Life After a Felony in Kentucky: Voting, Jury Duty, Guns & Class D Expungement

The consequences of a felony conviction in Kentucky don’t end when the sentence does. Long after release, a felony record can keep you from voting, serving on a jury, or owning a gun.

An experienced attorney can help reverse some of those losses, but the path back differs for each right. 

Felony Convictions and Their Impacts

Kentucky divides felonies into four classes, from Class D offenses which carry one to five years in prison to Class A offenses that are punishable by 20 years to life. A conviction also suspends civil rights under the state constitution and statutes. 

Voting

Kentucky’s constitution bars people with felony convictions from voting unless the governor restores their rights. In December 2019, the governor signed Executive Order 2019-003, which automatically restored the right to vote and hold public office to people who had completed their sentences, including probation and parole, for nonviolent felonies. Unpaid fines and restitution do not block eligibility. 

The order does not cover people convicted of violent crimes, sex offenses, bribery, or treason, or people with federal or out-of-state convictions. They must apply to the governor individually. 

State Senate Bill 80, which would let voters amend the constitution to restore voting rights after certain felony sentences end, passed the Kentucky Senate in early 2026 but was not voted on in the House. Similar bills could return in the future.

Jury Duty

In Kentucky, anyone convicted of a felony is disqualified from jury service unless they have been pardoned or had their civil rights restored, and the law allows no waiver. In a 2003 decision, the Kentucky Supreme Court held that a restoration limited to voting and holding office did not make the person eligible to serve on a jury. 

Firearms

Gun rights are the hardest to recover. It is a crime for anyone convicted of a felony to possess a firearm, a ban that covers all firearms for convictions after July 15, 1994, and all firearms for convictions after July 15, 1994. Having your rights restored does not lift the ban; generally only a full pardon from the governor or federal relief does. 

Federal law imposes its own ban. Anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison may not possess a gun. Federal law generally stops counting a conviction that has been pardoned, expunged, or set aside, unless the relief expressly bars firearms. 

Class D Felony Expungement

For many people, the most complete fresh start is expungement. People may apply for expungement starting five years after their sentence ends, including probation, parole, or conditional discharge (whichever comes later). Sex offenses, offenses against children, and offenses causing serious injury or death are not eligible, and the applicant must have no felony or misdemeanor convictions in the past five years and no pending charges. 

To apply:

1. Request a certification of your record from the Administrative Office of the Courts ($40 fee). 
2. File form AOC-496.3, Application to Vacate and Expunge Felony Conviction, with the court clerk in the county where you were convicted, along with a $50 filing fee. 
3. Wait for the prosecutor’s response. The prosecutor has 60 days to object, which triggers a hearing.
4. Pay a $250 expungement fee if the judge grants the application. It can be paid in installments. Indigent applicants can seek a waiver of the fees.

An expungement vacates the conviction. The record is removed from state background checks, and you generally need not disclose it on job, housing, or credit applications. However, federal and immigration databases may retain the information.

Guidance for the Process

Each of these rights has its own rules, and relief for one does not always restore the others. Consulting with Howell Law PLLC can help determine if you are eligible to pursue a pardon or expungement and guide you through the process. Call for a consultation today.