California's Delete Act and DROP: one request to 500+ data brokers, explained

Updated September 9, 2026 · by HomeCloak

Since August 2026, California residents have had something no other state offers: a single, state-run deletion request that every registered data broker is legally required to process. It's called DROP, the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, created by the California Delete Act. Here is what it does and how it fits alongside everything else.

What DROP does

You create an account at privacy.ca.gov/drop, verify that you are a California resident, and submit one deletion request. Every data broker registered with the California Privacy Protection Agency, more than 500 of them, must check the DROP list and delete your data within 45 days, and keep checking every 45 days so you stay deleted. Brokers may not contact you to "re-verify" as a way of stalling.

What it doesn't cover

DROP applies to registered data brokers, companies whose business is selling data about people they have no direct relationship with. That is most people-search sites. It does not reach:

Real-estate listing sites like Zillow and Redfin (they are not data brokers under the law).
The MLS, or listing photos syndicated from it.
Google, Apple, or Bing street imagery.
County records, or brokers that have failed to register.

How to use it

Go to privacy.ca.gov/drop and create an account. Residency is verified through the state's identity gateway or Login.gov.
Optionally designate an authorized agent so a service can assist with follow-ups.
Submit your deletion request and save the DROP ID it gives you.
Re-check the people-search sites after 45 days. Report any broker that doesn't comply to the California Privacy Protection Agency; the fines are real.

If you live somewhere else

No other state has a DROP equivalent yet, though several are considering one. Elsewhere, removal still happens site by site under each state's privacy law and each site's own policy. HomeCloak automates that path everywhere and adds the DROP walkthrough for California customers.

Common questions

Is DROP free?

Yes. It is operated by the State of California at no cost to residents.

Can a service file DROP for me?

You must create the account yourself because the state verifies your residency and identity. A service can be designated as your authorized agent afterward to help with follow-ups.

Do I still need site-by-site removals if I use DROP?

For listing sites, the MLS, and street imagery, yes: DROP doesn't touch them. For people-search brokers, DROP is the stronger tool and site-by-site requests are a backstop for any broker that hasn't registered.

Skip the 250 hours.

HomeCloak files verified removal requests with every listing site, people-search network, and registered data broker on our list, reads the replies, follows up on every silence, and re-files when something comes back — for $109.99 a year. We prepare the few steps only you can do.

Run the free scan for your address See pricing