Short answer: Idaho eviction record sealing happens automatically in one situation: under Idaho Code § 6-303A, an unlawful detainer case filed on or after January 1, 2025 is shielded from public view, with no petition, once the entire case is dismissed, no appeal is pending, and either three years have passed or the parties file a stipulation to shield. Any other case requires a sealing motion under Idaho Court Administrative Rule 32.
The law is narrower than its “automatic” label suggests. A judgment for the landlord is never shielded under § 6-303A, and cases filed before 2025 are outside it. The single most useful tool for many Idaho tenants is the stipulation option, because it can shield a dismissed case immediately instead of after three years.
Idaho Eviction Record Sealing Rules in One Table
| Rule | Idaho | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic shielding | Cases filed on or after Jan. 1, 2025; whole case dismissed; no appeal pending | I.C. § 6-303A(1) |
| Timing | 3 years after filing, or sooner if the parties file a stipulation to shield | I.C. § 6-303A(1)(c) |
| Court rule implementing it | All records of the case shielded from public disclosure | I.C.A.R. 32(j)(2) |
| Petition to seal other cases | Motion; court must find a listed ground and use the least restrictive option | I.C.A.R. 32(i); § 6-303A(5) |
| Federal reporting cap | 7 years from entry or the limitations period, whichever is longer | 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a)(2) |
How Automatic Shielding Under § 6-303A Works
The statute, added in 2024, applies to a defendant in an unlawful detainer case under § 6-303. Three conditions must all be true: the entire case was dismissed, there is no appeal pending, and at least three years have passed since the eviction was filed or the parties stipulated to shielding and filed that stipulation with the court.
When the conditions are met, subsection (2) makes the records unavailable for public viewing. Subsection (4) still lets court staff and the parties to the case see them. Subsection (3) makes the process subject to Idaho Supreme Court rules and to what the courts’ record-keeping system can do, which is why Rule 32(j)(2) restates the same conditions.
Who falls outside it
- Anyone whose case ended in a judgment for possession or money, even if later paid.
- Cases dismissed only in part, such as a dismissal of one tenant while a co-tenant lost.
- Cases filed before January 1, 2025, regardless of outcome.
- Cases with an appeal still pending.
The Stipulation Shortcut
Idaho nonpayment cases move fast. Under § 6-310(2), the court sets trial within twelve days of the complaint, and you must be served at least five days before trial. That leaves little time, but it is also when landlords are most willing to settle.
If you agree to pay or move, ask for two things in writing: a dismissal of the entire case, and a joint stipulation to shield the records that gets filed with the court. With both, § 6-303A(1)(c) is satisfied right away rather than three years after filing. Without the stipulation, a dismissed case stays public for three years, which covers most apartment searches you are likely to make in that time.
Petitioning to Seal Under Rule 32
Section 6-303A(5) preserves the right of any party to petition to seal eviction records under Idaho Supreme Court administrative rules. That route covers judgments, pre-2025 filings and other cases that automatic shielding misses.
Under I.C.A.R. 32(i), a party may move to seal or redact, and a hearing is held if a party or affected non-party asks for one. Before sealing, the court must find one of the grounds listed in (i)(3)(A), such as records containing “highly intimate facts or statements, the publication of which would be highly objectionable to a reasonable person,” or a threat to someone’s safety. The order must use the least restrictive exception and state its reasons.
That is a high bar for an ordinary nonpayment judgment. Your best evidence is something beyond the eviction itself: a mistaken identity, a vacated judgment, or a file that reveals medical or domestic violence information.
What Screening Companies Can Still Report
Screening firms that copied an Idaho case before it was shielded may still have it in their databases. The CFPB says a sealed or expunged eviction should not be on your report, so if a shielded case shows up, dispute it and attach the court docket or dismissal.
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Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i(a), the company must reinvestigate within 30 days (45 if you add information mid-review) and delete anything inaccurate or unverifiable. For cases that remain public, § 1681c(a)(2) stops reporting of civil suits and judgments more than seven years after entry, unless the statute of limitations runs longer. And when a landlord rejects you over a report, § 1681m(a) entitles you to the company’s name and a free copy if you ask within 60 days. Our guide to screening reports explains each section.
Worked Example: A Pocatello Renter
Lena’s landlord serves a three-day notice under § 6-303(2) demanding $1,050 in rent, then files an unlawful detainer in Bannock County on February 1, 2027. Trial must be set within twelve days, by February 13.
Before trial, Lena pays the $1,050 and the landlord signs a dismissal of the whole case plus a stipulation to shield, both filed on February 10. Because the case was filed after January 1, 2025, was entirely dismissed, has no appeal, and has a filed stipulation, § 6-303A shields it now. Had she settled without the stipulation, the case would stay public until February 1, 2030.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Idaho shield an eviction I lost?
Not automatically. Section 6-303A covers only cases where the entire case was dismissed. You can still ask the court to seal a judgment under Rule 32, but you must show one of its listed grounds.
My Idaho eviction was dismissed in 2023. Is it shielded?
No. Automatic shielding applies only to cases filed on or after January 1, 2025. For an older case, your option is a Rule 32 motion.
Can my landlord still see a shielded case?
Yes. Section 6-303A(4) lets the parties to the case access shielded records at any time. The shield blocks the public and screening companies, not the people involved.
Do I have to file anything for automatic shielding?
No petition is required once the conditions are met. If you want shielding before three years pass, though, you and the landlord must file a stipulation with the court.
Does an appeal delay shielding?
Yes. A case with an appeal pending does not qualify until the appeal ends and the other conditions are met.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. As a next step, use the Idaho courts’ housing forms to file an answer, or contact a lawyer through LSC’s legal aid locator and ask about a stipulation to shield before you sign any settlement. Related reading: sealing by state, eviction process by state, sealing step by step and Idaho security deposit law.
Sources
- Idaho Code § 6-303A, Idaho Legislature
- Idaho Code § 6-303
- Idaho Code § 6-310
- Idaho Court Administrative Rule 32, Idaho Supreme Court
- Idaho Court Assistance Office, housing forms
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, Cornell LII
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, Cornell LII
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681m, Cornell LII
- CFPB, Review your rental background check
- Legal Services Corporation, Get Legal Help