Written by the Removal Lab team.
Does a mugshot site want money to take your photo down? In most cases the real mugshot removal cost is zero and Removal Lab will check your links for free before you spend a thing.
Google has a free route for sites that charge for removal. Many US states limit those sites too. Some ban removal fees outright. Others make the site take the photo down for free within a set number of days once you qualify. Utah and Oregon go further and cap the fee for a standard request at $50.
This guide shows what you should pay, when it is free and how to get a mugshot removed step by step. It covers the state laws we checked against the law itself, how to report a mugshot site to Google and the red flags to watch for in removal companies. If you would rather hand it over, Removal Lab offers a free, confidential case review and no upfront payment on qualifying cases.
The quick version: mugshot removal cost
1. If the site asks for payment, Google may drop it from search for free.
2. Check your state law. Many states ban removal fees or set a deadline for free removal.
3. Ask the police or sheriff site that posted it.
4. Seal or expunge the record if you qualify.
5. Refresh Google once each copy is gone.
How much does mugshot removal cost?
Here is the honest answer. The mugshot removal cost for most people should be close to nothing, because the main routes are free. You pay when you need a court order, when you hire help or when you give in to a site that asks for money. No government body publishes a standard price for paid removal, so we do not quote a single number. Here is the mugshot removal cost by route.
| Route | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google request for sites that charge for removal | Free | When the site demands payment and you are the person shown |
| Asking the site in a state with a mugshot law | Free in most of the states below. Up to $50 in Utah and Oregon for a standard request | Some states ask you to send the request by certified or registered mail, so add postage |
| Police or sheriff website | Free | Ask the records unit. Policies differ by agency |
| Record sealing or expungement | Court fees, plus a lawyer if you use one | The strongest long term fix |
| Paying the mugshot site | Varies by site | Avoid. Paying one site does nothing about other copies. In several states the fee itself breaks the law |
| Removal service | Varies widely | Get the full price and the refund terms in writing |
What drives the mugshot removal cost
Two people with the same arrest can face very different bills. These are the things that move the price up or down.
- How many copies exist. One sheriff page is a short job. The same photo copied to many sites takes far more requests and follow up.
- What kind of site holds it. A police site, a paid removal site and a news story each need a different route.
- How your case ended. A dismissal, an acquittal or an expunged record can make removal free in several states. A conviction usually does not.
- Your state law. Some states make the site remove the photo for free. Others only ban the fee. Many say nothing.
- Whether you need a court order. Sealing or expungement brings court fees and, if you use one, a lawyer.
- Whether copies come back. Checking for new copies is ongoing work, so ask whether a service charges for it.
- How a service charges. An upfront fee puts the risk on you. Paying only when content is removed puts it on the service.
Mugshot removal cost set by law
In Utah and Oregon a site that charges to remove booking photos may not ask for more than $50 for a standard request. If you were acquitted, not prosecuted or your record was cleared, it may not charge anything at all. In California, Florida, Illinois and New Jersey the site should not ask for money in the first place.
Free ways to remove a mugshot first
Always try these before you pay anyone. Each one keeps your mugshot removal cost at zero or close to it. Most people can do all of them alone with a laptop, a printer and some patience.
- Use the site’s free route if your state requires one. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Utah and Oregon all give you a request route with a deadline. Follow the delivery rules to the letter. Florida wants registered mail to the registered agent. South Carolina wants certified mail, return receipt requested. Georgia accepts that or statutory overnight delivery. The table below has the detail.
- Send Google an exploitative removal request. If the site wants payment to take your photo down, Google will consider dropping that page from its results. The mugshot removal cost here is nothing but your time. The exact steps are in the next section.
- Seal or expunge the record through the court. This costs court fees, but it is the strongest fix. In several states a cleared record is what turns on free removal. Our guide to court record removal explains how it fits together.
- Ask the publisher. Write to the records unit of the police or sheriff site that posted the photo. In California, police and sheriffs may not post booking photos of people arrested for nonviolent crimes on social media, apart from a few exceptions. For a news story, ask the editor for an update or a name removal. See news article removal.
- Refresh Google. Once a page is gone or changed, Google may still show the old copy for a while. Use the Refresh Outdated Content tool to ask Google to update it.
How to report a mugshot site to Google
Google has a policy for exploitative sites that try to charge for removal. It will consider removing a page from its results if all 3 conditions are true.
- You are a subject of the content on the page.
