Quick Overview
- Mugshots are booking photos taken by law enforcement at the time of arrest.
- These laws vary in scope - some prohibit fee-charging removal practices outright, others create civil causes of action, and some classify the practice as extortion.
- Response times vary from days to weeks.
Why Mugshots Appear in Google
Mugshots are booking photos taken by law enforcement at the time of arrest. They are public records in most states - accessible through the arresting agency's records and often published on county sheriff's websites. From there, they flow to the internet through two main pathways: For more information, visit the FTC mugshot sites.
- Mugshot aggregator websites: A cottage industry of websites systematically download mugshots from public law enforcement sources and republish them in searchable databases optimized for Google. Mugshots.com, BustedMugshots, Arrest.org, and dozens of similar sites operate this model.
- Local law enforcement sites: Many county sheriff's offices publish recent bookings on their official websites, which are indexed by Google. These need deeper analysis but typically show recent arrests (older records may cycle off).
Mugshot aggregator sites are particularly problematic because they're specifically optimized to rank for searches combining a person's name with terms like "arrest," "mugshot," or their city. Learn more about expungement vs. record sealing on our blog.
"The mugshot industry is built on asymmetry: it takes automated scraping to get a photo online and real human effort to get it removed. That's why professional help is particularly valuable here - the process is well-understood but time-intensive." Learn more about court record removal on our blog.
The Mugshot Website Industry
The mugshot website industry has faced significant legal and regulatory scrutiny over the past decade, leading to meaningful changes in the landscape: For more information, visit the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
- Several states have enacted laws prohibiting mugshot sites from charging removal fees - classifying such practices as extortion or deceptive trade practices
- Google changed its search ranking algorithm to deprioritize mugshot sites in search results (though they can still rank for specific name searches)
- Major credit card processors cut off payments to some mugshot sites that charged removal fees, significantly disrupting their business models
- Despite these pressures, many mugshot sites continue to operate and many have free (but often slow) removal processes
State Laws: Anti-Extortion Statutes
States with Mugshot Removal Laws
Florida, Georgia, Utah, Texas, Colorado, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Virginia, and several other states have enacted laws specifically targeting mugshot websites that charge fees for removal. These laws vary in scope - some prohibit fee-charging removal practices outright, others create civil causes of action, and some classify the practice as extortion. If you're in one of these states, you may have additional legal leverage when requesting removal from sites that attempt to charge fees. Learn more about background check reports on our blog.
Even in states with mugshot removal laws, enforcement varies. The laws provide leverage but don't guarantee immediate compliance. An attorney familiar with your state's specific statute can advise on your options if a site does not comply.
Platform-by-Platform Approach
Mugshots.com
Email mugshots.com1@gmail.com with your full name, the page URL, a copy of your arrest record, and any case outcome documentation. Response times vary from days to weeks. Persistence is often required.
BustedMugshots
Has a removal request form on their website. Include case outcome documentation. Offers both free and paid removal tiers in some states - in states with anti-extortion laws, insist on the free process.
Arrest.org
Has a removal request form. Responds to requests citing expungement orders or case dismissals. May require documentation of arrest record and case outcome.
County Sheriff Sites
Contact the sheriff's office records division directly. Most rotate or archive old booking photos on a regular basis. Expungement orders provide legal grounds to request removal from official law enforcement sites.
Jail/Booking Sites
Many counties operate inmate booking photo sites that auto-publish recent arrests. Contact the specific site or the county IT department. Recent records cycle off, older records may require a formal request.
Background Check Aggregators
Spokeo, BeenVerified, and similar sites may include arrest photo references. Use each site's opt-out process to remove your profile, including the mugshot reference.
Google Personal Information Removal Tool for Mugshots
Google updated its policies to allow removal requests for images that appear in exploitative contexts. For mugshots specifically, Google's Personal Information Removal Tool allows requests for: For more information, visit the Google removal tool.
- Images of people in contexts designed for harassment or harm
- Arrest photos where no conviction occurred
- Images associated with expunged or sealed records
The process: visit Google's Personal Information Removal Tool, select "Images" as the content type, choose the relevant reason, and submit the specific URL. After a source site removes a mugshot, use Google Search Console's URL removal tool to accelerate de-indexing of the now-deleted page.
Arrest Without Conviction - Strongest Removal Grounds
An arrest without a conviction - charges dropped, case dismissed, acquittal - represents the strongest possible grounds for mugshot removal. The fundamental unfairness of an arrest photo persisting when no criminal finding was made against you is recognized by multiple authorities. The FTC's consumer guidance on background checks notes that arrest records without convictions can mislead employers and landlords, and should not be treated as evidence of wrongdoing. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), consumer reporting agencies have specific obligations about how arrest records are reported - particularly for arrests older than 7 years that did not result in conviction.
