# Contact Delete suppression, scope and requests

*Marketing Cloud Engagement Developer Study Guide · Data Modeling · Last updated November 3, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/marketing-cloud-engagement-developer/data-modeling/contact-delete-suppression-scope-and-requests*

The Contact Delete stages and suppression period, enablement and scope by tenant type, REST delete requests and their status, best practices for large deletions, and what deletion does in MobileConnect, MobilePush, Journey Builder and synchronized data sources.

- Certification: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement Developer
- Exam section: Data Modeling
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/marketing-cloud-engagement-developer

**Official exam objective:**

> Explain the Contact Delete process.

## What the exam expects

- Describe the Contact Delete stages, what happens to a contact during the suppression period, and how to change that period.
- Explain where Contact Delete is enabled and how far a deletion reaches in Enterprise 2.0 and other tenant types.
- Build and monitor a REST delete request by contact key or contact ID.
- Apply the best practices for large or sensitive deletions: identifiers, batching, backups and performance.
- Predict what deletion does to MobileConnect opt-outs, MobilePush registrations, journeys and synchronized data.
- Key terms: **Contact Delete** (the Contact Builder feature that permanently removes contact information); **suppression period** (the window, 2 days by default, when data stays but can't be viewed or sent to); **final deletion** (removal from lists and sendable data extensions); **OperationID** (the identifier a REST delete returns for status checks).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Suppression period | 2 days by default, changeable; 0 makes requests immediately eligible | [Contact Deletion](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_deletion.htm&type=5&language=en_US), [Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_best_practices.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Final deletion scope | Lists and sendable data extensions, not non-sendable ones outside a population | [Contact Deletion](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_deletion.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Enterprise 2.0 | Enabled at the parent; requests originate there; deletion spans the enterprise | [Contact Deletion](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_deletion.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Child-created records | Delete with the child business unit MID in the request | [Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_best_practices.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| DeleteOperationType | Required; ContactAndAttributes, since AttributesOnly isn't used | [Delete Contacts by Key](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/references/mc_rest_contacts/DeleteByContactKeys.html) |
| Queue | One deletion call at a time; each can take several hours | [Delete Contacts by Key](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/references/mc_rest_contacts/DeleteByContactKeys.html) |
| Batching | At least six requests 5 minutes apart; up to one million records | [Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_best_practices.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Journey re-entry | A deleted contact can rejoin even if re-entry was Never | [Contact Deletion](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_deletion.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Contacts Analytics | Top-level account; app and REST requests by day, week, month | [Contacts Analytics](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_analytics.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't a warehouse treat a deleted contact's subscriberID as a permanent identifier?
- When you set SuppressionRestoreUntilDays through the REST API, which value means zero days?
- Why does a deleted SMS contact who texts STOP afterwards keep the same subscription status?
- How far back can Contact Analytics show deletions, including API ones?

## Sources

- [Contact Deletion in Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_deletion.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Contact Delete Best Practices in Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_best_practices.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Delete Contacts by Key (REST)](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/references/mc_rest_contacts/DeleteByContactKeys.html)
- [Delete Contacts by ID (REST)](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/references/mc_rest_contacts/DeleteByContactIDs.html)
- [Contact Delete Status (REST)](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/references/mc_rest_contacts/ContactsDeleteStatus.html)
- [Configure Settings for Deleting Contacts (REST)](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/references/mc_rest_contacts/ContactsDeleteConfigStatus.html)
- [Enable Contact Delete in Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_enable_contact_delete.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Delete Contact Information from Your Account in Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_delete_contact.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Contacts Analytics in Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_analytics.htm&type=5&language=en_US)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 13 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Marketing Cloud Engagement Developer pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams