Legal Reference

State Data Breach Notification Laws

Every U.S. state has its own data breach notification law with different deadlines, enforcement mechanisms, and consumer rights. Select your state to understand what companies must tell you and what remedies you may have.

Notification Deadlines

Most states require notification within 30–90 days of discovery, or 'without unreasonable delay.' Colorado and Florida have among the shortest deadlines at 30 days.

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Private Right of Action

A handful of states — including California — let you sue companies directly under breach notification or privacy laws. In most states, only the AG can enforce.

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Statutory Damages

California's CCPA (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.150) provides $100–$750 per consumer per incident without proving actual harm. Illinois's BIPA can reach $1,000–$5,000 per biometric violation.

All 50 States

12 states with detailed profiles
AL
Alabama

Alabama enacted its breach notification law in 2018, becoming the last state to do so. The Alabama Data Breach Notification Act (§§ 8-38-1 t…

AK
Alaska

Alaska's Personal Information Protection Act (AS 45.48.010–45.48.090) requires businesses that own or license personal information about Ala…

AZ
Arizona45-day deadline

Arizona's data breach notification law (A.R.S. § 18-552) was updated in 2018 to require notification within 45 days of determining a breach …

AR
Arkansas

Detailed profile coming soon. Select to see basic requirements.

CA
CaliforniaPrivate right of action30-day deadline

California has the nation's strongest consumer data breach laws. As of January 1, 2026, SB 446 requires notification within a hard 30-day deadline from discovery (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.82). The CCPA (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.150) provides a private right of action with statutory damages of $100–$750 per consumer per incident when a company's failure to implement reasonable security exposes unencrypted personal information — no proof of actual harm required.

CO
Colorado30-day deadline

Colorado's Protections for Consumer Data Privacy Act (C.R.S. § 6-1-716) was significantly updated in 2018 and again in 2023. Colorado now re…

CT
Connecticut60-day deadline

Connecticut's data breach notification law (C.G.S. § 36a-701b) requires notification within 60 days of discovery. Connecticut is notable for…

DE
Delaware

Detailed profile coming soon. Select to see basic requirements.

FL
Florida30-day deadline

Florida requires notification within 30 days of determining a breach occurred — one of the nation's shortest deadlines. There is no private right of action under the breach notification statute. The AG can seek civil penalties up to $500,000 for non-compliance. Florida's law covers a broad range of personal information.

GA
Georgia

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HI
Hawaii

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ID
Idaho

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IL
IllinoisPrivate right of action

Illinois has two significant consumer data protection laws that together provide some of the strongest protections in the nation. The state'…

IN
Indiana

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IA
Iowa

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KS
Kansas

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KY
Kentucky

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LA
Louisiana

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ME
Maine

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MD
Maryland

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MA
Massachusetts

Massachusetts requires breach notification as expeditiously as possible and mandates that covered businesses maintain a Written Information Security Program (WISP). Any breach affecting Massachusetts residents — no matter how small — must be reported to both the AG and the state consumer protection agency.

MI
Michigan

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MN
Minnesota

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MS
Mississippi

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MO
Missouri

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MT
Montana

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NE
Nebraska

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NV
Nevada

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NH
New Hampshire

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NJ
New Jersey

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NM
New Mexico

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NY
New York

New York's SHIELD Act requires notification without unreasonable delay and imposes affirmative data security obligations on all companies that own or license private information of New York residents. The AG must be notified simultaneously with affected individuals. No fixed statutory damages under the breach notification statute.

NC
North Carolina

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ND
North Dakota

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OH
Ohio

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OK
Oklahoma

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OR
Oregon

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PA
Pennsylvania

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RI
Rhode Island

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SC
South Carolina

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SD
South Dakota

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TN
Tennessee

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TX
Texas30-day deadline

Texas requires notification within 30 days when 250 or more residents are affected. The Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA), effective July 2024, adds new consumer rights. There is no private right of action under the breach notification statute — enforcement is through the AG only.

UT
Utah

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VT
Vermont

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VA
Virginia

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WA
Washington30-day deadline

Washington State's data breach notification law (RCW 19.255.010) requires notification within 30 days of discovering a breach. The law cover…

WV
West Virginia

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WI
Wisconsin

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WY
Wyoming

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Legal Disclaimer: Data breach laws change frequently. This reference is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify current statutes and consult a licensed attorney for advice about your specific situation.
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