Watch: Joshua Albanese on are mugshots public record
In this short, Joshua Albanese, founder of The Reputation.org, answers "Are mugshots public record": in most states yes, but public doesn't mean permanent. Delivered with AI-assisted narration. Every answer is written and verified by our reputation team.
Read the full guide: 5 facts about removing a mugshot from Google →
Video Transcript
Are mugshots public record? Straight answer. In most states, yes, and you can chase down each copy yourself, or hand it to a team that does this every day. Sites like Mugshots.com and Arrests.org copy that public booking data and post it. Search your name plus the word mugshot, and see what comes up. But public doesn't mean permanent. Three things decide if it has to follow your name, and there's a faster way through all three. First, every copy. One booking photo gets copied across mugshot sites, data brokers, and people-search pages. Each has its own process. Second, your paperwork. A mugshot is taken at arrest, not conviction. If your case was dropped or sealed, you'll need the court record to show it. Third, Google. Even after a site takes it down, the old result can linger until it's cleared from search. If one copy comes down, another can pop up on a sister site. That's why TheReputation.org exists. We do this every day. We know each site's rules, build the evidence, and file every request. We don't handle expungement itself. If you need both, we'll point you to attorney resources we trust. If your mugshot is following your name online, comment "REMOVAL." We'll see if it can come down for you.