How To Look Up Mugshots for Free

August 26, 2025 Arrest Records | information removal | Mugshot Removal | remove mugshot | Uncategorized

Want to learn how to look up mugshots for free? Check out our comprehensive guide below. 

If you’ve ever been arrested, chances are you’ve had your mugshot taken. 

In most states, mugshots and arrest records are considered public records. Because of this, they’re often available in the online database for any criminal justice agencies or law enforcement agencies involved in your case. From there, mugshot and people-search sites scrape those databases and add your official records to their databases. 

Ultimately, anyone with an internet connection can find your arrest records and mugshot online. 

This can be seriously damaging to your digital reputation. Having your court records available for anyone to find can cause a problem when interviewing for a new job, applying for college, meeting a potential date online, etc.

Cleaning up your online reputation starts with finding your mugshots, court records and other damaging information on the internet. 

The removal experts at RemoveMugshots.com will analyze search engine results to find information about you and remove it as fast as possible. Call us at 844-935-1118 for more information.

How To Find Mugshots for Free

There are various ways to find mugshots online. Let’s go over your options.

Check With the Local Police Department or County Jail

If you’ve been arrested, the last place you want to contact is a local police station or county courthouse. However, these are often the best places to find your criminal record or mugshot.

Typically, law enforcement agencies have well-organized databases, so this option may be the fastest way to find what you’re looking for.

However, unlike mugshot websites, which show you the information you’re looking for with a simple search, law enforcement may require you to submit a request and wait a bit to access the information.

Unfortunately, your own mugshot is easy to find online with an inmate locator, local sheriff’s office database or websites from other criminal justice agencies. Contact us today at 844-935-1118 to learn more about cleaning up your online presence.

Visit the State Department of Corrections Website

If you don’t feel comfortable contacting your local police department or law enforcement, you can also try searching the Department of Corrections site in your state. In addition to finding your own public records, these sites often have a way to conduct an inmate search or check the sex offender registry.

Conduct a Sex Offender Registry Search

If you’re listed in the sex offender registry and want to find those public records, you can conduct a search through an official state website. For example, in New York State, the official Criminal Justice Services Division has a sex offender registry search available to the public.

Check Websites That Publish Mugshots

There are a lot of websites that let you view mugshots online, along with other types of public records. Typically, you can perform a search by entering your name and location. From there, you can view mugshots, along with other information available to the general public, like the date of your arrest, your age, etc.

Conduct a Background Check

If you want to see exactly what others can find out about you online, conduct a background search on yourself. By inputting your first and last name, date of birth, and location, there are plenty of services that will run a full-scale check online.

This way, you can see the up-to-date information that others see when they look you up online.

Even if you’ve never done prison time, having your mugshot online can cause a host of problems. While much of this information is considered necessary for public safety, it could be causing a lot of damage to your personal or professional opportunities.

Knowing what information is out there is a necessary step toward improving your reputation.

Why Are Some Mugshots and Arrest Records Not Available Online?

While arrest records are generally available to the public and easy to find via a police department website, there are some instances when they’re not accessible online.

Police Department Guidelines

Some police departments have limitations on which records can be shared with the public. You may only be able to find arrest records and other public information after submitting a request. In this case, while arrest records and mugshots are still considered public, you won’t be able to find them with a Google search.

Dropped Criminal Charges

Were your criminal charges dropped? It’s possible that your records aren’t as readily available as they once were. Whether mugshot websites removed your information or it’s more difficult to find your booking photos because there hasn’t been an update in your case for a while, your mugshot may not show up in search results.

Sealed or Expunged Records

If you have sealed or expunged arrest records or other official records, they’ll no longer be accessible to the public. While a police department or other type of law enforcement agency will still be able to find the information when needed, the public won’t have access to it.

If your records have been sealed or expunged, make sure to contact any website that posts arrest records. Show proof of the change to your records and request that they remove your information from the database.

We work on behalf of our clients to erase damaging information online. You won’t have to worry about what a background check will turn up in the future. Give us a call at 844-935-1118 to get started.

Let Professionals Search Millions of Results and Repair Your Image

At RemoveMugshots.com, we offer removal services to get rid of damaging information online and help you rebuild your reputation. Whether you have arrest records, mugshots or police reports that are causing harm, we’ll work on your behalf to remove them from search results and rank up-to-date information instead.

Do you need help removing your arrest records, mugshots or police records from search results? Get a free mugshot removal analysis today and sign up for a consultation with an expert. Learn more here or call us at 844-935-1118 today.