A sealed state record may still appear in an FBI record unless the reporting and updating process removes or restricts it as required. Sealing, expungement, and federal disclosure rules are not interchangeable. [2]
Know which check was requested
An FBI Identity History Summary is different from a state court search, a commercial employment report, or a firearm eligibility determination. Each can use different sources and disclosure rules. [1]
An arrest entry without the final disposition can be misleading. The FBI generally relies on information supplied by contributing agencies, so a state court order may require follow-up with the responsible repository. [2]
Correct the underlying data
Obtain your record, certified disposition, and sealing or expungement order. Follow the FBI challenge procedure and contact the agency responsible for inaccurate data. [2]
Keep proof of corrections, including the earlier entry, the requested change, and any confirmation or updated summary. Do not assume a commercially clean report establishes that every government system has been updated, or that a sealed record eliminates every legal reporting obligation. [2]
Practical application
If an FBI summary shows an arrest but omits a dismissal, obtain the certified disposition and identify the reporting agency. A request to correct the record should explain the particular missing or inaccurate entry. A sealing order may have a different scope from an order requiring destruction or correction of a repository record. Read the actual order before assuming that every disclosure system must show the same result. [1]
A challenge needs a specific correction request
Identify the date, arresting agency, charge, and disposition for the challenged entry. Provide the official document establishing the correction sought and follow the FBI’s identity-history challenge instructions. The agency that supplied the information may have to update its record, so keep correspondence with both entities. A court’s order can affect public access without changing every legally authorized government use. When an application asks about criminal history, review the question and governing instructions separately instead of assuming that sealing always authorizes a particular answer. [1] [2]
Related questions
Related guidance: Form 4473 and NICS background checks and What It Means to Be Federally Indicted.
Primary sources
- Rap Sheets (Identity History Summary Checks) — FBI
- Identity History Summary Checks Frequently Asked Questions — FBI
Sources checked: October 31, 2026.