Unfortunately, the answer is a conviction (or even a criminal charge that results in a finding of not guilty), stays on your criminal record forever. However, there is an exception. The only way to remove a criminal conviction from your record is to file an application for an expungement to the appropriate New Jersey court. An expungement comes with certain requirements, so it’s important to contact an experienced attorney to determine whether you may qualify for one. For example, in order to remove a conviction for an indictable criminal offense (crime) or disorderly person’s offense, you must wait at least five years from the date of your conviction before applying for an expungement. There are a number of crimes that cannot be expunged.