Broker Removal Secria

California's DROP, step by step

DROP is the state's free tool for California residents: one request tells over 660 registered data brokers to delete your personal information.1, 2

Checked 28 October 2026 against CalPrivacy's pages.

How to send a DROP request

CalPrivacy says it takes most people less than 10 minutes.2 Start at consumer.drop.privacy.ca.gov.

  1. Confirm you're a California resident.This runs through the California Identity Gateway. You don't need a Gateway account: type your details in, or sign in with Login.gov if you already have an account there.1
  2. Create your profile.Name, date of birth and ZIP code are enough. You can add maiden names, email addresses, phone numbers, mobile advertising IDs, connected TV IDs and vehicle identification numbers, and more than one of each except date of birth.3
  3. Review and submit.The confirmation page gives you an 8-digit DROP ID. Save it and don't share it: you need it to check your status.3
  4. Check your status later at the DROP status page.Brokers have up to 90 days to report how they handled your request.3
The more you enter, the more brokers can matchCalPrivacy says adding more information makes deletion more likely, and that brokers delete everything they can about you once they match, not just what you entered.3

What each status means

You see one status per broker.

StatusWhat CalPrivacy says it means
DeletedThe broker matched you and deleted the non-exempt personal information it holds about you.3
Opted-outThe broker couldn't make an exact match. It still has your data, but can no longer sell or share it.3
ExemptedThe broker has information about you but is allowed by law to keep all of it.3
Record not foundThe broker has no information about you, or couldn't find you from what you entered. Adding more may help.3, 4
PendingThe broker hasn't processed your request yet.3

What DROP does and doesn't delete

Deleted

Your non-exempt personal information held by registered brokers, which can include sensitive information and inferences about you. Brokers must re-check at least every 45 days and delete new matches, and a request with no match stays on file.3

Not deleted

Data you gave a business directly, data exempt by law, and publicly available data.3 That is why people-search listings built from public records may still need each site's own opt-out.

The dates so far

DateWhat happened
10 October 2023The Delete Act, SB 362, signed. Chapter 709, Statutes of 2023.5, 6
1 January 2026DROP opens to Californians.1
1 August 2026Brokers must start processing requests, accessing DROP at least once every 45 days.1
25 August 2026CalPrivacy reports more than 500,000 sign-ups, 654 brokers in the system, and about 25% reporting processed requests.7
27 September 2026SB 923 signed. It extends the general CCPA right to delete to data a business got from third parties, from 1 January 2027.8
12 October 2026CalPrivacy reports more than 560,000 Californians registered and profiles reported deleted "approaching 100 million".2
November 2026All brokers in DROP should have finished their first cycle, CalPrivacy says.1
 Figures are CalPrivacy's own, on the dates shown.

This page describes an official tool and is not legal advice.

Questions people ask

Can I submit a DROP request for someone else?

Yes, with their permission, for example a parent for a child. You must verify the residency of the person the request is for.4

What if DROP can't verify that I live in California?

Check what you entered and try again. If you see "Unable to verify", use the link on screen to request a review of your eligibility, and CalPrivacy replies by email.4

I lost my DROP ID. What now?

Check your email if you asked for it there, or use DROP's recovery page.4

Can I add more information after I submit?

Yes, through your DROP profile, for example after a new phone number or car. CalPrivacy says updates are allowed once every 45 days.3, 4

Sources 8
  1. Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP), California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy), undated. Read 28 October 2026.
  2. CalPrivacy Launches First-Ever Delete Week to Help Californians Protect Their Personal Information, CalPrivacy, 12 October 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  3. How DROP works, CalPrivacy, undated. Read 28 October 2026.
  4. Help with DROP, CalPrivacy, undated. Read 28 October 2026.
  5. About DROP and the Delete Act, CalPrivacy, undated. Read 28 October 2026.
  6. SB-362 Data broker registration: accessible deletion mechanism, bill status, California Legislative Information. Approved by the Governor and chaptered 10 October 2023. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov refused our reader, so we read the Internet Archive copy of 8 May 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  7. Half a Million Californians Have Signed up for DROP to Delete their Personal Information from Data Brokers, CalPrivacy, 25 August 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  8. California Expands Privacy Protections by Strengthening Deletion Rights, CalPrivacy, 27 September 2026. Read 28 October 2026.

Every line comes from CalPrivacy or the legislature. How we check