Will this show up on a professional license application?

Most licensing applications ask broader questions than employment applications do. Many ask about arrests, charges, or pleas rather than convictions alone — which means a withhold of adjudication, a dismissal, or even an arrest that produced no charges may require disclosure.

Boards commonly run their own background checks, so nondisclosure is generally discovered.

Two things matter more than the underlying charge.

Candor. Boards routinely treat a failure to disclose more seriously than the matter itself. Discipline for lack of candor is common and it's harder to explain than a single old charge.

Timing. Some boards require reporting within a specified period of an arrest, not at renewal. Missing that deadline is its own violation.

If you hold or are seeking a license, raise it at the first meeting with counsel. It affects what resolution to pursue — sealing eligibility, whether a withhold is available, and whether a disposition avoids the reportable category.

Sealing helps with some applications and not others, since certain licensing contexts retain access.