- Google's removal policies (specifically addresses arrest-without-conviction scenarios)
- Many mugshot sites' own stated removal policies
- State anti-extortion and mugshot removal statutes
- Background check industry guidelines under FCRA
If your arrest did not result in a conviction, documenting that fact - with a dismissal order, nolle prosequi filing, or acquittal documentation - is the foundation of every removal request.
After Expungement or Sealing
An expungement or sealing order from a court is the most powerful documentation for mugshot removal. It provides legal authority and typically compels compliance from reputable sites.
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1Obtain certified copies of the expungement order
Get multiple certified copies from the court clerk. You'll need them for multiple removal requests simultaneously.
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2Submit to each mugshot site with expungement documentation
Include the expungement order with every removal request. Most reputable sites will comply when presented with a valid order.
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3Contact the original law enforcement agency
The arresting agency should update their records per the expungement order. This can help prevent future republication.
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4Request Google de-indexing
Use Google's Personal Information Removal Tool with the expungement order as supporting documentation for any remaining Google results.
Professional Help for Complex Cases
Mugshot removal is one of the areas where professional help is particularly valuable. The process is well-understood but involves multiple platforms, each requiring individual attention, documentation, and often follow-up. Professional ORM firms handle mugshot removal regularly and have established processes for each major platform. For cases involving expungement, news coverage alongside mugshots, or multiple sites, professional management ensures comprehensive coverage rather than piecemeal requests.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes - mugshots can often be removed from Google through a combination of source removal (getting the mugshot site or database to delete the page) and Google de-indexing requests. The strongest grounds are arrests without conviction, expunged or sealed arrests, and cases where mugshot sites are operating in violation of state anti-extortion or mugshot removal statutes. We help identify whether removal may be possible for your specific situation.
Several states have enacted laws targeting mugshot websites that charge fees for removal. These include Florida, Georgia, Utah, Texas, Colorado, Oregon, and others. These laws typically prohibit websites from charging a fee to remove a mugshot, classify such practices as extortion, or require removal upon request. The legal landscape continues to evolve. An attorney in your state can advise on specific protections available to you.
Mugshots.com has a documented removal process. You must obtain a copy of your arrest record from the arresting agency, then email mugshots.com1@gmail.com with your full name, the URL of the page, and copies of your arrest record and any available case outcome documentation (dismissal, expungement, etc.). Response times vary. If the case was dismissed or expunged, include that documentation as it significantly strengthens the request.
Google can remove mugshots from search results through its Personal Information Removal Tool, particularly for images that appear in exploitative contexts or for arrests without conviction. Google updated its policies in 2022 to make it easier to request removal of images of people in non-consensual situations. After a source site removes a mugshot, you can also use Google's URL removal tool to accelerate de-indexing.
No. An expungement order from a court does not automatically cause mugshot websites or Google to remove your image. You must take the expungement order to each mugshot site and database hosting the photo and request removal. However, an expungement order is typically the strongest possible documentation for removal requests - most reputable sites and Google will honor removal requests accompanied by a valid expungement order.
Some mugshot removal services are legitimate - they have established relationships with mugshot sites and know the fastest removal processes. However, the industry has historically included predatory actors who charge excessive fees or make promises they cannot deliver. A reputable ORM firm with experience in court record removal is a safer choice than a standalone "mugshot removal" service of unknown provenance.
Yes - the removal process for mugshots from other states is the same regardless of which state the arrest occurred in. Mugshot sites do not segregate their content by state, and the same direct removal request process applies. If you obtained an expungement in one state, that expungement order is valid documentation for removal requests to any mugshot site hosting that record, regardless of the site's physical location. Google de-indexing requests work the same way nationally. Where state law matters is in whether anti-extortion mugshot statutes apply - these vary by state and determine whether you can demand free removal versus needing to pay a fee.
Without active removal, mugshots can remain in Google search results indefinitely. Google's index does not automatically expire or remove content based on the age of an arrest. A mugshot from 10 or 20 years ago can still appear on page one of search results today if no action has been taken. For arrests that did not result in conviction, this represents a permanent, unfair reputational harm - which is why Google's own policies have been updated to make removal of arrest-without-conviction mugshots more accessible. The key is taking action: both removing the source page and submitting a Google de-indexing request.