- The site is not a business review site.
- The site requires payment, to the site or to someone else, to remove the content.
How to use it:
- Copy the URL of each page that shows your mugshot. Google says it only reviews the URLs you list, so include every one.
- Take screenshots of each page. Google asks you to take them on the same device you use to send the request. You can crop or edit them so only your face shows.
- Open Google’s help page on exploitative removal sites and click Start removal request.
- Add each URL and explain how the site is exploitative. Quote the price or link the page that asks for payment.
- Attach your screenshots and send the request.
If Google agrees, the URL no longer appears in Google results. Google does not publish a timeline for these requests, so be wary of anyone who promises one. If the page does not meet the policy, Google points you to its legal removal route instead. Our guides to Google search result removal and removing your name from Google cover the other options.
Good to know
The page still exists on the site. It can still show on other search engines, on social media or through shared links. That is why the source matters too.
State laws that limit paid mugshot removal
Many US states have rules for sites that publish mugshots and charge to remove them. The wording differs a lot from state to state. In these states the law either bans the fee, caps it or sets a deadline for free removal, which pulls your mugshot removal cost down. We only list states where we read the law itself or an official state page. Other states have rules too, so check yours even if it is not here.
| State | What the law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | A site that publishes booking photos may not ask for, require or accept a fee to remove, correct or stop publishing them. You can sue for $1,000 per violation or your actual loss, whichever is greater. Police and sheriffs may not share booking photos of people arrested for nonviolent crimes on social media, apart from narrow exceptions. They must take shared photos down within 14 days unless an exception still applies. | Civil Code section 1798.91.1 and Attorney General legal alert on booking photos |
| Florida | A business that publishes booking photos may not ask for or accept a fee to remove them. Send a written request by registered mail to its registered agent with proof of who you are and details of the photo. It must remove the photo free of charge within 10 calendar days. If it does not, you can ask a court for an injunction. | Florida Statutes section 901.43 |
| Georgia | A mugshot site must remove the photo at no charge within 30 days of a written request if your case ended in one of 8 listed ways, such as a dismissal, an acquittal or a restricted record. Send it by certified mail, return receipt requested, or statutory overnight delivery with your name, date of birth, date of arrest and the arresting agency. Charging a fee or missing the deadline breaks the Fair Business Practices Act. | Georgia Attorney General, Mugshot Websites |
| Illinois | Anyone who publishes criminal record information, including arrest photos, may not ask for or accept payment to remove, correct or change it. A site that charges for removal must fix errors within 5 business days of a certified mail demand with proof, or owe you $100 a day plus legal fees. | Consumer Fraud Act, section 2QQQ |
| Kentucky | A booking photo or official inmate photo first obtained from a public agency may not be used for a commercial purpose if it is posted online and removal needs a fee or other payment. If you asked for your photo to come down and it was then posted with a removal fee, you can sue in Circuit Court for an order, costs and legal fees. A court may also award $100 a day for the first 30 days, $250 a day for the next 30 days and $500 a day after that. | Kentucky Revised Statutes section 61.8746 |
| Louisiana | A site that charges to remove booking photos, or mainly publishes them for profit, must remove and destroy a photo within 7 calendar days of your request if you were acquitted, not prosecuted or your charge was expunged, vacated or pardoned. You must send proof. Asking for a fee can lead to criminal prosecution. | Code of Criminal Procedure article 234 |
| Missouri | Anyone who publishes criminal record information, which includes booking photos, may not ask for or accept a fee to remove or correct it. A knowing breach is a class A misdemeanor and each payment counts as a separate violation. You can claim $10,000 or your actual and punitive damages, whichever is greater, plus legal fees. | Revised Statutes of Missouri section 407.1150 |
| New Jersey | No one may ask for or accept money in return for not publishing information that links a person to an arrest, charge or conviction. This covers arrest photos. You can sue for at least $1,000 per violation, plus legal fees. | P.L.2017, chapter 123 (New Jersey State Library) |
| Oregon | Police may release booking photos only in limited cases. A site that charges to remove booking photos must remove and destroy one within 30 days of a request and may not charge more than $50. With proof of an acquittal, no prosecution or a conviction set aside, vacated or pardoned, removal is due within 7 days and must be free. | Enrolled House Bill 3273 |
| South Carolina | A site must remove arrest and booking records for free within 30 days of a written request if the charges were discharged, dismissed or expunged, or you were found not guilty. Send it by certified mail, return receipt requested, with your name, the arrest date, the arresting agency and the exact web address. Charging a fee to remove or not post records is a crime. | Act 132 (Senate Bill 255) |
| Texas | A business that publishes criminal record information and charges to remove it must look into a dispute for free and may not charge to remove or correct inaccurate or incomplete information. It may not publish records it knows are covered by an expunction or nondisclosure order. You can claim up to $500 per violation. | Senate Bill 1289, Business and Commerce Code chapter 109 |
| Utah | Sheriffs may not give booking photos to publish for pay sites. Anyone asking for a copy must sign a statement saying it will not go on one. A publish for pay site must remove and destroy a photo within 30 days of a request and may not charge more than $50. With proof of an acquittal, no prosecution, expungement, vacatur or pardon, removal is due within 7 days and any fee demand counts as theft by extortion. | Utah Code title 17, chapter 72, section 802 |
| Virginia | Anyone who publishes or keeps criminal history record information about your arrest or charge and asks for or accepts money to remove it is liable to you. You can claim your actual damages or $500, whichever is greater, plus legal fees and costs. | Code of Virginia, civil action over criminal history record information |
Laws change and each one has its own conditions and exceptions. This table is general information, not legal advice. Read the source for your state or ask a local lawyer before you rely on it.
