Written by the Removal Lab team.
Found your booking photo on Mugshots.com and wondering whether you have to pay to get it down? Mugshots.com removal is free under the site’s own policy, but only for a short list of cases: an expungement, a seal, a no information, a record restriction, identity theft or a death, each backed by documents. Removal Lab checks your listing for free, tells you which route fits and files the requests, with no upfront payment on qualifying cases. Mugshots.com, Google or a court makes the decision.
If your charge was dismissed or you were found not guilty, the picture is different. The site says it updates those records rather than removing them. This page sets out what Mugshots.com says today, the official action taken against its alleged operators, the Google routes and the state laws that can go further than the site’s own policy.
Here are the Mugshots.com removal key facts. Every policy below comes from Mugshots.com’s own pages, an official government page or the law itself. The links are at the end.
| Key fact | What we found |
|---|---|
| Fee for removal | Mugshots.com says it does not charge for removing or updating records and does not accept payment for removal |
| Cases it removes | Expungement, seal, no information, record restriction, identity theft or death |
| Dismissal, acquittal or pardon | Updated, not removed. The outcome is shown on the pages about your arrest |
| Proof it asks for | Court documents signed by a judge, sealed by the court and legible, or a certified death certificate |
| How to send | By email to the address on its Record Removals and Updates page, with your Mugshots.com ID |
| Timing it gives | Up to 10 business days for removal, handled first come first served |
| Who decides | Mugshots.com for its pages, Google for its results, a court for the record |
What Mugshots.com says about removal
Mugshots.com describes itself as a news organisation and a search engine for official law enforcement records. Its About page says the records were first collected and shared by law enforcement agencies and that each front page post links to the primary source. That link is useful, because it tells you which agency to contact too.
On Mugshots.com removal fees, the site is plain. Its Record Removals and Updates page says it does not charge for removing or updating records in its database. Its site policies say it does not accept payment for removal of arrest information or booking photos. The same policies say that if a court expunges your record, the site will remove it free of charge.
The catch is the short list of cases. Here is how Mugshots.com removal works for each situation, in the site’s own terms.
| Your situation | What Mugshots.com says it does | What it asks you to send |
|---|---|---|
| Expungement, seal, no information or record restriction | Removes the record | Court documents signed by a judge, sealed by the court and legible |
| Identity theft | Removes the record | Court documents, as above |
| Death of the person shown | Removes the record | A certified copy of the death certificate |
| Not guilty, dismissal, acquittal, exoneration or pardon | Updates the record. It says this is not a removal | Disposition documents signed by a judge and sealed by the court |
| Conviction, after every court requirement is met | Updates the record rather than removing it | Court satisfaction documents, signed and legible |
| Anything else | The policy lists no removal route | Use the Google, state law and court routes below |
For Mugshots.com removal, the site uses separate email addresses for removals and for disposition updates. Use the one its page lists for your situation.
How to request Mugshots.com removal step by step
If you searched “remove mugshot from Mugshots.com”, you may have seen paid offers. You do not need one to ask. These steps follow the site’s own Mugshots.com removal policy.
- Find your listing and its Mugshots.com ID. The site asks you to include it with your request.
- Screenshot the listing with the web address visible, plus any other page that shows your photo.
- Get the right court documents. For removal, the site wants documents signed by a judge, sealed by the court and legible. Ask the court clerk for certified copies.
- Scan them clearly. Mugshots.com says documents it cannot read are discarded and that it will not tell you.
- Email the address listed for your case type on the Record Removals and Updates page. Keep a copy of what you sent.
- Stay calm and factual. The site says threatening or abusive messages are passed to law enforcement and may disqualify you from its record programme.
- Wait, then check. The site says removal can take up to 10 business days and requests are handled first come first served.
- Refresh Google. Once the page is gone, ask Google to update the old result. See our refresh tool guide.
Our wider guide on how to get a mugshot removed covers the other places your photo may sit, such as sheriff pages and news stories.
Does Mugshots.com charge for removal?
Mugshots.com says no. Two other lines in its site policies are worth knowing about before you start a Mugshots.com removal request.
First, a non solicitation section says approved agents are authorised to submit licensing applications for permanent unpublishing among other services. It says they act only on inbound requests. Second, a service providers section says the site may contract with other companies for services that include unpublishing services. The policies do not say what those services cost or who provides them. The site also says it takes part in affiliate programmes.
Our advice is simple. Do not pay anyone for Mugshots.com removal before you check your state law and Google’s policy. If anyone asks for money, screenshot the request with the web address showing. Google’s policy covers sites that require payment to the site or other agencies and California law bans fees to remove a booking photo.
Official action against the alleged operators of Mugshots.com
In an earlier press release, the California Attorney General announced criminal charges of extortion, money laundering and identity theft against four people it described as the alleged owners and operators of Mugshots.com.
The release said Mugshots.com republished booking information from police and sheriff websites. It alleged that people who asked for removal were sent to a second site, Unpublisharrest.com, to pay a fee and that the site did not remove information until the person paid, even where charges were dismissed or the arrest was a case of mistaken identity.
