Seal Order Notifications for Eligible State & Local Agencies 

Overview

Beginning July 1, 2026, the Virginia Department of State Police will support electronic seal order notifications for eligible agencies that are known to maintain or have obtained criminal history records affected by a court sealing order. These notifications are intended to help agencies identify records that have been ordered sealed and take appropriate action in accordance with VA Code § 19.2-392.13, applicable regulations, and Department procedures.

Who is eligible?

Your agency may be eligible if it is a state agency or other authorized recipient that lawfully maintains or has obtained criminal history record information and may need notification when a related record has been ordered sealed. Submission of interest does not guarantee enrollment; the Department will review each request based on statutory authority, operational need, and whether the agency is known to maintain or have obtained qualifying records.

Participating Agency Responsibilities

• Use seal order notifications only for authorized purposes related to sealed records.
• Maintain secure internal processes for receiving and handling notifications.
• Promptly review notifications and update records or workflows as required by law and Department procedures.
• Keep agency contact information current with the Department.

Enrollment Process

• Submit the agency information form.
• The Department will review your agency’s eligibility and contact information.
• If your agency is eligible, additional onboarding instructions and access details will be provided.

Information We Need from Each Eligible Agency

To evaluate your agency for participation in the seal order notification program and to set up portal access, we require one submission per agency with the following information:

• Agency Name
• ORI (Originating Agency Identifier)
• Agency Phone Number
• Primary Contact Name
  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Middle Name (if available)
• Primary Contact Title
• Primary Contact Email Address
• Mailing Address

The primary contact is the person who will be granted access to the seal order notification portal and will be responsible for receiving and monitoring seal alerts on behalf of the agency.

In addition to the primary contact, your agency may provide up to four additional email addresses for individuals who should also receive notification emails and/or be able to sign into the portal.

Key points for agencies to note:

• Only one record per agency should be submitted.
• Only one person’s name, phone number, and email should be listed as the primary contact.
• You may list up to four additional email addresses for other staff who should receive seal notifications or have portal access.

Resources

Sample Seal Order File

To assist eligible agencies in preparing their internal systems for receiving and processing seal order notifications, Virginia State Police has made available a sample seal order file.

This sample file is intended solely for technical design and testing purposes. Agencies may use it to develop and validate their file ingestion, parsing, and suppression processes to ensure that sealed criminal history record (CHR) information is identified and removed from dissemination workflows.

Download Sample File:

• Seal Order Sample File (.psv)

Important Notice

• The sample file contains synthetic, nonidentifiable data created for demonstration purposes only.

Training Video: Criminal History Record Sealing & Law Enforcement Responsibilities

For additional context and training, the Virginia State Police has prepared a brief video that explains:

• The criminal history record sealing process in Virginia
• The roles and responsibilities of law enforcement agencies
• How agencies should receive, review, and act on seal order notifications
• Key expectations for updating records and preventing further dissemination of sealed information

Criminal History Sealing & Law Enforcement Responsibilities

Agencies are encouraged to share this video with command staff, records personnel, IT staff and any other team members involved in the handling of criminal history records or seal order notifications.

FAQ