About the Project
Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Second Chance Project offers assistance with expunction and driver’s license restoration, helping individuals gain financial stability and reducing recidivism.
Find Help
Important Update: Due to high demand, the Second Chance Project, including DEAR and Second Chance Wilmington, will accept applications for expunction and driver’s license restoration services during the first full week of each month. Due to funding restrictions, we are only offering driver’s license restoration services for Durham and New Hanover County residents.
General intake will not occur in June or December so that we can review our open files.
Durham County Residents
Thanks to funding from Durham County, the Durham Expunction & Restoration Program (DEAR) continues to provide expunction and driver’s license restoration services to Durham County residents.
For Durham County residents, we have a dropbox on the desk in Suite 2000 of the Durham Courthouse where individuals can submit an information card. The information will be forwarded to the Second Chance Project Intake Specialist, who will follow up by phone to begin the intake process. Please note that our courthouse office is no longer staffed in person.
New Hanover County Residents
Through the generous support of the New Hanover Community Endowment, Second Chance Wilmington continues to provide expunction and driver’s license restoration services to New Hanover County residents through September 30, 2026.
Community Organizations
If you are a community organization who is interested in partnering with the Second Chance Project for an expunction event in your area, please reach out directly to our Project Director, Emily Mistr, at emilym2@legalaidnc.org.