DROP CERTIFICATE (Transact-SQL)
Applies to:
SQL Server
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Azure Synapse Analytics
Removes a certificate from the database.
Important
A backup of the certificate used for database encryption should be retained even if the encryption is no longer enabled on a database. Even though the database is not encrypted anymore, parts of the transaction log may still remain protected, and the certificate may be needed for some operations until the full backup of the database is performed. The certificate is also needed to be able to restore from the backups created at the time the database was encrypted.
Transact-SQL syntax conventions
This syntax is not supported by serverless SQL pool in Azure Synapse Analytics.
Syntax
DROP CERTIFICATE certificate_name
Note
To view Transact-SQL syntax for SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and earlier versions, see Previous versions documentation.
Arguments
certificate_name
Is the unique name by which the certificate is known in the database.
Remarks
Certificates can only be dropped if no entities are associated with them.
Permissions
Requires CONTROL permission on the certificate.
Examples
The following example drops the certificate Shipping04
from the AdventureWorks
database.
USE AdventureWorks2022;
DROP CERTIFICATE Shipping04;
Examples: Analytics Platform System (PDW)
The following example drops the certificate Shipping04
.
USE master;
DROP CERTIFICATE Shipping04;
See Also
BACKUP CERTIFICATE (Transact-SQL)
CREATE CERTIFICATE (Transact-SQL)
ALTER CERTIFICATE (Transact-SQL)
Encryption Hierarchy
EVENTDATA (Transact-SQL)