A “booking photo” is taken when someone is booked into custody after an arrest. These photos are created and stored by law enforcement agencies as part of a criminal‑records system. It is stored with other booking details such as name, arrest date, charges, and a booking or inmate number in a criminal‑records system.
In many states, these photos are generally treated as public records unless a specific law says otherwise. Some state laws restrict access or allow agencies to withhold photos to protect privacy or ongoing investigations, and access can shrink if a case is sealed, expunged, or dismissed. At the federal level, these booking photos are usually withheld and released only for clear law‑enforcement or public‑safety reasons.
Many states treat arrest information as open records, but those same laws usually build in exceptions for privacy, juveniles, or active investigations. The key test is often whether releasing the photo serves a specific public‑safety or investigative purpose, not just how serious the charge is. That is why many routine, low‑level misdemeanor arrests never produce a publicly posted image even though a booking photo was taken.
Many local police departments post arrest logs or booking reports online, sometimes with photos. Some county sheriffs run online jail rosters showing current inmates, often with booking photos. Where photos are not posted, you can make a written public‑records or FOIA‑type request. A simple phrasing is: “I am requesting all booking records associated with my arrest on (specified date), including any arrest or booking photographs.”
If a department is going to publish your mugshot for public‑safety reasons, such as a press release or wanted notice, that typically happens soon after the arrest. If weeks have passed in a routine case and nothing has appeared, it is unlikely a mugshot will suddenly be posted later.
Most states maintain centralized corrections or criminal‑history systems. State departments of corrections often provide inmate locators with basic information and, in some cases, mugshots for people in custody. For federal cases, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has an inmate locator that lists federal inmates and shows locations and release information but not usually mugshots. To get a federal booking photo or more detailed records, you may need to submit a Freedom of Information Act request to the relevant federal agency.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of criminal allegations immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Seattle Criminal Defense Attorney is not going to judge you and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So, it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer. SQ Attorneys can be reached at (206) 441-0900.