The release put numbers on it. It alleged more than $64,000 in removal fees from about 175 people with California billing addresses over three years and more than $2 million from about 5,703 people nationally. The Marin County District Attorney said the investigation was led by the Northern California Computer Crimes Task Force.
Two honest limits. The release itself says a criminal charge is only an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. We also could not open an official court record showing how the case ended, so we do not report an outcome. What the site says about Mugshots.com removal fees today is set out above.
What this means for you
If you paid to unpublish a Mugshots.com listing, keep the receipt and every email. The California release pointed people to the Attorney General’s eCrime Unit and the Internet Crime Complaint Center. A lawyer can tell you whether a state law gives you a claim.
Mugshots.com removal from Google results
Google cannot delete a Mugshots.com page. It can change what people see when they search your name. Here is how each Google route fits a Mugshots.com listing.
| Google route | When it fits a Mugshots.com listing | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Exploitative removal practices | Someone requires payment, to the site or other agencies, to remove the content about you | Google says only the addresses you list are reviewed. Attach screenshots. You can edit them so only your face shows |
| Results about you | The listing shows your home address, phone number or email | Google says it may keep results that are valuable to the public, such as newspapers |
| Personal information | The listing shows an ID number, bank details or an image of your ID | You or a representative can file it |
| Refresh outdated content | Mugshots.com has removed or updated the page | For images, Google asks for the image address and the page address, one request per page |
Be realistic about the first route for Mugshots.com removal. Mugshots.com says it does not charge, so Google’s policy on exploitative removal practices fits only if someone asks you to pay. Mugshots.com also calls itself a news organisation. How Google treats a particular listing is Google’s decision.
If a page is removed from Google, Google says the content can still be found through shared links, social media or other search engines. That is why the request to the site still matters. See how to use Google Results about you, how to remove personal information from Google and Google image removal.
State laws that can go further than Mugshots.com removal policy
The site’s policy is not the last word. Some state laws require free removal in cases where Mugshots.com says it only updates the record, such as a dismissal. Whether a law reaches Mugshots.com depends on its wording and on legal questions a lawyer should answer. For a dismissed case, a state law request can be the stronger Mugshots.com removal route. These are the laws we read for this page.
- California. Civil Code section 1798.91.1 makes it unlawful for anyone publishing a booking photo to ask for or accept a fee to remove, correct or modify it. The person shown can sue for $1,000 per violation or actual damages, whichever is greater, plus costs and fees.
- Florida. Section 901.43 covers publishers who seek payment for removal or whose main business is publishing booking photos for profit. After a written request by registered mail to the registered agent, with proof of identity, removal is due free within 10 calendar days.
- Georgia. The Attorney General’s page explains that for eight listed outcomes, including a dismissal and an acquittal, a site must remove the photo at no charge within 30 days of a written request by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery. The request must include your name, date of birth, arrest date and the arresting agency.
- Utah. Utah Code Title 17 Chapter 72 section 802 applies to publish for pay sites. After an acquittal, no prosecution, expungement, vacated charge or pardon, it requires free removal within 7 calendar days once you send proof.
Our mugshot removal cost guide has a longer state by state table.
Please speak to a lawyer
This page is general information, not legal advice. Sealing, expungement and the state laws on mugshot sites have detailed rules that change from state to state. A lawyer, a legal aid office or your court’s self help centre can tell you what applies to your case.
Expungement and sealing: the route Mugshots.com recognises
Because Mugshots.com removes records for an expungement, a seal or a record restriction, a court order is the most direct route to Mugshots.com removal. It also helps with every other copy of your photo.
An order does not reach the site on its own. Florida’s law enforcement agency says mugshots and arrest details on privately run websites are not subject to an expungement order, that it has no regulatory authority over those companies and that you need to contact them directly. The final decision to seal or expunge sits with the court.
The names differ by state. California’s court self help site says true expungement does not exist in California and that the law on cleaning your record is complicated. Ask a lawyer which order your state offers and whether its wording matches what Mugshots.com accepts. Our court record removal page covers the court side.
What evidence helps Mugshots.com removal
- Your Mugshots.com ID and the exact web address of the listing.
- Certified court documents, signed by a judge, sealed by the court and easy to read.
- Screenshots of the listing and of any request for payment, with the address visible.
- Proof of a mismatch if the listing is about someone else, shared only with the site.
- Copies of every email you send and receive.
What to do if Mugshots.com says no or does not reply
A refusal or silence is not the end of Mugshots.com removal. Work through these in order.
- Check that you used the right email address for your case type and included your Mugshots.com ID.
- Check that your documents are signed, sealed and legible, then send them again.
- If a state law applies, send a request that follows its delivery rules and track the deadline.
- File the Google requests that fit while the page stays live.
- If the listing adds false claims beyond the record, see defamation removal.
- If nothing can come down yet, accurate pages can push the listing lower. See how to suppress negative search results.
Mugshots.com also says it is not a consumer reporting agency and that its database cannot be used for decisions about credit, employment, insurance or tenant screening. If you think a landlord or employer relied on it, speak to a lawyer.
