need a lawyer, and hundreds and hundreds of people are being pardoned every year.

THANKS TO THE REFORMS, THERE IS A LARGE AND GROWING COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WITH CONVICTIONS IN THEIR PAST, WHO ARE COMING TOGETHER FROM AROUND THE STATE TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS, AND TO PUSH MORE CHANGE, SO THAT THERE WILL BE MORE PARDONS, FASTER. TO READ ABOUT THE PARDON PROJECT STEERING COMMITTEE, CLICK HERE. AND TO READ ABOUT THE FILM PARDON ME AND OUR “PARDONS FOR THE PEOPLE” CAMPAIGN, CLICK HERE.

YOU MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A FAST TRACK IF YOUR CRIMES WERE NOT VIOLENT AND HAPPENED AT LEAST 15 YEARS AGO … AND IF YOU ONLY HAD ONE CASE AGAINST YOU FOR A NON-VIOLENT CRIME, YOU COULD BE ELIGIBLE AFTER TEN YEARS…OR EVEN FIVE! CLICK HERE to see if you qualify.

News Alert

On October 8-10, the Board of Pardons held its third and final set of Pardon Hearings. 163 applications were considered. 60 applicants were excused with the Board already having decided they deserved a recommendation; another 66 received the Board's endorsement, having received at least 3 of their 5 votes; and 37 were denied. All in all, 127 applicants (77.3%) are on their way to the Governor's desk.

On December 4 at 9:00 am, the Board will hold its last pardons Merit Review of the year. Click here to watch them.

Find a Pardon Project

It’s so easy to apply that Pardon Projects (groups of volunteers) are springing up in counties all around the state helping people fill out the form.

Pardon Projects are countywide efforts that link together community organizations (called “Pardon Hubs”) that have been trained in the pardon form and process. They also have a list of volunteers (called “Pardon Coaches”) ready to help people fill out the application.

Click on the county name below to be directed to their website.

Adams County (in development)
Allegheny County (Pittsburgh)
Allegheny County (Wilkinsburg)
Beaver County
Bedford County
Berks County
Bucks County
Butler County (in development)
Cambria County
Cameron County (in development)

Chester County
Clearfield County (in development)
Crawford County
Cumberland County
Dauphin County (in development)
Delaware County
Elk County (in development)
Erie County
Huntingdon County
Lackawanna County
Lancaster County
Lawrence County (in development)
Lebanon County (in development)
Lehigh County

Monroe County
Montgomery County
Northampton County (in development)
Philadelphia County
—West Philadelphia
Somerset County
Washington County
Wayne County
Westmoreland County (in development)
York County

If you are interested in forming a Pardon Project in your county, visit our Resources page or contact us.

You CAN
Do It Yourself!

No Pardon Project in your county (yet)?

You really CAN do it yourself.

If you have a question, write us:
papardonproject@gmail.com .



Click here for Fast Facts about Pardons in Pennsylvania
Click here for an 12-minute film about the PA Pardon Process by Pardon Fellow Zach Keasling
Click here for “How-To”: a series of 7 short videos
Click here for a video guide to using the new (July 2025) online pardon application
Click here for ten tips for using the new online pardon application
VISIT OUR VIDEO LIBRARY for lots of self-help videos.
Download the application form and instructions in English or in Spanish.
Download the list of documents you need to get from the courthouse in English or in Spanish.
Click here for a form motion to waive court fines, fees and costs if you are low-income
Click here for a petition to expunge summary offenses and non-conviction data
Click here to read about the new Fast Tracks to see if you quality

Let’s Get Started Creating Your New Future!

About the Pardon Project

Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) has been helping low-income Philadelphians clean up their criminal records since 2011. In 2018, it started the Pardon Project to make the pardon process in Pennsylvania accessible to those without money to hire lawyers. In 2020, PLSE began helping communities outside Philadelphia form their own Pardon Projects. The Pennsylvania Association of Pardon Projects was formed the following year. Click here to read the article Pardon Projects: Communities Coming Together in Restorative Justice (PA Bar Association, Jan. 2022). The Pennsylvania Pardon Project was incorporated in 2025 as an independent charitable corporation.

papardonproject@gmail.com

Web Design + Web Development by TrailBlaze Creative.

People Change.

Records Can Too.

TWO-THIRDS

of those who apply for a pardon in Pennsylvania actually get one!

If you are being held back by a conviction in Pennsylvania for a crime at least five years ago where no one was hurt, you need to know this good news. Since 2019, Pennsylvania has been leading the nation in pardon reform.

TWO-THIRDS

of those who apply for a pardon in Pennsylvania actually get one!

the process is free, the form is short, you don’t need a lawyer, and hundreds and hundreds of people are being pardoned every year.

YOU MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A FAST TRACK IF YOUR CRIMES WERE NOT VIOLENT AND HAPPENED AT LEAST 15 YEARS AGO … AND IF YOU ONLY HAD ONE CASE AGAINST YOU FOR A NON-VIOLENT CRIME, YOU COULD BE ELIGIBLE AFTER TEN YEARS…OR EVEN FIVE! CLICK HERE to see if you qualify.

News Alert

On December 4 at 9:00 am, the Board will hold its last pardons Merit Review of the year. Click here to watch them.

Find a Pardon Project

You CAN Do It Yourself!

Let’s Get Started Creating Your New Future!

About the Pardon Project

of those who apply for a pardon in
Pennsylvania actually get one!

of those who apply for a pardon in
Pennsylvania actually get one!

You CAN
Do It Yourself!