Getting an arrest record off the internet takes two separate efforts, and the order matters. First, clear the official government record through expungement, sealing, or a non-disclosure order. Then, armed with that court order, chase down the copies that data brokers, background check companies, and search engines have already published. Private websites are far more responsive when you can show the record has been legally erased or sealed, so learning how to get arrest records off the internet starts with the courthouse, not the keyboard.
Clear the Official Record First
The strongest tool for removing an arrest record from public view is a court order. Three types exist, and what’s available depends on your jurisdiction.
- Expungement legally destroys the record. Once granted, the arrest is treated as though it never happened. You can typically deny the arrest on job applications, and government agencies must delete or destroy their copies.
- Record sealing hides the record from public view but doesn’t destroy it. Law enforcement and certain government agencies can still access sealed records, but employers, landlords, and the general public cannot.
- Non-disclosure orders function like sealing. They prohibit government entities from disclosing certain criminal history information, and are most commonly available to people who successfully completed deferred adjudication or a pretrial diversion program.
Eligibility usually requires that a waiting period has passed since the case ended, that you have no new criminal charges, and that you’ve completed all court-ordered obligations like fines, community service, or restitution. Cases that ended in dismissal, acquittal, or completed deferred adjudication are the strongest candidates. Sex offenses, violent felonies, and crimes against children are ineligible for expungement or sealing in virtually every jurisdiction.
Automatic Clean Slate Laws
A growing number of states have passed “clean slate” laws that automatically expunge or seal eligible records after a waiting period, without requiring you to file a petition. As of 2025, roughly a dozen states plus Washington, D.C. have enacted some form of automatic record clearing. If you live in one of these states, your eligible records may already be cleared or queued for clearing. Check with your state’s criminal records repository, because qualifying offenses and waiting periods vary widely.
Federal Arrests Are Different
If your arrest involved a federal offense, options are extremely limited. There is no general federal expungement statute. Federal courts can correct factually inaccurate records, and a narrow statute allows expungement of certain misdemeanor drug possession charges for people who were under 21 at the time of the offense. Beyond those situations, a small number of federal circuit courts recognize “equitable expungement,” a judge-made remedy reserved for exceptional circumstances. Most federal circuits have rejected it entirely. A federal criminal defense attorney is worth the investment here, because the legal arguments are specialized.
How to Petition for Expungement or Sealing
The specific steps vary by jurisdiction, but the general process follows a predictable pattern. Your state judiciary’s website or your local court clerk’s office will have the forms and instructions.
- Confirm eligibility. Verify that your offense qualifies, that enough time has passed, and that you’ve satisfied all court-ordered conditions. Some states require a certificate of eligibility from a state agency before you can petition the court.
- Complete the petition. You’ll need your case number, docket information, arrest date, disposition, and sometimes your fingerprints.
- File it. Submit to the court where your case was originally heard. Filing fees range from nothing to a few hundred dollars.
- Serve the other parties. Most jurisdictions require you to send a copy of your petition to the prosecutor’s office and sometimes to the arresting agency. This gives them a chance to object.
- Attend the hearing. Some petitions are granted without one, but many require it. You or your attorney will explain why it should be granted, and the prosecutor may argue against.
- Follow up after the order issues. A court order sitting in a file doesn’t update databases. Contact the court clerk, local law enforcement, and your state’s criminal history repository to confirm they’ve processed the order. If the state repository still shows the record, background check companies will still find it.
Attorney fees for a straightforward, uncontested expungement typically run a few hundred to roughly a thousand dollars. Many legal aid organizations handle expungement petitions for free or at reduced cost based on income, and some communities hold periodic expungement clinics where volunteer attorneys help eligible people file at no charge.
Remove Copies From Private Websites
Even after a court grants expungement or sealing, copies of your arrest record will likely still appear on data broker websites and in cached search results. These sites operate independently of the court system, and no court order automatically forces them to update. You have to contact them yourself.
Data Broker Opt-Outs
Search your full name, with and without middle name or initial, across several search engines. Note every site displaying your arrest information. Most data brokers have an opt-out or removal process buried in their privacy policy or terms of service. Look for links in the site footer labeled “Remove My Information,” “Opt Out,” or “Privacy.” Submitting a request typically requires proof of identity and, if you have one, a copy of your expungement or sealing order. Having that court order dramatically improves your chances of a fast removal.
