Section 303.223 - What constitutes a conviction under section 19?(a)Convictions requiring an application. There must be a conviction of record. Section 19 does not cover arrests or pending cases not brought to trial, unless the person has a program entry as set out in § 303.224 . Section 19 does not cover acquittals or any conviction that has been reversed on appeal, unless the reversal was for the purpose of re-sentencing. A conviction with regard to which an appeal is pending requires an application. A conviction for which a pardon has been granted requires an application.(b)Convictions not requiring an application. When an individual is charged with a Covered Offense and, in the absence of a program entry as set out in § 303.224 , is subsequently convicted of an offense that is not a Covered Offense, the conviction is not subject to section 19.(c)Expungement, dismissal, and sealing. A conviction is not considered a conviction of record and does not require an application if- (1) There is an order of expungement, sealing, or dismissal that has been issued in regard to the conviction in connection with such offense, or if a conviction has been otherwise expunged, sealed, or dismissed by operation of law; and(2) It is intended by the language in the order itself, or in the legislative provisions under which the order was issued, or in other legislative provisions, that the conviction shall be destroyed or sealed from the individual's State, Tribal, or Federal record, even if exceptions allow the conviction to be considered for certain character and fitness evaluation purposes.(d)Youthful offenders. An adjudication by a court against a person as a "youthful offender" (or similar term) under any youth-offender law applicable to minors as defined by State law, or any judgment as a "juvenile delinquent" (or similar term) by any court having jurisdiction over minors as defined by State law, does not require an application. Such an adjudication does not constitute a matter covered under section 19 and is not a conviction or program entry for determining the applicability of § 303.227 . 85 FR 51339 , 9/21/2020; 89 FR 64362 , 10/1/2024