1. A. Executive Pardon. An executive pardon is a full pardon that unconditionally releases a person from punishment and forgives guilt for any Louisiana convictions. It restores an applicant to all of the rights of citizenship possessed by the person before his or her conviction, including the right to own, possess, or use firearms. An executive pardon shall not be considered for an applicant who is imprisoned except when exceptional circumstances exist. An executive pardon shall not be considered for an incarcerated applicant except when exceptional circumstances exist.
2. B. Pardon without Firearm Authority. A pardon without firearm authority releases a person from punishment and forgives guilt. It entitles an applicant to all of the rights of citizenship enjoyed by the person before his or her conviction, except the specific authority to own, possess, or use firearms.
3. C. Pardon for Misdemeanor. A pardon for a misdemeanor conviction releases a person from punishment and forgives guilt.
4. D. Commutation of Sentence. A commutation of sentence may adjust an applicant's penalty to one less severe but does not restore any civil rights, and it does not restore the authority to own, possess, or use firearms.
5. E. Specific Authority to Own, Possess, or Use Firearms. The specific authority to own, possess, or use firearms re stores an applicant the right to own, possess, or use firearms, which were lost as a result of a felony conviction. Due to federal firearms laws, the pardon board will not consider requests for firearm authority from individuals convicted in federal or out-of-state courts.

6. F. First Offender Pardons. For the purposes of this Section first offender means a person convicted within Louisiana of a felony but never previously convicted of a felony within Louisiana or convicted under the laws of any other state or of the United States or of any foreign government or country of a crime which, if committed in this state would have been a felony, regardless of any previous convictions for any misdemeanors. Once such a pardon is granted, the individual who received such pardon shall not be entitled to receive another such pardon. Types of first offender pardons are listed below.

   1. 1. Offenders Sentenced after November 5, 1968 and before December 31, 1974. An offender sentenced after November 5, 1968 and before December 31, 1974, who has never been previously convicted of a felony, and who has completed serving their sentence, is eligible to apply for a governor's first offender pardon. By Executive Order dated March 16, 2001, all of these types of applications for clemency must be submitted to the pardon board.
   2. 2. Offenders Sentenced on or after January 1, 1975 and before December 27, 1999 (automatic first offender pardon). A first offender sentenced on or after January 1, 1975 and who has never been previously convicted of a felony shall be automatically pardoned upon completion of his sentence without a recommendation of the pardon board and without action by the governor. The Division of Probation and Parole of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections has responsibility for the issuance of this type of first offender pardon certificate. The certificate proclaims that the offender has been restored all basic rights of citizenship, which includes the right to vote, but does not specifically restore the right to own, possess, or use firearms.
   3. 3. Offenders Sentenced after December 27, 1999 (automatic first offender pardon). A first offender sentenced after December 26, 1999 for a non-violent crime, or convicted of aggravated battery, second degree battery, aggravated assault, mingling harmful substances, aggravated criminal damage to property, purse snatching, extortion, or illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities never previously convicted of a felony shall be pardoned automatically upon completion of his sentence without a recommendation of the Board of Pardons and without action by the governor. The Division of Probation and Parole of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections has responsibility for the issuance of this type of first offender pardon certificate. The certificate proclaims that the offender has been restored all basic rights of citizenship, which includes the right to vote, but does not specifically restore the right to own, possess, or use firearms.
   4. 4. No person convicted of a sex offense as defined in R.S. 15:541 or determined to be a sexually violent predator or a child predator under the provisions of R.S. 15:542.1 et seq. shall be exempt from the registration requirements of R.S. 15:542.1 et seq., as a result of a pardon under the provision of this Subsection.
   5. 5. Any person sentenced on or after January 1, 1975 receiving a first offender pardon under these provisions may be charged and punished as a second or multiple offender as provided in R.S. 15:529.1
   6. 6. No first offender pardon may be issued to a first offender unless that person has paid all of the court costs which were imposed in connection with the conviction of the crime for which the pardon is to be issued.

Authority Note

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 15:572, 15:573.1, 15:574.12 and 44:1 et seq.

Historical Note

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Office of the Governor, Board of Pardons, LR 39:2254 (August 2013), amended LR 51:293 (February 2025).