Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6338.1 (2026)

Expunction of information of perpetrator who was under 18 years of age when child abuse was committed.

✓ current as of May 2026

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§ 6338.1. Expunction of information of perpetrator who was under 18 years of age when child abuse was committed.

(a) General rule.--The name of a perpetrator who is the subject of an indicated report of child abuse and who was under 18 years of age when the individual committed child abuse shall be expunged from the Statewide database when the individual reaches 21 years of age or when five years have elapsed since the perpetrator's name was added to the database, whichever is later, if the individual meets all of the following:

(1) The individual has not been named as a perpetrator in any subsequent indicated report of child abuse and is not named as an alleged perpetrator in a child abuse report pending investigation.

(2) The individual has never been convicted or adjudicated delinquent following a determination by the court that the individual committed an offense under section 6344(c) (relating to employees having contact with children; adoptive and foster parents), and no proceeding is pending seeking such conviction or adjudication.

(3) The child abuse which resulted in the inclusion of the perpetrator's name in the database did not involve the use of a deadly weapon, as defined under 18 Pa.C.S. § 2301 (relating to definitions).

(b) Mandated expunction.--If the perpetrator meets all of the requirements under subsection (a), the expunction shall be mandated and guaranteed by the department.

(c) Nonapplicability.--The provisions of this section shall not apply to any of the following cases:

(1) A perpetrator who is the subject of a founded report of child abuse.

(2) A sexually violent delinquent child, as defined in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.12 (relating to definitions), who meets all of the following:

(i) Is required to register under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 97 Subch. H (relating to registration of sexual offenders).

(ii) Was found delinquent as a result of the same acts which resulted in the sexually violent delinquent child being named a perpetrator of child abuse.

(3) A juvenile offender, as defined in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.12, who meets all of the following:

(i) Is required to register under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 97 Subch. H as a result of an adjudication of delinquency for the same acts which resulted in the juvenile offender being named a perpetrator of child abuse.

(ii) Has not been removed from the Statewide Registry of Sexual Offenders pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.17 (relating to termination of period of registration for juvenile offenders).

(4) An individual who:

(i) Is required to register under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 97 Subch. H or I (relating to continued registration of sexual offenders) as a result of a criminal conviction for the same acts which resulted in the sexual offender being named a perpetrator of child abuse.

(ii) Has not completed the period of registration required under 42 Pa.C.S. Subch. H or I.

(Dec. 18, 2013, P.L.1195, No.117, eff. Dec. 31, 2014; May 14, 2014, P.L.653, No.45, eff. Dec. 31, 2014; Oct. 22, 2014, P.L.2529, No.153, eff. Dec. 31, 2014; Feb. 21, 2018, P.L.27, No.10, eff. imd.; June 12, 2018, P.L.140, No.29, eff. imd.)

2018 Amendments. Act 10 amended subsec. (c)(4) and Act 29 reenacted subsec. (c)(4).

2014 Amendments. Act 45 amended subsec. (a)(1) and Act 153 amended subsec. (a)(2).

2013 Amendment. Act 117 added section 6338.1.

Cross References. Section 6338.1 is referred to in section 6341 of this title.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 4 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2015–2025 · leading case: V.S. v. Dep't of Pub. Welfare, 131 A.3d 523 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2015).

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V.S. v. Dep't of Pub. Welfare, 131 A.3d 523 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2015). · cites it 3× “D (relating to child victims and witnesses)[ 14 ] in any prosecution or adjudication shall be afforded to a child in child abuse proceedings in court or in any department administrative hearing pursuant to [S]ection 6341 [of the Law (relating to records ex-pungement) ]. 23…”

V.S. v. Dpw (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2015). · cites it 3× “1 of the Law, 23 Pa.C.S. § 6338.1, effective December 31, 2014, which now sets forth the procedure to expunge minor perpetrators’ indicated reports, the General Assembly still does not require that DPW appoint counsel or a guardian ad litem for minors in V.”

T.G. v. Dhs (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2022). “1 [of the CPSL, 23 Pa.C.S. § 6338.1] (relating to expunction of information of perpetrator who was under 18 years of age when child abuse was committed): (1) At any time, the [DHS S]ecretary may amend or expunge any record in the [s]tatewide database under this chapter upon good…”

S.G. v. Dhs (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2025). “1 [of the CPSL, 23 Pa.C.S. § 6338.1] (relating to expunction of information of perpetrator who was under 18 years of age when child abuse was committed): (1) At any time, the [S]ecretary [of Human Services (Secretary)] may amend or expunge any record in [ChildLine] upon good…”

— 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6338.1(a) — 2 cases

V.S. v. Dep't of Pub. Welfare, 131 A.3d 523 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2015). “D (relating to child victims and witnesses)[ 14 ] in any prosecution or adjudication shall be afforded to a child in child abuse proceedings in court or in any department administrative hearing pursuant to [S]ection 6341 [of the Law (relating to records ex-pungement) ]. 23…”

V.S. v. Dpw (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2015). “1 of the Law, 23 Pa.C.S. § 6338.1, effective December 31, 2014, which now sets forth the procedure to expunge minor perpetrators’ indicated reports, the General Assembly still does not require that DPW appoint counsel or a guardian ad litem for minors in V.”

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