Mugshots In California: How To Find, Remove, And Understand Booking Photo Laws

The landscape of public records and arrest data in California has undergone dramatic transformations over the last several years. Historically, booking photographs—commonly referred to as mugshots—were widely accessible public documents distributed freely by law enforcement agencies and rapidly indexed by commercial websites. Today, California has implemented some of the most stringent privacy protections in the United States, balancing the public's right to know against an individual’s right to due process and digital rehabilitation.

Understanding how to navigate booking records in the Golden State requires a firm grasp of both state public records laws and newly enacted legislative protections. Whether you are conducting a background check, researching public safety trends, or seeking to remove your own booking image from the internet, navigating this complex system requires up-to-date knowledge of California’s legal framework.

Understanding California Mugshot Laws: The Shift Toward Privacy

For decades, mugshots were routinely published on police department websites and social media channels immediately following an arrest. This practice often resulted in permanent reputational damage for individuals who were ultimately never charged, had their charges dismissed, or were found not guilty. To address these systemic issues, California lawmakers passed two groundbreaking pieces of legislation: Assembly Bill 1475 (AB 1475) in 2021 and Assembly Bill 994 (AB 994) in 2023.

AB 1475 strictly prohibits local law enforcement agencies from posting booking photos on social media for individuals arrested on suspicion of committing nonviolent crimes. The law applies retroactively, meaning agencies must remove previously posted mugshots of nonviolent suspects if requested. Exceptions are made only under narrow public safety circumstances, such as when a suspect remains a fugitive or a court determines that releasing the photo is critical to locating a person of interest.

Building on this foundation, AB 994 went into effect on January 1, 2024. This law mandates that any booking photo of any suspect—including those accused of violent crimes—posted to social media must be removed within 14 days unless specific public safety exceptions apply. Furthermore, the law requires police departments to use the name and pronouns provided by the individual during booking when publishing arrest information online. These legislative actions represent a major paradigm shift toward protecting the presumption of innocence in the digital realm.

How to Find Mugshots in California: Step-by-Step Search Process

Locating booking photographs in California is no longer as straightforward as typing a name into a search engine. Because public access is tightly regulated, researchers must utilize formal channels through county jurisdictions and state public records requests.

Step 1: Identify County Jurisdiction

Because criminal justice is decentralized in California, arrests are processed by local police departments or county sheriff offices. To find a mugshot, you must first determine the specific county where the arrest occurred. Major jurisdictions include the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD), and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Each of these agencies maintains its own distinct inmate database and record release policies.

Step 2: Use Online Inmate Locators

Many California county sheriffs operate online inmate locator tools. These databases generally provide active custody status, booking charges, bail amounts, and physical descriptions. However, due to recent privacy laws, many counties have removed the public-facing mugshot from these search portals. While you can verify that an individual is in custody, obtaining the actual booking photograph online is increasingly rare without direct legal standing.

Step 3: Submit a California Public Records Act (CPRA) Request

If a mugshot is not available on a public portal, you can submit a formal request under the California Public Records Act (Government Code §§ 7920–7931). Under the CPRA, investigative files and booking records are generally exempt from public disclosure unless disclosure serves a distinct public interest that outweighs the individual's right to privacy. When submitting a CPRA request to a police department or sheriff’s office, you must clearly state the name of the individual, date of birth, date of arrest, and the public interest justification for requesting the photograph.

Comparing Public Records Access Across Major California Counties

The accessibility of booking information varies significantly depending on the county in which the booking occurred. The table below illustrates the differences in public lookup tools and mugshot availability across four of California's largest metropolitan counties.

Commercial Mugshot Websites: The Legality of Fee-Based Removal

The rise of commercial, third-party "mugshot websites" created a predatory industry where private operators scraped police websites, published arrest photos, and demanded high fees to remove them. California has taken aggressive civil and criminal steps to dismantle these operations.

Under California Civil Code Section 1798.91.1, it is strictly illegal for any person or commercial entity to publish a booking photograph and subsequently demand a fee, payment, or any other consideration to remove, correct, or modify that photograph. Doing so constitutes an unfair business practice and can lead to severe civil liabilities, including statutory damages of up to $10,000 per violation, attorney’s fees, and potential criminal extortion charges.

If a commercial website is hosting your booking photograph and demanding payment for its removal, do not pay them. Doing so often signals to other predatory networks that you are willing to pay, leading to your photo appearing on sister sites. Instead, send a formal cease-and-desist letter citing Civil Code Section 1798.91.1. Most legitimate hosting providers and search engines will quickly de-index or remove the offending page once they are notified of a statutory violation.

How to Get a Mugshot Removed in California

If your booking photograph is hosted on a government portal, news site, or private index, there are several legal paths you can take to secure its removal.

Requesting Removal Under AB 1475 and AB 994

If a California law enforcement agency has posted your booking photograph on their official social media channels, you have a statutory right to request its immediate removal if:

• The arrest was for a nonviolent offense.
• You were never formally charged with a crime.
• The charges against you were dismissed, diverted, or resolved via acquittal.
• You were found not guilty at trial.

To initiate this process, contact the public information officer (PIO) or the records division of the arresting agency. Provide them with proof of the case disposition (such as a court certified copy of dismissal) and explicitly reference your rights under California Penal Code provisions and assembly bills.

Sealing Arrest Records (Senate Bill 384 & Penal Code 851.8)

The most effective way to eliminate public access to booking information is to have your arrest record legally sealed. Under California Penal Code Section 851.8, individuals who are factually innocent can petition the court to seal and destroy arrest records, including mugshots and fingerprints.

Additionally, under the California Clean Slate Act (SB 731), many arrests that do not result in convictions are automatically sealed after a set period. Once a record is sealed by court order, law enforcement agencies must destroy all physical and digital copies of the booking photograph, rendering it completely inaccessible to background check companies and the general public.

Frequently Asked Questions About California Mugshots

Are mugshots considered public records in California?

Yes, booking logs and arrest data are technically public records under the California Public Records Act. However, the actual physical booking photograph is subject to strict privacy protections. Law enforcement agencies are not legally required to release mugshots to the general public unless there is a pressing law enforcement necessity or a court orders the release.

Can a police department post my mugshot on Facebook?

Under AB 1475 and AB 994, police departments in California are highly restricted from doing so. They cannot post mugshots for nonviolent crimes on social media. For violent crimes, they may post them, but they must automatically delete the post within 14 days unless the suspect is actively fleeing justice or a judge authorizes an extension.

How do I remove my mugshot from Google Search?

Google has strict policies against indexing content from websites that charge fee-for-removal services. If your mugshot appears in Google Search results on a predatory website, you can submit an official removal request directly to Google under their "Involuntary Synthetic Pornography and Exploitative Removal Policies." Once Google verifies that the host site violates California's fee-removal laws, they will de-index the search result.

Do expunged criminal records automatically delete mugshots?

An expungement in California (Penal Code § 1203.4) dismisses a conviction, but it does not automatically seal the underlying arrest record. To have the mugshot and arrest record completely destroyed, you must file a separate petition to seal the arrest record under Penal Code § 851.87 or qualify for automatic relief under California’s Clean Slate laws.

Protect Your Professional Reputation

An arrest record or an online booking photograph does not have to define your professional and personal future. If your digital footprint has been impacted by an arrest in California, taking swift, proactive legal steps is essential to reclaiming your privacy.

Consult with a qualified California criminal defense attorney or a digital privacy specialist today. A legal professional can help you petition the court to seal your records, submit formal removal demands to law enforcement agencies under AB 1475/994, and clear your name from commercial databases. Protect your digital legacy and take control of your public records today.