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California DROP: one free request to 600+ data brokers

Checked October 14, 2026.

If you live in California, the state's Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP) lets you send a single deletion request to every registered data broker — free.

Website
privacy.ca.gov/drop
Who can use it
California residents (verified through the California Identity Gateway or Login.gov)
Cost
Free
Reaches
600+ registered data brokers
Open since
January 1, 2026 (brokers had to start processing August 1, 2026)

How it works

  1. Go to privacy.ca.gov/drop and verify that you're a California resident.
  2. Enter the personal details brokers should match against (such as name, email, phone and addresses).
  3. Submit one deletion request; it's made available to every registered broker.
  4. Check back for status updates — brokers must check DROP at least every 45 days, and the state says it can take up to 90 days for your status to update.

Brokers that fail to delete face a fine of $200 per request for each day they don't comply, and independent audits of brokers begin in 2028 (CPPA,Civ. Code §1798.99.82).

What DROP doesn't cover

  • Only registered brokers. Sites that haven't registered as data brokers in California aren't reached.
  • Only California residents. Texas, Oregon and Vermont run broker registries, but they're transparency lists, not deletion tools. Vermont adds a right to request deletion directly from brokers starting January 1, 2027.
  • It isn't instant. Expect weeks to months before you see results.

If you're in California, use DROP first — it's free and it's the law. For anything it misses, use ourbroker-by-broker guides or a removal service.

Sources