Some mugshot sites historically charged fees to take down records they published for free. Multiple states have passed laws making this practice illegal, treating it as a form of extortion. If a site demands payment, check whether your state prohibits it before paying anything.
Removal timelines vary. Some sites process requests within a few days; others take weeks. After a site confirms removal, check back periodically. Data brokers frequently re-scrape public databases, and your record can reappear if the original government source hasn’t been updated. That is why following up with the state repository after your court order matters so much.
Automated Removal Services
If your record appears on dozens of sites, submitting individual opt-out requests to each one gets tedious fast. Paid services automate the process by scanning data broker sites and submitting removal requests on your behalf. Pricing ranges from roughly $20 to $130 per year depending on the service and coverage level. These services handle ongoing monitoring too, catching reappearances and submitting fresh removal requests. They won’t replace the need for a court order; they just automate the data broker side.
Google Search Removal
Getting a record off a data broker’s website is only half the battle if the page still shows up in Google. Google offers a tool to request removal of search results that display personal information. You can submit a request through Google’s “Results about you” feature in Search settings, which lets you flag specific results containing your personal details.1Google Search Help. Find and Remove Personal Info in Google Search Results
Google won’t remove everything. Results from government websites, news outlets, and educational institutions are generally considered valuable to the public and won’t qualify. Results from commercial mugshot or data broker sites are more likely to be removed, especially if the underlying record has been expunged. Removing a Google result doesn’t delete the source page; it just makes the page harder to find through search. You still need to contact the site directly for full removal.
Fight Back Against Background Check Companies
Background checks, not casual Google searches, are how most employers and landlords actually discover arrest records. The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you tools against the companies that produce those reports.
The Seven-Year Reporting Limit
Consumer reporting agencies cannot include arrest records that are more than seven years old in a background check report, as long as the arrest did not lead to a conviction. The seven-year clock starts from the date of the arrest, not the date of disposition. One important exception: the time limit does not apply when the report is being used for a position with an annual salary of $75,000 or more.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 15 – 1681c Requirements Relating to Information Contained in Consumer Reports Some states impose stricter limits, including prohibiting the reporting of non-conviction arrests entirely.
Disputing an Inaccurate Report
If a background check report includes an arrest record that has been expunged, sealed, or is simply wrong, you can dispute it directly with the reporting company. Once you submit a dispute, the company must conduct a free reinvestigation and resolve it within 30 days. If the company receives additional information from you during that window, it can extend the deadline by up to 15 more days, but only if it hasn’t already found the information to be inaccurate. If the disputed information turns out to be inaccurate or can’t be verified, the company must promptly delete or correct it.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 15 – 1681i Procedure in Case of Disputed Accuracy
File the dispute in writing. Include your full name, date of birth, a clear description of what’s inaccurate, and supporting documents, especially a copy of any expungement or sealing order. Keep copies of everything you send and note the date, because the 30-day clock starts when the company receives your dispute.
When the Company Ignores the Law
If a consumer reporting agency willfully fails to comply with the FCRA, for example by continuing to report an expunged record after you’ve disputed it, you can sue. A successful claim can yield between $100 and $1,000 in statutory damages per violation even without proof of actual financial harm, plus any actual damages you can document, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 15 – 1681n Civil Liability for Willful Noncompliance Consumer protection attorneys often take these cases on contingency because the statute awards attorney’s fees to successful plaintiffs.
Protections While the Record Still Exists
Removal takes time, and you may need to job hunt before the process finishes. Federal agencies and their contractors cannot ask about your criminal history before making a conditional job offer. The prohibition covers the job posting, the application, and the interview. Questions about arrests, charges, and convictions are all off-limits until after the agency decides you’re otherwise qualified and extends a conditional offer. Exceptions exist for positions requiring security clearances, sensitive national security roles, and federal law enforcement jobs.5Defense Finance and Accounting Service. Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act
Beyond the federal rule, roughly 38 states and over 150 cities have passed some form of “ban the box” or fair chance hiring law, and many apply to private employers. If an employer runs a background check and decides not to hire you based on what it finds, the FCRA requires the employer to give you a copy of the report and a notice of your rights before finalizing that decision.6Federal Trade Commission. Using Consumer Reports – What Employers Need to Know That pre-adverse-action notice gives you a window to dispute inaccurate information before losing the opportunity.
Set a calendar reminder to re-search your name every few months after you’ve done the work. Data brokers re-scrape, and records reappear. Each round of cleanup narrows who can find what.