Pen. Code, § 1203.41 · Chapter 1. The Judgment
Pen. Code, § 1203.41
Text — As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
(a) If a defendant is convicted of a felony, the court, in its discretion and in the interest of justice, may order the following relief, subject to the conditions of subdivision (b):
(1) The court may permit the defendant to withdraw their plea of guilty or plea of nolo contendere and enter a plea of not guilty, or, if the defendant has been convicted after a plea of not guilty, the court shall set aside the verdict of guilty, and, in either case, the court shall dismiss the accusations or information against the defendant and the defendant shall be released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the offense of which they have been convicted, except as provided in Section 13555 of the Vehicle Code.
(2) The relief available under this section may be granted only after the lapse of one year following the defendant’s completion of the sentence, if the sentence was imposed pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or after the lapse of two years following the defendant’s completion of the sentence, if the sentence was imposed pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (h) of Section 1170 or if the defendant was sentenced to the state prison.
(3) The relief available under this section may be granted only if the defendant is not on parole or under supervision pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (h) of Section 1170, and is not serving a sentence for, on probation for, or charged with the commission of, an offense.
(4) The defendant shall be informed, either orally or in writing, of the provisions of this section and of their right, if any, to petition for a certificate of rehabilitation and pardon at the time of sentencing.
(5) The defendant may make the application and change of plea in person or by attorney, or by a probation officer authorized in writing.
(6) If the defendant seeks relief under this section for a felony that resulted in a sentence to the state prison, the relief available under this section may only be granted if that felony did not result in a requirement to register as a sex offender pursuant to Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 290) of Title 9 of Part 1.
(b) Relief granted pursuant to subdivision (a) is subject to all of the following conditions:
(1) In any subsequent prosecution of the defendant for any other offense, the prior conviction may be pleaded and proved and shall have the same effect as if the accusation or information had not been dismissed.
(2) The order shall state, and the defendant shall be informed, that the order does not relieve them of the obligation to disclose the conviction in response to a direct question contained in a questionnaire or application for public office, for licensure by a state or local agency or by a federally recognized tribe, for enrollment as a provider of in-home supportive services and waiver personal care services pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 12300) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or pursuant to Section 14132.95, 14132.952, 14132.956, or 14132.97 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or for contracting with the California State Lottery Commission.
(3) Dismissal of an accusation or information pursuant to this section does not permit a person to own, possess, or have in their custody or control a firearm or prevent their conviction under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 29800) of Division 9 of Title 4 of Part 6.
(4) Dismissal of an accusation or information underlying a conviction pursuant to this section does not permit a person prohibited from holding public office as a result of that conviction to hold public office.
(c) This section applies to any conviction specified in subdivision (a) that occurred before, on, or after January 1, 2021.
(d) When the court considers a petition for relief under this section, in its discretion and in the interest of justice, an unpaid order of restitution or restitution fine shall not be grounds for denial of the petition for relief.
(e) (1) Relief shall not be granted under this section unless the prosecuting attorney has been given 15 days’ notice of the petition for relief. The probation officer shall notify the prosecuting attorney when a petition is filed, pursuant to this section.
(2) It shall be presumed that the prosecuting attorney has received notice if proof of service is filed with the court.
(f) If, after receiving notice pursuant to subdivision (e), the prosecuting attorney fails to appear and object to a petition for dismissal, the prosecuting attorney shall not move to set aside or otherwise appeal the grant of that petition.
(g) Relief granted pursuant to this section does not release the defendant from the terms and conditions of any unexpired criminal protective orders that have been issued by the court pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (i) of Section 136.2, subdivision (j) of Section 273.5, subdivision (l) of Section 368, or subdivision (k) of Section 646.9. These protective orders shall remain in full effect until expiration or until any further order by the court modifying or terminating the order, despite the dismissal of the underlying accusation or information.