What Removal Lab can and cannot do for Mugshots.com removal
What we can do. Check your Mugshots.com listing and every other copy of your photo. Tell you honestly which route fits: the site’s policy, a state law, Google or a court order. Prepare and file the requests, follow up and refresh Google once a page changes. The check is free and confidential. On qualifying cases there is no upfront payment and you pay only when the content is removed.
What we cannot do. We do not work for Mugshots.com or Google and cannot delete anything ourselves. We cannot change a court record, give legal advice or promise an outcome. We never pay a site to take a photo down. See what we cannot remove and pricing.
Photo on other sites too? See Arrests.org mugshot removal, Busted Newspaper mugshot removal, our main mugshot removal page and every platform we cover.
A worked example
This is a made up example to show the steps. It is not a client case.
Here is a Mugshots.com removal from start to finish. A woman finds her old arrest on Mugshots.com. Her case was later expunged. She finds her Mugshots.com ID, asks the court clerk for a certified copy of the order and scans it clearly. She emails it to the removal address on the site’s Record Removals and Updates page and keeps a copy. When the page comes down, she uses Google’s refresh tool for the old result and the image. She then checks for copies on other mugshot sites.
How Removal Lab works
- Send the link. WhatsApp, email or the two field form. Two minutes, no long questionnaire.
- Free policy check. A specialist reads it against the platform rules and tells you honestly whether it qualifies.
- We build and file the case. The right policy, the right channel, the evidence attached. We handle the appeal too.
- Pay only when it is gone. No upfront payment on qualifying cases. If the platform says no, you owe nothing.
What we will never do
- Promise a removal. The platform decides, not us.
- Post fake reviews or pay anyone to delete a review.
- Pressure, threaten or try to identify a reviewer.
- Charge an upfront fee on a case that does not qualify.
Want help with Mugshots.com removal?
Send the link. A specialist checks every route and replies within one business day. Free, confidential and no upfront payment on qualifying cases.
Frequently asked questions
How does Mugshots.com removal work?
Mugshots.com says it removes a record only for an expungement, a seal, a no information, a record restriction, identity theft or a death, backed by documents sent by email. For a dismissal or an acquittal it updates the record instead. Removal Lab checks your listing and the other routes for free.
Is Mugshots.com removal free?
Mugshots.com says it does not charge for removing or updating records and does not accept payment for removal. Its site policies also mention approved agents and unpublishing services without giving prices, so screenshot anything that asks you for money.
Will Mugshots.com remove my mugshot if my charges were dismissed?
Not under its own Mugshots.com removal policy. The site says a favourable outcome such as a dismissal, not guilty verdict, acquittal, exoneration or pardon is an update and not a removal. The outcome is shown on the pages about your arrest. A state law, such as Georgia’s, may give you a stronger route if it applies.
What documents does Mugshots.com removal need?
For removal it asks for court documents signed by a judge, sealed by the court and legible, or a certified death certificate. It says documents it cannot read are discarded without notice.
How long does Mugshots.com removal take?
Mugshots.com says its removal process can take up to 10 business days and that requests are handled first come first served. Google may show the old result for longer, so use Google’s refresh tool once the page changes.
Where do I send a Mugshots.com removal request?
By email, to the address listed for your type of case on the Mugshots.com Record Removals and Updates page. The site asks you to include your Mugshots.com ID. It lists email addresses, not a postal address.
Can Google remove a Mugshots.com page from search results?
Google says it may remove a page when you are a subject of the content, the site is not a business review site and removal requires payment to the site or other agencies. If no one asks you to pay, other Google routes may fit, such as Results about you or the refresh tool.
Were the people behind Mugshots.com charged with a crime?
The California Attorney General announced charges of extortion, money laundering and identity theft against four people it described as the alleged owners and operators of Mugshots.com. The release says charges are only allegations and every defendant is presumed innocent. We could not find an official court record of the outcome.
Does expungement remove my Mugshots.com listing automatically?
No. Florida’s law enforcement agency says private websites are not subject to an expungement order, so you send the order to the site yourself. Send it with your Mugshots.com removal request, because the site lists expungement as a reason it removes a record.
What if someone asks me to pay to remove my Mugshots.com listing?
Do not pay before you check your state law. Screenshot the request with the web address showing, because Google’s policy on exploitative removal practices covers payment to the site or other agencies. In California, a publisher of a booking photo may not ask for a fee to remove it.
Can Removal Lab remove my Mugshots.com listing?
No one but Mugshots.com, Google or a court can remove it. Removal Lab checks every Mugshots.com removal route for free, files the requests that fit and on qualifying cases you pay only when the content is removed.
Sources: Mugshots.com: Record Removals and Updates, Mugshots.com: Site Policies, Mugshots.com: About, California Attorney General: charges announced, Marin County District Attorney release, Google Search Help: Content about you on sites with exploitative removal practices, Google Search Help: Results about you, Google Search Help: Remove personal information, Search Console Help: Refresh outdated content, California Civil Code section 1798.91.1, Florida Statutes section 901.43, Georgia Attorney General: Mugshot Websites, Utah Code Title 17 Chapter 72 section 802, FDLE: Seal and expunge questions and California Courts: Clean your record. Removal Lab does not work for Mugshots.com, Google or any court. Every decision is made by the platform.