How to use your state law in a request
- Name the law in the first line of your letter.
- Send it the way the law asks. Certified or registered mail gives you proof of the date it arrived.
- Include every detail the law lists, such as your name, the arrest date, the arresting agency and the exact URL.
- Attach proof of how your case ended if the law requires it.
- Keep copies. Note the date the deadline runs out and check the page the day after.
How to get a mugshot removed step by step
- List every copy. Search your name with words like arrest, booking and mugshot. Note each URL.
- Sort the sites. Police sites, paid removal sites, news sites and social media each need a different route.
- Start with the free routes. Use the Google request for sites that charge. Write to the police site records unit.
- Use your state law. Quote it in a short written request to each site.
- Fix the record. If your case was dismissed or you qualify for sealing, start that process. It strengthens every request.
- Refresh Google. Once a page is gone, use the Refresh Outdated Content tool.
- Check monthly. Copies reappear. Catch them early.
Mugshot removals by type of site
| Type of site | What usually works |
|---|---|
| Police or sheriff website | A polite request to the records unit. Policies differ by agency, so ask what they need from you |
| Mugshot aggregator that charges | The Google request, plus your state law |
| News article | Ask the editor for an update or a name removal. See news article removal |
| Sheriff social media page | Ask the agency. You can also report the post to the platform. California has a 14 day removal rule for these posts |
Get a mugshot removed after sealing or expungement
A sealed or expunged record changes the conversation. Send a copy of the court order with every request. It gives each site and agency a clear reason to act. In Utah, Louisiana and South Carolina an expunged record is one of the grounds for free removal. Google can then refresh or drop the old result.
If your charges were dropped or you were found not guilty, say so in your request and attach proof.
Red flags in mugshot removal companies
Paid help can be worth it. But this corner of the internet attracts people who profit from fear. Walk away if you see any of these.
- A site that posted your photo, or a company linked to it, offers to remove it for a fee.
- A service that wants to pay the mugshot site on your behalf. In several states that fee is unlawful.
- A promise that the photo will be removed. No honest service can promise what Google, a court or a site decides.
- Talk of special contacts inside Google. The Google request is open to anyone and costs nothing.
- A service that will not put the full mugshot removal cost in writing before you sign.
- No clear answer on what happens if a copy comes back.
- A charge for something your state makes free, such as a written request under its mugshot law.
- Pressure to pay today.
- Promises of removal from the whole internet.
Our guide on how to choose a removal company has more checks that apply here too.
What a removal service can and cannot do
A good service saves you time and mistakes. It does not have powers you lack. Since it adds to your mugshot removal cost, it should earn its fee. Here is the honest split.
| A removal service can | A removal service cannot |
|---|---|
| Find every copy of the photo and sort which route fits each one | Delete content from a site it does not control |
| Prepare and send Google requests with the right URLs and screenshots | Force Google or a site to say yes |
| Write requests that quote your state law and follow its delivery rules | Seal or expunge a record. Only a court can do that |
| Follow up when a site misses its deadline | Make an accurate news story disappear without the editor agreeing |
| Watch for new copies and act on them | Promise a result or a timeline |
Removal Lab works only within those limits. We never pay a site to delete content and we never promise a removal. The platform or the publisher decides. You get a free, confidential case review and a reply within one business day. There is no upfront payment on qualifying cases. You pay only when the content is removed. See what we cannot remove and how our pricing works.
