What is a “Certificate of Relief from Civil Disabilities”?
In general, Section 701 provides that a certificate may relieve an eligible offender of any forfeiture or disability, or remove any bar to employment, automatically imposed by law by reason of conviction of the crime or the offense. A conviction for a crime specified in a certificate of relief from disabilities shall not cause automatic forfeiture of any license, permit, employment or franchise, including the right to register for or vote at an election, or automatic forfeiture of any other right or privilege, held by the eligible offender and covered by the certificate. However, a certificate can not overcome automatic forfeiture resulting from convictions for violations of Section 2806 (5) of the Public Health Law or Section 1193(2) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law. A certificate also does not permit the convicted person to retain or be eligible for public office, nor does it void the conviction as if it were a pardon (see Correction law 701 and 706).
