How to Remove Public Records From the Internet

You usually can’t remove public records from the government office that holds them, because court files, property deeds and many other records are public by law. What you can often do is remove the copies that spread them: opt out of the people-search sites that repackage public records, ask Google to drop certain results, and in some cases have a record sealed or expunged, or your address shielded through a state program. Which options apply depends on the type of record and your state.

This guide explains how to remove your name from public records where that’s possible, how to reduce their visibility where it isn’t, and when you need a lawyer. Knowing how to remove public records starts with knowing which kind of record you’re dealing with, so we cover that first.

What counts as a public record

“Public records” covers a wide range of documents that government agencies create or keep. The common ones people find online about themselves are:

• Court records: civil lawsuits, criminal cases, divorces, bankruptcies, traffic cases and small claims.
• Arrest records and booking photos: often published by sheriff’s offices and copied by mugshot sites.
• Property records: deeds, mortgages, tax assessments and ownership details held by county offices.
• Voter registration records: access and what’s released vary by state.
• Business filings: corporation and LLC registrations, which often list an owner’s or agent’s name and address.
• Professional licenses: licensing boards often publish names, license status and disciplinary actions.
• Vital records: birth, marriage and death records, which are more restricted in many states.

Each has its own rules. There’s no single form to remove all public records at once.

Where public records show up online

Most people asking how to remove public records from the internet aren’t bothered by a record sitting in a county database. The problem is when it’s one search away from your name. That usually happens in a handful of places:

Where it appears	Can you get it removed?	Main route
The official source (court or county website)	Rarely	Sealing, expungement or a specific legal program
People-search and background sites	Usually	Each site’s free opt-out process
Mugshot and court record aggregator sites	Sometimes	The site’s removal policy, state laws in some places, Google’s policies
Google and Bing search results	Sometimes	Search engine removal tools and refresh requests
News articles about the case	Occasionally	A request to the publisher, especially after a dismissal or expungement

Step 1: Remove public record data from people-search sites

People-search sites pull in court, property and voter data and combine it with your phone number, relatives and past addresses. This is usually the biggest and easiest win, because most of these sites offer free opt-outs.

1. Search your name, including past names and addresses, on the major people-search sites.
2. Copy the URL of each profile that matches you.
3. Submit the site’s opt-out request and complete the email or phone confirmation.
4. Check back after a few days, and again every few months.

Removing a profile doesn’t change the underlying record. It just stops that site from publishing it. Our data broker opt-out list gives you an order to work through, and our guide to removing yourself from people-search sites covers each step in detail.

Step 2: Clean up Google search results

Google indexes court documents, county pages and aggregator sites. You can’t make Google delete a public record, but several routes can reduce what shows up:

• “Results about you.” Google lets you request removal of results showing your phone number, home address or email, and certain other sensitive details. This can apply to a record page that exposes your home address, for example.
• Refresh outdated content. After a site removes or changes a page, this tool asks Google to update or drop the stale result.
• Other Google policies. Google has separate removal routes for doxxing, certain sensitive personal information and, in some cases, content on sites with exploitative removal practices, such as sites that charge to take down mugshots.

For court records specifically, see our guide on how to remove court records from Google, and for booking photos, how to remove a mugshot from the internet.

Step 3: Ask whether the record can be sealed or expunged

This is the only route that changes the record itself. Expungement generally means a record is destroyed or treated as if it didn’t happen, and sealing generally means it’s hidden from public view. The terms, eligibility rules and effects vary a great deal from state to state.

In general terms, the records most often eligible are:

• Arrests that didn’t lead to charges.
• Cases that were dismissed or ended in an acquittal.
• Some lower-level offenses after a waiting period with no new convictions.
• Some juvenile records.
• Records covered by specific state programs, such as some older cannabis offenses in states that have passed laws on this.

Civil cases, like lawsuits or divorces, are harder. Some courts will seal specific documents or redact sensitive details, such as financial account numbers or information about children, but they rarely seal an entire civil case just because it’s embarrassing.

The process usually involves filing a petition with the court that handled the case. Because the rules are specific to each state and each kind of record, talk to a lawyer or a local legal aid organization before you file. Our guide on how to get a record expunged explains the general process and the questions to ask.

Step 4: Shield your address if you’re at risk

Some people need their home address off public records for safety reasons, not just privacy. There are options designed for this:

• Address confidentiality programs. Many states run programs, often through the Secretary of State or Attorney General’s office, for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Participants get a substitute address to use on public records like voter rolls and some government filings.
• Protections for certain public servants. Some states let judges, law enforcement officers, prosecutors and other specific groups request that their home address be withheld from property or voter records.
• Voter record confidentiality. Some states allow certain voters to keep their address confidential in voter records, usually under specific conditions.

Eligibility varies by state and program. A local domestic violence advocate, legal aid office or your state’s election office can tell you what’s available where you live.

Step 5: Reduce what’s there for the future

Some new public records can be kept more private with a little planning:

• Business filings: use a registered agent service instead of your home address when you form an LLC, where your state allows it.
• Property: some people buy property through a trust or LLC to keep their name off the ownership record. Ask a real estate attorney whether that makes sense for you.
• Mail: use a PO box or mail service for forms that don’t require a residential address.

A worked example

This is an illustrative scenario, not a real client.

James was arrested after a bar argument eight years ago. The charge was dismissed, but a search for his name shows a county court index page, a mugshot site and three people-search profiles that mention the arrest.

• He talks to a legal aid clinic. They confirm that in his state, dismissed charges are eligible for expungement, and help him file the petition.
• While he waits, he opts out of the three people-search sites and requests removal from the mugshot site under its own policy.
• After the court grants the order, the county index page no longer shows the case. He requests a Google refresh for the stale result.
• He sends a copy of the order to a local news site that ran a short item about the arrest and asks them to update or remove it. They add an update noting the dismissal.

Not every result disappears, but the ones that remain now tell the full story, and the arrest is no longer the first thing people see.

What not to do

• Don’t pay a site that charges to remove your mugshot. Pay-for-removal sites are often part of the problem, and new copies can appear elsewhere. Use free routes and Google’s policies instead.
• Don’t assume a record is fixed once sealed. Follow up with every site and search engine that copied it.
• Don’t file a petition without checking eligibility. A denied petition can cost time and fees. Get advice first.
• Don’t trust “we’ll erase your record” services. Only a court can seal or expunge a record. Others can help with paperwork, but they can’t promise the outcome.

When to get help

For sealing and expungement, talk to a lawyer or legal aid. For the online side, you can handle opt-outs and Google requests yourself. If the record is tied up with news coverage, many sites, or a bigger problem with your search results, our content removal service can work through the removal routes and tell you honestly what’s realistic.

Frequently asked questions

Can I remove my name from public records?

Usually not from the official source, because most court and property records are public by law. You may be able to seal or expunge certain criminal records, shield your address through a state program, or have sensitive details redacted from court filings. You can usually remove the copies on people-search sites.

How do I remove public records from Google?

First get the record off the site Google is showing, for example through a people-search opt-out. Then use Google’s “Refresh outdated content” tool. If the result shows your home address or phone number, you can also request removal through “Results about you.”

Does expungement remove records from the internet?

Not automatically. It changes the official record, but copies on other sites stay until you ask them to remove or update them. Send the court order to those sites and request Google refreshes for stale results.

Are property records public in every state?

Property ownership records are generally public across the US, but states differ in what details are shown online and who can ask for their address to be withheld. Check with your county recorder or assessor’s office.