My Arrest Record Is Showing Up in Background Checks and Google

You got a job offer. Passed the interview, crushed the skills test, got the verbal yes. Then the background check came back and suddenly the offer is rescinded. Or maybe you're Googling yourself and there it is — your arrest record, front and center, on mugshot sites and court record aggregators.

Here's what makes this infuriating: an arrest is not a conviction. You might have had charges dropped, been found not guilty, or had the case dismissed — and none of that matters to the algorithm. The arrest record lives on, ranking in Google and populating background check databases indefinitely.

Court records are public by default. When you're arrested, that record enters the public domain — and a whole industry profits from it. Mugshot websites scrape court databases, publish your booking photo and charges, then charge $200-$500 to remove it.1 Even if you pay one site, dozens of others have the same data.

Background check companies pull from these same databases. Google indexes the mugshot sites. The result is a self-reinforcing loop where your arrest — regardless of outcome — becomes the first thing anyone sees when they search your name.

You're fighting on two separate fronts, and each requires a different strategy:

Mugshot sites rank well in Google because they have massive domain authority and target your exact name as a keyword. Removing yourself from Google search results involves:

Background check companies are regulated under the FCRA, which gives you specific rights:2

Ban-the-box states (37 states as of 2024) prohibit employers from asking about criminal history on initial job applications.3 California, New York, Illinois, and several others go further by limiting when arrest records can be used in employment decisions.

At least 18 states have laws specifically targeting mugshot websites that charge for removal. Some states classify this practice as extortion.

If you're eligible, expungement or record sealing is the most powerful tool available. An expunged record is legally erased — background check companies are prohibited from reporting it, and you can legally deny the arrest ever happened on job applications. Eligibility varies by state and depends on the charge type, outcome, and time elapsed. Many states have expanded eligibility recently. A criminal record removal service or criminal defense attorney can help navigate this process.