A worked example
This is a made up example to show the steps. It is not a client case.
James lives in Georgia. He finds his mugshot from a dismissed case on 5 sites. 1 is the county sheriff site. 3 are aggregators that ask for a fee. 1 is a local news story.
| Site | What he does | Likely outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Sheriff site | Emails the records unit with proof of dismissal | Photo taken down |
| 3 paid removal sites | Sends each one a written request under Georgia law by certified mail with his name, date of birth, arrest date and the arresting agency. Uses the Google request for each URL at the same time | The sites have 30 days to remove the photo for free. The URLs drop out of Google if Google agrees |
| Local news story | Asks the editor to add the dismissal | Story updated with the outcome |
One aggregator ignores the letter. After the 30 days pass, James files a complaint with the Georgia Consumer Protection Division and keeps his postal receipts as proof. He uses the Refresh Outdated Content tool for each page that comes down.
Total mugshot removal cost in this example: the postage for three certified letters. He paid no site and no service.
Mugshot removal cost on the big mugshot sites
Here is something many people never check. Several large mugshot sites now say in their own policies that they do not charge for removal. That makes the site itself a free first stop, as long as your case fits its rules.
| Site | What it says about fees | Who qualifies | Timing it publishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mugshots.com | It does not charge for removing or updating records in its database | Expungement, seal, no information, record restriction, identity theft or death. Other case outcomes are treated as updates, not removals | Up to 10 business days, handled first come first served |
| RecentlyBooked | It does not charge fees for removal, suppression or changes and does not accept payment for removals | Dismissed charges, expunged or sealed records, wrong or outdated details, the wrong person, juvenile records and duplicates | Not published |
| JailBase | It offers a free opt out and says it has never accepted money to remove records | Anyone who does not want their arrest information on the site | The opt out takes effect 30 days from the request |
| Arrests.org and BustedNewspaper | Their pages blocked our checks, so we do not quote a policy | Look for a removal or contact link on your record page | Not checked |
Each site wants different proof. Mugshots.com asks for court documents signed by a judge and sealed by the court, plus your Mugshots.com ID. It says it discards documents it cannot read without telling you. RecentlyBooked asks for the record URL, your full name, the arrest date, the state and county, the reason and any legal documents. It says requests must be verifiable.
If any site asks you for money, stop there. The Google request for exploitative sites and your state law still apply. For step by step help with each site, see our mugshot removal page.
A free mugshot removal letter you can copy
Most free routes start with a short written request. Use this as a starting point. Change the parts in square brackets and delete any line that does not apply to you.
Template: mugshot removal request
Subject: Request to remove my booking photo and arrest record
I am the person shown on the page below. Please remove my booking photo and arrest record.
Page address: [exact URL]
Full name: [your name]
Date of birth: [only if your state law asks for it]
Date of arrest: [date]
Arresting agency: [agency]
How the case ended: [dismissed, not guilty, sealed or expunged]
Proof: [court order or disposition, attached]
Law: [the state law that applies and the deadline it sets]
Please confirm in writing when the photo and record are removed. I will not pay a fee for this removal.
[Your name and contact details]
Send it the way the law or the site asks. Florida wants registered mail to the site’s registered agent. Georgia and South Carolina accept certified mail, return receipt requested. Mugshots.com and RecentlyBooked take requests by email. Keep a copy and your proof of delivery, then check the page the day after the deadline.
Already paid a mugshot site? What to do next
Paying does not end your options. In several states the payment itself is what breaks the law.
- Keep the evidence. Save the receipt, the page address, screenshots and every message.
- Check your state law. California allows $1,000 per violation or your actual loss, whichever is greater. Missouri allows $10,000 or your actual and punitive damages, whichever is greater. Virginia allows your actual damages or $500, whichever is greater.
- Report it. The FTC takes reports of fraud, scams and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. It says it cannot resolve cases for individuals. Reports go into a database shared with 2,800 law enforcement agencies. Your state attorney general’s consumer office is another route.
- Use Google anyway. If the photo is still up, the request for exploitative sites still fits, because the site asked for payment to remove it.
- Ask a local lawyer about getting your money back.
