07/01/2026
Virginia's Clean Slate law is now in effect.
As of today, a broad set of criminal and traffic records is being sealed, and those records stop appearing on standard background checks. For employers the risk isn't missing a record. It's acting on one you are no longer allowed to see or ask about, and requiring a candidate to disclose a sealed record is now a criminal offense.
The providers hit hardest are the ones that build reports from purchased databases refreshed once a year. Under the new law they have to register with the Virginia State Police, pay a $30,000 annual fee, and delete sealed records on notice.
KRESS pulls live, source-verified county records at the moment each check is ordered, so there is nothing stale to scrub. We never had a database to begin with.
Swipe through for what changes, what stays the same, and the checklist to clear now.