Effect of a Pardon

• A pardon at either the federal or state level restores the convicted person's rights they lost as a result of the conviction. For instance, the right to carry a firearm or the right to apply for citizenship. A pardon does not erase or expunge a conviction.
  
  

Federal Pardon

• Only the President of the United States has the authority to grant a pardon for a federal conviction. A convicted person must wait five years after completion of his sentence before he can apply for a pardon. The petition must be delivered to the pardon attorney for the Department of Justice along with all supporting documents. The President will then review the petition and make a decision.
  
  

State Pardon

• The governor of the state where the crime was committed has the authority to pardon a person after completion of her sentence. State petition processes vary but generally require a petition along with supporting documentation to be sent to the parole board or to an office specifically designated to accept pardon petitions. The governor will ultimately grant or deny the petition.