Pennsylvania Mugshot Removal & Clean Slate Guide
How mugshot removal, expungement, and record sealing actually work under Pennsylvania law.
Pennsylvania does not currently have an enacted statute requiring commercial mugshot websites to remove a photo on request. A bill addressing this — House Bill 1585 — passed the Pennsylvania House unanimously and was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but as of publication it has not become law. Until then, removal relies on direct negotiation with the publisher and search-engine de-indexing.
Pennsylvania's "Clean Slate" law (18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2) automatically seals many eligible records without requiring a petition, alongside a separate petition-based process under § 9122.1.
- Non-convictions: Sealed automatically 60 days after disposition
- Summary convictions: 5 conviction-free years
- Qualifying misdemeanors (2nd/3rd degree): 7 conviction-free years
- Certain low-level drug felonies: 10 conviction-free years
Locate every copy of your mugshot online
Pennsylvania arrest records are commonly scraped and republished across multiple commercial aggregators.
Send a direct removal request to each publisher
With no enacted state mandate yet, a documented direct request is your starting point, not a guarantee.
Pursue search-engine de-indexing where a site won't cooperate
This is currently the more reliable path in Pennsylvania while HB 1585 remains pending.
Check whether your record qualifies for automatic Clean Slate sealing
This restricts access to your official record, though it won't retroactively force a site to remove an already-published photo.
We handle removal cases in Pennsylvania 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
Does Pennsylvania have a mugshot removal law?
Not yet. House Bill 1585 would ban charging a fee for mugshot removal and has passed the Pennsylvania House, but it is still in the Senate and not yet law.
What is Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law?
An automatic sealing system (18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2) that clears many eligible non-convictions and low-level convictions without requiring a petition, on a rolling monthly basis.
Will Clean Slate sealing remove my mugshot from a website?
Not automatically. Clean Slate restricts access to your official court record; it doesn't create an obligation for a private mugshot website to remove a photo it already published.
How long does mugshot removal take in Pennsylvania?
There's no statutory deadline yet, so it depends on the publisher. Our takedown requests typically go out within 72 hours, with de-indexing following in about 5-7 days.
Get Your Pennsylvania Mugshot Removed
Start with a free analysis — we'll confirm exactly what removal takes under your state's laws.