Removal Lab never pays a mugshot site and never asks you to. If you want a second pair of eyes on your options, the case review is free and confidential.
Is it worth paying for help?
For one or two copies, try the free routes first and keep your mugshot removal cost at zero. Help makes sense when the photo sits on many sites, when sites ignore you or when a news story keeps ranking. Removal Lab checks each link for free and tells you which routes cost nothing. See our mugshot removal service and our guide to removing personal information from Google.
Want to get your mugshot removed?
Send the links. We review them in confidence and reply within one business day. No upfront payment on qualifying cases.
Frequently asked questions
How much does mugshot removal cost?
The mugshot removal cost can be zero. Google will consider removing pages from sites that demand payment for removal. Florida, Georgia and South Carolina require free removal when you qualify, while Utah and Oregon cap the fee for a standard request at $50.
Can I get my mugshot removed for free?
Often, yes. Use the Google request for exploitative removal sites, ask the police site that posted it and check your state law. Sealing or expungement may cost court fees, but it is the strongest fix.
Is it legal for a website to charge to remove a mugshot?
It depends on your state. California, Florida, Illinois and New Jersey ban removal fees, while Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana require free removal when your case ended in set ways. Utah and Oregon allow up to $50 for a standard request but nothing with proof of an acquittal, no prosecution or a cleared record.
Will Google remove my mugshot from search results?
Google will consider removing a page about you when the site requires payment to remove it, you are the subject and it is not a business review site. The page stays on the web but drops out of Google.
Does expungement remove my mugshot from the internet?
Not by itself, but it gives you the strongest reason to ask each site to take the photo down. In some states it also qualifies you for free removal. Send a copy of the order with each request.
How long does mugshot removal take?
Google does not publish a timeline for its requests. Where a state law applies, the site gets a deadline: 10 calendar days in Florida, 7 days in Louisiana and 30 days in Georgia and South Carolina. Sealing or expungement depends on your court.
Should I pay a mugshot website to remove my photo?
Try the free routes first, because paying one site does nothing about other copies. In states such as California, Florida and Illinois the site should not ask for money at all. If you already paid, keep the receipt and ask a local lawyer about your options.
What is the best mugshot removal service?
The best mugshot removal service starts with the free routes, puts the full price in writing and charges only when something is removed. Walk away from any company that promises a removal or pays the mugshot site. Removal Lab gives a free case review and never pays a site to delete content.
Is there a free mugshot removal service?
Several routes cost nothing. Google’s request for exploitative sites is free. Mugshots.com, RecentlyBooked and JailBase all say they do not charge to remove records that meet their rules. Removal Lab also reviews your case for free.
Which states ban charging for mugshot removal?
Among the laws we checked, California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina and Virginia ban or punish removal fees. Georgia and Louisiana require free removal when your case ended in set ways. Utah and Oregon cap the fee for a standard request at $50.
Does Mugshots.com charge to remove a mugshot?
Mugshots.com says it does not charge for removing or updating records in its database. It only removes a record with an expungement, seal, no information, record restriction, identity theft or death, backed by court documents.
What should I do if I already paid to remove my mugshot?
Keep the receipt and check your state law, because several states let you claim damages. You can also report the site to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.
Can I get a mugshot removed for free if I was convicted?
It is harder. Most free removal laws and site policies cover dismissed, acquitted, sealed or expunged cases. Mugshots.com treats a finished sentence as an update rather than a removal, so sealing or expungement is usually the route if you qualify.
Sources: Google Search Help, remove content about you on exploitative sites that try to charge for removal; California Civil Code section 1798.91.1; California Attorney General legal alert on booking photos; Florida Statutes section 901.43; Georgia Attorney General Consumer Protection Division; Illinois Consumer Fraud Act section 2QQQ; Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure article 234; New Jersey P.L.2017, chapter 123; Oregon Enrolled House Bill 3273; South Carolina Act 132; Texas Senate Bill 1289; Utah Code title 17, chapter 72, section 802. State law summaries are general information, not legal advice. Also used: Kentucky Revised Statutes section 61.8746, Revised Statutes of Missouri section 407.1150, Code of Virginia, civil action over criminal history record information, Mugshots.com Record Maintenance, RecentlyBooked mugshot removal policy, RecentlyBooked FAQs, JailBase about page and FTC consumer alert on reporting fraud. Removal Lab does not work for Google or any mugshot site. Every decision is made by the platform.