Subject to exceptions, persons convicted of criminal offences are entitled to have "the slate swept clean" after a certain period of time (Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974). Such convictions are then called "spent convictions" - see CRIMINAL LAW ASPECTS/Rehabilitation of Offenders Act/effect of rehabilitation .

For notes on the exceptions, covered by RoOA 1974, s.5(1), see CRIMINAL LAW ASPECTS/Rehabilitation of Offenders Act/penalties excluded from rehabilitation .

The period of time which must elapse before a conviction becomes a spent conviction varies, according to the nature of the offence and the age of the offender, from three months to ten years.

See also Criminal law aspects/vetting of job applicants and/or Criminal law aspects/Rehabilitation of Offenders Act/a general note and/or Criminal law aspects/Rehabilitation of Offenders Act/exceptions .