drop-master-key-transact-sql.md

title	DROP MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)
description	DROP MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)
author	VanMSFT
ms.author	vanto
ms.date	03/06/2017
ms.service	sql
ms.subservice	t-sql
ms.topic	reference
ms.custom	ignite-2025
f1_keywords	DROP MASTER KEY DROP_MASTER_KEY_TSQL
helpviewer_keywords	removing Database Master Keys database master key [SQL Server], removing encryption [SQL Server], Database Master Key DROP MASTER KEY statement cryptography [SQL Server], Database Master Key dropping Database Master Keys deleting Database Master Keys
dev_langs	TSQL
monikerRange	>=aps-pdw-2016 || =azure-sqldw-latest || >=sql-server-2016 || >=sql-server-linux-2017 || =azuresqldb-mi-current || =fabric-sqldb

DROP MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)

[!INCLUDE sql-asdbmi-asa-pdw-fabric]

Removes the master key from the current database.

:::image type="icon" source="../../includes/media/topic-link-icon.svg" border="false"::: Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

DROP MASTER KEY  

Arguments

This statement takes no arguments.

Remarks

The drop will fail if any private key in the database is protected by the master key.

Permissions

Requires CONTROL permission on the database.

Examples

The following example removes the master key for the [!INCLUDE sssampledbobject-md] database.

USE AdventureWorks2022;  
DROP MASTER KEY;  
GO  

Examples: [!INCLUDEssazuresynapse-md] and [!INCLUDEssPDW]

The following example removes the master key.

USE master;  
DROP MASTER KEY;  
GO  

See Also

CREATE MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)
OPEN MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)
CLOSE MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)
BACKUP MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)
RESTORE MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)
ALTER MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)
Encryption Hierarchy