How to Opt Out of Data Brokers in Virginia

Virginia residents have some of the strongest data privacy rights in the country thanks to the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA). In 2026, the law is fully enforced with no grace periods, and recent amendments have added new protections around geolocation data. Here is exactly how to use these rights to remove your personal information from data brokers.

Your Rights Under the VCDPA

The VCDPA, which took effect January 1, 2023, grants Virginia residents five core rights over their personal data:

• Right to access — Confirm whether a business is processing your personal data and get a copy of it.
• Right to correct — Fix inaccurate personal data a business holds about you.
• Right to delete — Request that a business delete the personal data it has collected from you.
• Right to data portability — Receive your data in a portable, machine-readable format.
• Right to opt out — Stop businesses from processing your data for targeted advertising, selling your personal data, or profiling you.

For data brokers specifically, the right to opt out and the right to delete are your most powerful tools. Once you submit a valid request, the broker must comply within 45 days.

Step 1: Find Your Listings

Before you can remove your data, you need to know where it appears. Search for your name on the most common data broker and people search sites:

• Spokeo
• BeenVerified
• TruePeopleSearch
• WhitePages
• PeopleFinders
• FastPeopleSearch
• Radaris
• Intelius
• MyLife
• Nuwber

Also search Google for your full name in quotes along with your city — for example, "Jane Smith" Arlington VA. Note every site that displays your personal information.

Step 2: Submit VCDPA Opt-Out and Deletion Requests

For each data broker, submit a formal request citing the VCDPA. Most brokers have a privacy request page — look for "Privacy," "Your Privacy Rights," or "Do Not Sell My Info" links in the website footer.

If the broker does not have a clear online form, send an email to their privacy contact with the following information:

1. State that you are a Virginia resident exercising your rights under the VCDPA.
2. Request deletion of all personal data they hold about you.
3. Request that they opt you out of the sale of your personal data, targeted advertising, and profiling.
4. Include your full name, date of birth, current address, and any previous addresses to help them locate your records.
5. Request confirmation of completion within 45 days.

Step 3: Appeal Denied Requests

If a data broker denies your request, the VCDPA gives you the right to appeal. The broker must provide instructions on how to appeal along with their denial. You have the right to file a complaint with the Virginia Attorney General's office if your appeal is also denied.

As of February 2026, Attorney General Jay Jones has announced full enforcement of the VCDPA with no additional grace periods. Companies that violate the law face civil penalties of up to $7,500 per violation.

Step 4: Handle Virginia-Specific Public Records

Much of the data that brokers collect about Virginia residents comes from public records:

• Property records — County assessor websites publish ownership, address, and property value information.
• Voter registration — The Virginia Department of Elections maintains voter rolls that include name, address, and date of birth.
• Court records — Virginia's court system provides online access to case information through its case search portal.
• Vehicle records — The Virginia DMV holds records that can be accessed under certain circumstances.

Virginia's Address Confidentiality Program is available to victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Participants receive a substitute address to use on public records, helping to keep their actual location private.

Step 5: Strengthen Your Overall Privacy

Opt-outs are most effective when combined with broader privacy hygiene:

• Freeze your credit — Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to prevent unauthorized credit inquiries.
• Lock down social media — Review privacy settings on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other platforms.
• Use email aliases — Services like Apple's Hide My Email or SimpleLogin prevent your real email from being harvested.
• Minimize data sharing — Use a P.O. Box for mail, avoid loyalty programs that track purchases, and decline to provide your phone number at checkout.

The Easier Way: Let PrivacyOn Handle It

Submitting individual opt-out requests to 100+ data brokers, monitoring for re-listings, and re-submitting removals is a time-consuming process that never really ends. PrivacyOn automates all of it for Virginia residents. We submit VCDPA-backed removal requests to more than 100 data broker sites, continuously scan for re-listings, and include dark web monitoring to catch your personal data in breach databases.

PrivacyOn plans start at $8.33/month and include coverage for up to 5 family members — making it easy to protect your entire household under Virginia's strong privacy framework.

Take Advantage of Your Rights

Virginia residents have some of the most powerful privacy rights in the country, and with full enforcement now in effect, data brokers have no excuse for ignoring your requests. Whether you handle opt-outs manually or use PrivacyOn to automate the process, the VCDPA gives you the legal backing to demand that your personal information be deleted and that brokers stop profiting from it. Start today.