California DROP: How to File and What Happens Next

Last checked: Oct 12, 2026. DROP is new and CalPrivacy updates its pages often; dates and steps below are from its official site on that day.

Maya Okafor, a fictional nurse in Sacramento, filed her DROP request in January on her lunch break. It took her about ten minutes. Then nothing seemed to happen for seven months: every time she checked, her status said "Pending." She wondered if she'd done it wrong.

She hadn't. Under the law, data brokers didn't have to start processing DROP requests until August 1, 2026 (CalPrivacy). If you filed early, or you're filing now, this guide explains what to enter, what each status means, and what DROP can and can't do.

If you're new to all this, start with our pillar guide, how to remove your personal information from the internet. DROP is one piece of it.

#Watch: California DROP explained (2026 update)

If you live in California, this quick video walks through what DROP is, how to file, and what to expect after you submit.

#What DROP is, in one paragraph

DROP stands for Delete Request and Opt-out Platform. It was created by California's Delete Act and is run by the California Privacy Protection Agency, which now calls itself CalPrivacy. It lets a California resident send one deletion request to more than 600 registered data brokers at once, for free (CalPrivacy). Before DROP, you'd have had to find each broker and file with each one separately.

#Who can file

• You must be a California resident. DROP checks this before you can create a request (CalPrivacy).
• You can file for someone else with their permission, for example a parent for a child. You still have to verify the residency of the person you're filing for (CalPrivacy, Help with DROP).
• One person per request. The terms prohibit putting information about several people in one request (DROP terms).

If you've recently moved out of California, or you live elsewhere, DROP isn't available to you. Other states' privacy laws and the site-by-site opt-outs in our pillar guide still apply.

#How to file, step by step

Allow 10 to 15 minutes. Have your past addresses and old phone numbers handy; you'll see why below.

Our free DROP checklist follows the same steps, keeps your list of old addresses and numbers in your browser, and downloads 45-day calendar reminders.

#Step 1: Go to the official site

The consumer portal is consumer.drop.privacy.ca.gov, linked from privacy.ca.gov/drop. DROP is free. Any site that asks you to pay to "file DROP" is not the state.

#Step 2: Verify that you live in California

DROP uses the California Identity Gateway, the state's digital identity system, to confirm residency. You can enter your details directly or sign in with Login.gov; CalPrivacy suggests Login.gov only if you already have an account. You don't need to create a Gateway account, and CalPrivacy says the information used to verify you isn't kept by DROP (CalPrivacy). The DROP terms name Socure and Login.gov as state-contracted verification vendors.

If verification fails: check for typos and try again. If it still says "Unable to verify," click Request a review of your eligibility. You'll describe your residency, and CalPrivacy will reply by email (CalPrivacy, Help with DROP).

#Step 3: Build your profile

DROP asks for some required details, such as name, date of birth and email, and then lets you add more. How much you add is up to you, but CalPrivacy is direct about the trade-off: "The more personal information you provide, the greater the likelihood of registered data brokers finding the personal information they maintain about you" (DROP terms).

That's the key decision. Brokers match records against what you give them. Think about what a broker might have on file:

Everything must be true and about you (DROP terms). You can update your profile later, but only once every 45 days (CalPrivacy, Help with DROP), so it's worth taking an extra five minutes now.

#Step 4: Submit and save your DROP ID

The confirmation page shows a DROP ID. CalPrivacy's "How DROP works" page describes it as an 8-digit ID you can also have emailed to you. Save it somewhere safe and don't share it. You'll need it to check your status, and there's a recovery option if you lose it (CalPrivacy).

#What happens after you submit

This is where most people get confused, because DROP runs on the brokers' schedule, not yours.

The official timeline (CalPrivacy):

• January 1, 2026: DROP opened to Californians.
• August 1, 2026: registered brokers had to start processing requests.
• Up to 90 days after that: brokers report back on what they did, so statuses can take up to 90 days to update.
• November 2026: CalPrivacy expects every broker to have completed its first download-and-upload cycle by now.
• Every 45 days after that: brokers must check DROP again and delete newly matching data. CalPrivacy calls DROP "ongoing – not a one-time action."

So if you filed in January like Maya, "Pending" all spring and summer was normal. If it's past November 2026 and many brokers still show Pending, that's worth noting (see "If something looks wrong" below).

#What your DROP statuses mean

You'll see a status for each broker. The labels on CalPrivacy's site include:

• Pending. The broker hasn't processed your request yet.
• Deleted (or similar). The broker matched your information and deleted it, unless an exemption applies.
• Opted-out. The broker couldn't make an exact match with what you provided. CalPrivacy says these brokers "still have your data, but they can no longer sell or share it."
• No records / not found (or similar). The broker found nothing matching your details.

