---
title: Delete a table
description: Use the influxctl table delete command to delete a table from a database in your InfluxDBed cluster.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/clustered/admin/tables/delete/
estimated_tokens: 399
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/clustered/admin/tables/delete/
date: '2026-05-15T15:46:14-06:00'
lastmod: '2026-05-15T15:46:14-06:00'
---

Use the [`influxctl table delete` command](/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/table/delete/)to delete a table from a database in your InfluxDBed cluster.

> [!Warning]
> #### Wait before writing to a new table with the same name
>
> After deleting a table from your InfluxDBed
> cluster, you can reuse the name to create a new table, but **wait two to
> three minutes** after deleting the previous table before writing to the new
> table to allow write caches to clear.

> [!Note]
> #### Deleted tables may be able to be restored
>
> Deleted tables may be able to be [restored](/influxdb3/clustered/admin/tables/undelete/)within the configurable “hard-delete” grace period.

Provide the following arguments:

* **Database name**: Name of the database that contains the table to delete
* **Table name**: Name of the table to delete

```sh
influxctl table delete DATABASE_NAME TABLE_NAME
```

Replace the following:

* `DATABASE_NAME`: Name of the database that contains the table to delete
* `TABLE_NAME`: Name of the table to delete

When prompted, enter `y` to confirm the deletion.

> [!Note]
> #### Pause writes before deleting a table
>
> InfluxDB Clustered creates tables implicitly using table names specified in
> line protocol written to the databases.
> To prevent the deleted table from being immediately recreated by incoming write requests,
> pause all write requests to the table before deleting it.

#### Related

* [Undelete a table](/influxdb3/clustered/admin/tables/undelete/)
* [influxctl table delete](/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/table/delete/)