(h) Relief granted pursuant to this section does not affect the authority to receive, or take adverse action based on, criminal history information, including the authority to receive certified court records received or evaluated pursuant to Section 1522, 1568.09, 1569.17, or 1596.871 of the Health and Safety Code, or pursuant to any statutory or regulatory provisions that incorporate the criteria of those sections. Relief granted pursuant to this section does not make eligible a person who is otherwise ineligible under state or federal law or regulation to provide, or receive payment for providing, in-home supportive services and waiver personal care services pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 12300) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or pursuant to Section 14132.95, 14132.952, 14132.956, or 14132.97 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 47, Sec. 8. (AB 134) Effective July 10, 2023.
Source of truth
- Edition
- As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
- Official file
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=1203.41.
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- compose_ca.py 2026-10-22: the Legislative Counsel's CAML content files read by a tokenizer (caml_readers.reader_a); an independent xml.etree reading (caml_readers.reader_b) agrees on every section
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Health and Safety Code
- Health & Saf. Code, § 1522Printed as Section 1522, 1568.09, 1569.17, or 1596.871 of the Health and Safety Code
- Health & Saf. Code, § 1568.09Printed as Section 1522, 1568.09, 1569.17, or 1596.871 of the Health and Safety Code
- Health & Saf. Code, § 1569.17Printed as Section 1522, 1568.09, 1569.17, or 1596.871 of the Health and Safety Code
- Health & Saf. Code, § 1596.871Printed as Section 1522, 1568.09, 1569.17, or 1596.871 of the Health and Safety Code
Penal Code
- Pen. Code, § 136.2Printed as Section 136.2
- Pen. Code, § 273.5Printed as Section 273.5
- Pen. Code, pt. 1, tit. 9, ch. 5.5Sex OffendersPrinted as Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 290) of Title 9 of Part 1
- Pen. Code, § 368Printed as Section 368
- Pen. Code, § 646.9Printed as Section 646.9
- Pen. Code, § 1170Printed as Section 1170
- Pen. Code, pt. 6, tit. 4, div. 9, ch. 2Person Convicted of Specified Offense, Addicted to Narcotic, or Subject to Court OrderPrinted as Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 29800) of Division 9 of Title 4 of Part 6
Welfare and Institutions Code
- Welf. & Inst. Code, div. 9, pt. 3, ch. 3, art. 7In-Home Supportive ServicesPrinted as Article 7 (commencing with Section 12300) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
- Welf. & Inst. Code, § 14132.95Printed as Section 14132.95, 14132.952, 14132.956, or 14132.97 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
- Welf. & Inst. Code, § 14132.952Printed as Section 14132.95, 14132.952, 14132.956, or 14132.97 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
- Welf. & Inst. Code, § 14132.956Printed as Section 14132.95, 14132.952, 14132.956, or 14132.97 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
- Welf. & Inst. Code, § 14132.97Printed as Section 14132.95, 14132.952, 14132.956, or 14132.97 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
Cited by 15 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Pen. Code, § 1203.41. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Business and Professions Code
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 480Printed as Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, 1203.41, 1203.42, or 1203.425 of the Penal Code | Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, 1203.41, or 1203.42 of the Penal Code
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 480.2Printed as Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, 1203.41, or 1203.425 of the Penal Code | Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, or 1203.41 of the Penal Code
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 2533.1Printed as Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, or 1203.41 of the Penal Code
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 11345.2Printed as Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, 1203.41, 1203.42, or 1203.425 of the Penal Code
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 26059Printed as Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, or 1203.41 of the Penal Code
Education Code
Financial Code
Health and Safety Code
Penal Code
- Pen. Code, § 1203.425Printed as Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, 1203.41, 1203.42, 1203.43, or 1203.49 | Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, 1203.41, or 1203.42 | Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, 1203.4b, or 1203.41 | Sections 1016.5, 1203.4, 1203.4a, 1203.4b, 1203.41, 1203.42, 1203.49, and 1473.7
- Pen. Code, § 11105Printed as Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, 1203.41, 1203.42, 1203.425, 1203.44, or 1203.49 | Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, 1203.41, 1203.42, 1203.425, or 1203.49
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.