CalPrivacy also notes that results vary: some brokers may have no matching records, and others "may be legally required or allowed to keep certain data" (CalPrivacy).

What to do with an "Opted-out" result: this usually means the broker had something close, but not an exact match. Next time your 45-day update window opens, add the old address, phone or name variant it might be keyed on. A fictional example: Maya's DROP profile listed her current Sacramento address, but a marketing broker's file still had her at a Fresno apartment from 2018. Adding the Fresno address gave the broker something to match.

#What DROP covers, and what it doesn't

Many people-search sites are registered brokers, but don't assume every site you see is covered. If a people-search listing is still live a few months after November 2026, opt out directly with that site. Our Whitepages removal guide is a good example of how a direct opt-out works, and the pillar guide covers 15 sites.

#What "Exempted" means on your DROP status

When you check your DROP results, you might see a status labeled Exempted next to some brokers. This means the broker found your information but the law allows it to keep your data.

Public records are the main exemption. If you own a vehicle or property in California, those records are public. If you're a registered voter, your voting record is public. Data brokers that compile information from these sources can legally mark your request as "Exempted" and continue listing you.

Data you gave directly isn't covered. If you signed up for a store's loyalty program or created an account with a company, DROP doesn't cover that relationship. The Delete Act targets data brokers, not companies you have direct interactions with.

What this means in practice: if you see several "Exempted" statuses, check whether those brokers specialize in public records. People-search sites that pull from vehicle registrations, property ownership, and voter files often show Exempted. You can still opt out directly with many of these sites using their own removal forms. Our main removal guide covers the major people-search sites and their opt-out processes.

CalPrivacy's guidance page on Personal information and data brokers explains the exemptions in detail.

#October 2026 update

CalPrivacy released new figures in mid-October 2026 showing DROP's reach since it opened in January:

• More than 560,000 Californians have registered with DROP and submitted deletion requests.
• Data brokers have reported deleting close to 100 million profiles in response to DROP requests.
• Over 660 registered data brokers are now in the system, up from around 600 when DROP launched.

CalPrivacy emphasized that DROP is "ongoing, not a one-time action." Brokers must re-check the DROP database at least every 45 days and delete newly matching data. This means your request keeps working even as brokers acquire new information about you.

The agency also launched "Delete Week" in October 2026 to encourage more Californians to file and to highlight how DROP fits into broader privacy practices like updating privacy settings and opting out of people-search sites directly.

Source: CalPrivacy, "CalPrivacy Launches First-Ever Delete Week" (October 12, 2026), and CalPrivacy DROP FAQ (October 6, 2026).

#If something looks wrong

• You can't verify residency: use the eligibility review link (above), or contact CalPrivacy through its official contact page.
• A broker still shows your listing after its status says Deleted: take a screenshot with the date, note the URL, and file a complaint with CalPrivacy. Under the Delete Act, brokers that fail to comply can face $200 per day per request in penalties (CPPA, data broker information).
• Someone is pressuring you to pay for DROP filing: DROP itself is free. A paid service can help you track other sites, but it can't file DROP "better" than you can.

#A realistic DROP routine

1. Today: file, with every past address and phone you can remember. Save your DROP ID.
2. Set a 45-day reminder to review statuses and add anything a broker might be missing.
3. After November 2026: review every "Opted-out" and "Pending" result.
4. Whenever you move or change numbers: update your profile at the next allowed window.
5. Keep doing the non-DROP steps: Google removal, and direct opt-outs with sites DROP doesn't reach.

Tracking 45-day windows, rechecking listings and filing with sites outside DROP is the part people tend to drop after a few months. That's the part a service like UndoLeak can save you time on, by re-checking listings on a schedule. DROP itself is free and you should file it either way.

#Sources

1. CalPrivacy, "Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP)." https://privacy.ca.gov/drop/
2. CalPrivacy, "How DROP works." https://privacy.ca.gov/drop/how-drop-works/
3. CalPrivacy, "Help with DROP." https://privacy.ca.gov/drop/help-with-drop/
4. DROP consumer portal and terms. https://consumer.drop.privacy.ca.gov/
5. CPPA, Information for Data Brokers (Delete Act, Cal. Civ. Code 1798.99.86 et seq.). https://cppa.ca.gov/data_brokers/
6. CalPrivacy, "Process DROP requests" (data broker guidance). https://privacy.ca.gov/drop-for-data-brokers/process-drop-requests/

Maya Okafor is a fictional example.