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 August 6, 2026, the Board of Pardons again granted hearings to (slightly) more than 80% of the candidates they reviewed: 66 of the 82 candidates. This has pretty much been a constant rate for several years now.
The Board was unanimous on 60% of the candidates they reviewed -- 38 unanimously yes, 11 unanimously no. This high percentage again suggests that they could have sped up their review of those 39 candidates by several years.
The really bad news in all of this is that the Board considered only 82 candidates. Only 82. At that rate, they'd merit review only 246 candidates per year - FAR less than the 2,000 or so applications they are receiving every year.
It's no wonder that the backlog is now over 7,000 candidates and the wait for their merit review for applicants filing now is over 10 years. That is simply shameful. Something clearly must be done to fix the system.
Find a Pardon Project
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 (PGH Pardon Hub)
Allegheny County (Bar Foundation)
Beaver County
Bedford County
Berks County
Bucks County
Cambria County
Chester County
Crawford County
Cumberland County
Dauphin County (in development)
Delaware County
Franklin
Fulton
Huntingdon County
Lackawanna County
Lancaster County
Lehigh County
Monroe County
Montgomery County
Northampton County (in development)
Philadelphia County
— West Philadelphia
Schuylkill (in development)
Somerset County
Wayne County
Washington County
Westmoreland County (in development)
York County
Northampton County (in development)
Philadelphia County
—West Philadelphia
Schuylkill (in development)
Somerset County
Washington County
Wayne County
Westmoreland County (in development)
York County
You CAN
Do It Yourself!
You really CAN do it yourself.
If you have a question, write us:
info@papardonproject.org.
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 a flyer explaining how to make the best case you can for a pardon
Click here for a Self-Help Guide to Applying for a Governor’s Pardon in PA (March 2026)
Click here for 7 short videos explaining the steps in the pardon process
Click here to download the application form and instructions (fillable PDF)
Download the list of documents you need to get from the courthouse (in English) (in Spanish)
Watch a video explaining how you can apply yourself (in English) (in Spanish)
Click here to download the Expedited Review questionnaire (fillable PDF)
Click here to watch a video about preparing yourself for your public hearing
VISIT OUR VIDEO LIBRARY for lots of other self-help videos.
Let’s Get Started Creating Your New Future!
The Pardon Project began in 2018 as a part of Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity's service to its Philadelphia low-income clients with criminal records. Its first year report can be read here. When COVID-19 shut down direct operations, Tobey Oxholm (then PLSE's Executive Director) started teaching individuals and organizations about pardons via zoom. A greatly simplified application made it possible to engage with more volunteers, and the Project expanded to counties all around the state.
In 2025, the Pennsylvania Pardon Project was formed as a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation and received its 501c3 determination that same year. Contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law and GREATLY appreciated, and should be mailed. New partners are welcome at all times. Copies of the organization's tax returns and policies are available upon request.
