Board of Pardons Clemency Application

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Next Step: Applicant information

Submitting this application starts a multi-year review process for clemency consideration by the Board of Pardons.

This application cannot be saved. Incarcerated applicants must apply using the pdf application.

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

Acknowledgement
Before starting the application, I acknowledge that:

If I am currently incarcerated, I must use the pdf application.
The applicant must sign the application.
I understand that this application cannot be saved and must be completed in one sitting.
I have my required court documents ready to upload.
I can include up to five criminal cases. If my application requires more cases, I will use the pdf application.

I confirm that I understand.

Is the applicant currently incarcerated?

Incarcerated applicants cannot apply for clemency through the digital application. You must apply using the pdf application. This can be completed on your computer as a fillable pdf or by printing and mailing it to the Department of Corrections.

Have you previously applied for clemency in  Pennsylvania?

Date of decision on previous application

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If you do not know the date, please provide an estimate.

What type of clemency are you requesting?

Next Step: Representative information

How would you like to be addressed?

You can share your preferred name, title, and/or pronouns. For example: Mrs. Jane Smith, Alex (they/them), or Mr. John Doe.

First name

Middle name

Last name

Suffix

Other names

This may include married names, maiden names, or aliases.

Date of birth

Social Security number

Example: 555-11-0000

Do you live in the United States?

Address line 1

Address line 2

City

State

ZIP code

Primary phone number

Secondary phone number

Email address

Country

Address line 1

Address line 2

City or town

State, region, territory, or province

ZIP code or postal code

Primary phone number

Secondary phone number

Email address

Next Step: Convictions

A representative in the clemency process can receive updates and make changes to your application on your behalf.

Is someone representing you in this process?

Name of representative

Organization name

Address line 1

Address line 2

City

State

ZIP code

Phone number

Email address

Next Step: Personal statement

Please list the convictions you are seeking clemency for. Each case (Offense Tracking Number or OTN) should be entered separately. If you're applying for clemency for more than one case, click “Add case” at the bottom of the page to enter the next one.

How do I find this information? 

The court documents required to apply for clemency include these details.

Case

Enter your cases in the order they occurred, beginning with the oldest.

Date of incident

Offense Tracking Number (OTN)

The number normally begins with a letter, followed by six or seven numbers, a hyphen, and a final number (Example: A 123456-7). If you were arrested in the 1970’s or before, you may not find an OTN in your records. If this number is not available, please enter “N/A” in this field.

Enter convictions for which you are seeking clemency

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Correct: Theft by Unlawful Taking, Incorrect: 18 Pa.C.S. § 3921

In your own words, describe the incident and your  involvement. Include where you were, what you did, and how you were caught. Please be brief in your response.

Incident description

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convictions_remove_btn_on_change

Next Step: Upload documents

Sharing how your life has changed since your conviction can strengthen your application. Please be brief in your response.  

In your own words, please share:

How your life or circumstances have changed since your last arrest.
Why you are asking for clemency.
Why you believe you are a strong candidate.
Any other details that support your request.

Personal statement

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Next Step: Review application

You must upload all required documents. Organize documents by case number, if submitting for multiple cases.

Required court documents:

Criminal complaint
Affidavit of probable cause
Criminal information/indictment
Final plea or verdict
Sentencing order
Documentation of your financial obligation status

If the court does not have these documents, they must provide a letter confirming they are unavailable. If you were sentenced by a Magisterial District Judge and your case is older than seven years, you are not required to get a letter.

Optional attachments:

If additional space is needed for description of offenses (step 4) or personal statement (step 5)
Letters of support
Certificates or diplomas from education or training programs

Upload files

There is a limit of 10 attachments, with each file having a maximum size of 20MB. The supported file types are .jpg, .png, .doc/docx, and .pdf.

Drag and drop to Upload

Browse files

Next Step: Sign and submit

Please review all information before submitting the application. We recommend that you save or print these responses for your records.

Applicant signature

By signing below, I confirm that I have completed this application truthfully and accurately. I understand that giving false information is a crime under 18 Pa.C.S. §4904.

I also understand that if my charges are covered by Limited Access or Clean Slate laws (18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9122.1 and/or 9122.2), some details about my convictions or non-conviction records may still be shared during a public hearing if I am granted one. This is because hearings by the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons are public under the Pennsylvania Constitution and Board regulations.

If any corrections are needed to complete my application, I give permission for the Board of Pardons to make those corrections for me.

Under Board Regulation 37 Pa. Code § 81.282: 

Applicants can have legal counsel or another person they choose to represent them.
Applicants may also be represented by a legal guardian, a close friend, or someone authorized by law to act on their behalf.

By signing, I also agree to the following:

Only the convictions listed in Section 4 of my application will be considered for clemency.
My application won’t be accepted unless all questions are answered, all required documents are included, and the Board of Pardons’ rules are followed.
I give up the protections of Limited Access and Clean Slate laws for this process, so the Board can fully review my application and ensure it follows legal requirements if sent to the Governor.

Full name

Today’s date

Board of Pardons Clemency Application

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Applicant signature

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