---
title: Delete a table
description: Use the influxdb3 delete table command or the HTTP API to delete a table from a specified database in InfluxDB 3 Enterprise. Supports both soft delete and hard delete operations.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/enterprise/admin/tables/delete/
estimated_tokens: 4070
product: InfluxDB 3 Enterprise
version: enterprise
---

# Delete a table

Use the [`influxdb3 delete table` command](/influxdb3/enterprise/reference/cli/influxdb3/delete/table/) or the [HTTP API](/influxdb3/enterprise/api/v3/) to delete a table from a specified database in InfluxDB 3 Enterprise.

With InfluxDB 3 Enterprise, tables and measurements are synonymous. By default, InfluxDB 3 Enterprise performs a soft delete, which schedules the table for deletion and makes it unavailable for querying. You can also schedule a hard deletion to permanently remove the table and its data.

#### Deleting a table cannot be undone

Deleting a table is a destructive action. Once a table is deleted, data stored in that table cannot be recovered.

-   [Delete a table using the influxdb3 CLI](#delete-a-table-using-the-influxdb3-cli)
-   [Delete a table using the HTTP API](#delete-a-table-using-the-http-api)
-   [Delete data only (preserve schema and resources)](#delete-data-only-preserve-schema-and-resources)

## Delete a table using the influxdb3 CLI

Use the `influxdb3 delete table` command to delete a table:

```sh
influxdb3 delete table \
  --database DATABASE_NAME \
  --token AUTH_TOKEN \
  TABLE_NAME
```

Replace the following:

-   `DATABASE_NAME`: the name of the database containing the table
-   `TABLE_NAME`: the name of the table to delete
-   `AUTH_TOKEN`: your [admin token](/influxdb3/enterprise/admin/tokens/)

### Hard delete a table immediately

To permanently delete a table and its data immediately, use the `--hard-delete now` flag:

```sh
influxdb3 delete table \
  --database DATABASE_NAME \
  --token AUTH_TOKEN \
  --hard-delete now \
  TABLE_NAME
```

### Schedule a hard deletion

To schedule a table for hard deletion at a specific time, use the `--hard-delete` flag with a timestamp:

```sh
influxdb3 delete table \
  --database DATABASE_NAME \
  --token AUTH_TOKEN \
  --hard-delete "2025-12-31T23:59:59Z" \
  TABLE_NAME
```

## Delete a table using the HTTP API

To delete a table using the HTTP API, send a `DELETE` request to the `/api/v3/configure/table` endpoint:

DELETE localhost:8181/api/v3/configure/table

Include the following in your request:

-   **Query parameters**:
    -   `db`: Database name
    -   `table`: Table name to delete
    -   `hard_delete_at`: *(Optional)* Timestamp for hard deletion
-   **Headers**:
    -   `Authorization: Bearer` with your authentication token

### Soft delete a table

```bash
curl -X DELETE "localhost:8181/api/v3/configure/table?db=DATABASE_NAME&table=TABLE_NAME" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer AUTH_TOKEN"
```

Replace the following:

-   `DATABASE_NAME`: the name of the database containing the table
-   `TABLE_NAME`: the name of the table to delete
-   `AUTH_TOKEN`: your [admin token](/influxdb3/enterprise/admin/tokens/)

### Schedule a hard deletion

To schedule a hard deletion at a specific time, include the `hard_delete_at` parameter with an ISO 8601 timestamp:

```bash
curl -X DELETE "localhost:8181/api/v3/configure/table?db=DATABASE_NAME&table=TABLE_NAME&hard_delete_at=2025-12-31T23:59:59Z" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer AUTH_TOKEN"
```

### Response

A successful deletion returns HTTP status `200` with no content body.

#### Example error response

If the table doesn’t exist, the API returns HTTP status `404`:

```json
{
  "error": "Table not found"
}
```

## Delete data only (preserve schema and resources)

InfluxDB 3 Enterprise supports deleting only the data in a table while preserving the table schema and associated resources. This is useful when you want to clear old data and re-write new data to the same table structure without recreating resources.

### What is preserved

When using the data-only deletion option, the following are preserved:

-   **Table schema**: Column definitions and data types
-   **Caches**: Last value caches (LVC) and distinct value caches (DVC) associated with the table

### Delete data only using the CLI

Use the [`--data-only`](/influxdb3/enterprise/reference/cli/influxdb3/delete/table/#options) flag to delete data while preserving the table schema and resources:

```sh
influxdb3 delete table \
  --database DATABASE_NAME \
  --token AUTH_TOKEN \
  --data-only \
  TABLE_NAME
```

Replace the following:

-   `DATABASE_NAME`: the name of the database containing the table
-   `TABLE_NAME`: the name of the table
-   `AUTH_TOKEN`: your [admin token](/influxdb3/enterprise/admin/tokens/)

### Delete data only using the HTTP API

To delete only data using the HTTP API, include the `data_only=true` query parameter:

```bash
curl -X DELETE "localhost:8181/api/v3/configure/table?db=DATABASE_NAME&table=TABLE_NAME&data_only=true" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer AUTH_TOKEN"
```

Replace the following:

-   `DATABASE_NAME`: the name of the database containing the table
-   `TABLE_NAME`: the name of the table
-   `AUTH_TOKEN`: your [admin token](/influxdb3/enterprise/admin/tokens/)

#### Related

-   [influxdb3 delete table](/influxdb3/enterprise/reference/cli/influxdb3/delete/table/)
-   [Delete table API](/influxdb3/enterprise/api/table/#operation/DeleteConfigureTable)