Data Subject Access Request (DSAR / SAR)
A formal request to a company to disclose what personal data they hold about you.
📖 What It Means
A Data Subject Access Request (DSAR or SAR) is a formal request under GDPR (EU), UK Data Protection Act (UK), or CCPA (California) to find out exactly what personal data a company holds about you. Companies must respond within 30 days (GDPR/UK) or 45 days (CCPA). A DSAR is a powerful tool — it often reveals data you didn't know was collected and can support deletion or dispute requests.
✅ Key Points
- 1Free to submit — companies cannot charge for the first request
- 2GDPR: 30 days response time / CCPA: 45 days
- 3Company must provide all personal data in a readable format
- 4Includes data from automated decisions (profiling, scoring)
- 5Often reveals surprising data collection practices
💡 How to Use This
Send a DSAR before requesting deletion — it forces the company to show you everything they have. This is especially useful if you suspect a company is sharing your data with third parties (as BetterHelp was caught doing).
Find Your Service →⚖️ Legal Citation
GDPR Article 15, CCPA § 1798.110Use this citation in your dispute letters for legal weight.
🔗 Related Terms
Ready to fight back?
Use our free templates with Data Subject Access Request (DSAR / SAR) citations built in.