What California's DROP platform actually does — and what it doesn't

State of California (privacy.ca.gov)2026-11-10Editorial review: reviewed

DROP is a free, state-run deletion mechanism for eligible California residents. It is genuinely useful and it is also deliberately limited: it covers registered data brokers, has reporting timelines measured in months, and excludes some kinds of information entirely.

Data brokersPersonal-data deletionData rightsConsumer privacy

DROP — the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform — is the state’s own answer to a simple problem: why should a person have to ask hundreds of companies, one at a time, to delete their data?

How it works, per the state. An eligible California resident submits one request with basic identifiers (name, date of birth and ZIP code are enough to start; more identifiers can improve matching). DROP produces an 8-digit DROP ID used to track status. Brokers began processing requests on August 1, 2026.

The timelines are not instant, and they are not one-time. The state says brokers have up to 90 days to report how they processed a request, and that after initial processing brokers must re-check and delete new matching data at least every 45 days. DROP is described as ongoing rather than a single action. That is very different from the idea of a deletion “deadline” that finishes the job.

The statuses matter. DROP reports one of: Deleted, Exempted, Opted-out, Record not found, or Pending. “Opted-out” means the broker could not make an exact match — the data may remain but can no longer be sold or shared. “Exempted” means a statutory exemption applies.

What it does not cover. Per the state: first-party data you gave directly to a business is not deleted on the basis of a DROP request; exempted data and publicly available data are also outside it.

Why this is in Sheila’s library rather than a competitor’s page. DROP is free and it is a legal right. Any service that implies you must pay to access your own statutory rights is misleading you. The honest framing is that DROP covers registered California data brokers, and the surrounding work — coverage beyond that registry, correspondence, follow-up, tracking and proof — is where a service can add something. That is a claim about work, not about exclusive access to the law.

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