Criminal record and driving record are separate
Your criminal history is kept by courts and state criminal justice agencies, while your driving record is kept by the motor vehicle agency. An impaired-driving case can leave an entry in both, and each follows its own rules about what is shown, to whom, and for how long. In New York, a traffic infraction resolution generally does not count as a criminal conviction, but it still appears on the DMV record. Employers, insurers, and licensing boards may look at one record, the other, or both. Knowing which record a particular check pulls from explains why results can seem inconsistent.
What sealing can and cannot do in New York
New York has several ways for records to be sealed. A case that ends in dismissal or acquittal is generally sealed. Certain convictions may be eligible for sealing on application after a waiting period, and a newer automatic sealing law reaches many convictions once enough time has passed without new offenses. Sealing limits who can see the record, but it does not erase it, and some agencies keep access for specific purposes. Sealing a criminal record also does not necessarily remove the matter from your driving history.
Before you answer questions about your past
Job applications, license renewals, and immigration forms ask about past arrests or convictions in different ways, and the right answer depends on the exact wording and on how your case ended. Before you answer, get copies of your own records so you know what they show. Bring those, along with the final disposition of your case, to a meeting. We review what appears where, whether any sealing option fits your situation, and how to describe the matter accurately when you are asked. Immigration forms in particular usually require disclosure even of sealed or dismissed matters, so do not rely on a sealing order when completing one. If an earlier application already answered a question inaccurately, tell us, since correcting it is better done with advice.
