Yes. Many DUI convictions in California can be expunged, meaning the court dismisses the conviction after the fact. The process runs through Penal Code 1203.4, and it's available to a lot of people who don't realize they qualify.
To be eligible, you generally need to have completed your probation successfully, meaning you finished the terms, paid what you owed, and didn't pick up new violations along the way. You also can't currently be charged with another offense or serving a sentence for one. Expungement is typically limited to misdemeanor and certain probation-eligible felony DUIs. Cases that resulted in a state prison sentence usually don't qualify.
It's important to be realistic about what an expungement does. It doesn't erase the arrest from existence, and it doesn't wipe the DUI off your DMV driving record. The DUI can still count as a prior if you're arrested again within the 10-year window. What it does is change the conviction to a dismissal in the court's eyes, so that on most private employment background checks you can legally say you weren't convicted. For getting hired, that difference is huge.
The process involves filing a petition with the court, and timing and eligibility depend on your specific case. It's worth having someone confirm you qualify before you file.
For how records work, see how long does a DUI stay on your record. To talk options, our criminal defense page covers post-conviction relief.
Want to clear an old DUI? Call (858) 622-7280 or visit our contact page.
This is general information, not legal advice, and every case is different.