Utah Mugshot Removal & Expungement Guide
How mugshot removal, expungement, and record sealing actually work under Utah law.
Utah has one of the more detailed mugshot-removal statutes in the country, currently codified at Utah Code § 17-22-30 (this section has recently been part of a broader recodification of Title 17, so the exact citation number may shift — the substance below reflects the law's current requirements). For a standard removal request, a site must remove or destroy the photo within 30 days, and can charge no more than $50 for doing so.
If your case was acquitted, never prosecuted, or expunged, the law is stronger: the site must remove your photo within 7 days and cannot charge any fee at all — doing so can be prosecuted as theft by extortion under Utah Code § 76-6-406. Non-compliant sites face civil penalties of $50 to $100 per day, plus attorney's fees and costs.
Utah's expungement process (Utah Code § 77-40a) has several tracks depending on how your case ended:
- Acquittal: May petition immediately
- Dismissed with prejudice, no pending charges: 30 days
- Dismissed without prejudice: 180 days (sooner with prosecutor's written consent)
- Class A misdemeanor: 7 years
- Class B misdemeanor: 6 years
- Class C misdemeanor or infraction: 5 years
- Eligible felonies: Roughly 10 years, petition-based only
Locate your booking photo and identify your case outcome
Whether your case was dismissed, acquitted, or expunged determines whether you qualify for the faster 7-day, no-fee removal track under Utah Code § 17-22-30.
Send a documented removal request
Include proof of your case disposition if you qualify for the 7-day track — this is what triggers the no-fee requirement rather than the standard 30-day, $50-cap process.
Confirm removal within the applicable window
7 days for qualifying dismissed/acquitted/expunged cases, 30 days otherwise. Non-compliant sites can face civil penalties of $50–$100 per day.
Pursue expungement under Utah Code § 77-40a where eligible
A Certificate of Eligibility from the Bureau of Criminal Identification is generally required before filing a petition.
We handle removal cases in Utah the same way we handle every case: locating every copy of your mugshot online, filing takedown requests within 72 hours, pursuing search-engine de-indexing where publishers won't cooperate, and monitoring afterward for reappearances. Every case starts with a free analysis, backed by a 100% money-back guarantee.
State law affects your legal options, but it doesn't determine which website is publishing your mugshot. See our site-by-site removal directory for site-specific removal steps once you know where your listing is.
This page is for general information only and is not legal advice. Laws summarized here are current as of publication but change frequently — consult a licensed attorney in your state before relying on them for your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast must a Utah mugshot site remove my photo?
Within 30 days for a standard request (fee capped at $50), or within 7 days at no cost if your case was acquitted, never prosecuted, or expunged, under Utah Code § 17-22-30.
Can a Utah mugshot site charge me a fee to remove my photo?
Only up to $50 for a standard request. If your case was dismissed in your favor or expunged, charging any fee at all can be prosecuted as theft by extortion under Utah Code § 76-6-406.
What is Utah's Clean Slate law?
An automatic expungement system for eligible low-level offenses. It launched in 2022, was paused due to a case backlog, and resumed automatic processing again as of early 2026 — petition-based expungement under Utah Code § 77-40a remains the reliable option if you need proof of clearance sooner.
How long does mugshot removal take in Utah?
By law, 7 to 30 days depending on your case outcome. We also pursue search-engine de-indexing in parallel so the result stops showing in search even faster.
Get Your Utah Mugshot Removed
Start with a free analysis — we'll confirm exactly what removal takes under your state's laws.