District of Columbia
District of Columbia
Final grade: A-
Exclusion Grade
B+
Relevance Grade
A+
Due Process Grade
A-
Strengths
- Boards may only use directly related crimes and must consider multiple factors, including evidence of rehabilitation and time elapsed since the crime was committed.
- Strong safeguards for due process by requiring a petition process and placing the burden of proof on the board.
Areas of Improvement
- Ban agencies from considering old convictions.
Updated January 2021
Thanks to a sweeping law enacted in 2021, Washington, D.C. is tied with Iowa for the best laws in the nation. The District also received the country’s highest Relevance grade.
Exclusion
| Overarching ban on blanket bans | Yes |
| Ban on considering arrest records | No |
| Ban on considering post-conviction relief records | Yes, expunged, sealed, and vacated records |
| Time limit | No limit |
| Ban on vague, discretionary character standards | No, but the District repealed moral character requirements for multiple licenses |
Relevance
| Relationship between the crime and the license sought | "Directly related" |
| Required factors for consideration | |
| Rehabilitation | Yes |
| Time elapsed since crime was committed | Yes |
| Age when crime was committed | Yes |
| Employment History | Yes |
| Testimonials | Yes |
Due Process
| Petition Process | Yes |
| Burden of Proof | Burden unspecified, boards require clear and convincing evidence |
| Right to appeal | Yes |
| Written notice requirement | Yes |