---
title: "ALTER POLICY"
id: sql-alterpolicy
pg_version: "20devel"
---

<a id="sql-alterpolicy"></a>

# ALTER POLICY — change the definition of a row-level security policy

## Synopsis

```
ALTER POLICY name ON table_name RENAME TO new_name

ALTER POLICY name ON table_name
    [ TO { role_name | PUBLIC | CURRENT_ROLE | CURRENT_USER | SESSION_USER } [, ...] ]
    [ USING ( using_expression ) ]
    [ WITH CHECK ( check_expression ) ]
```

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## Description

`ALTER POLICY` changes the definition of an existing row-level security policy. Note that `ALTER POLICY` only allows the set of roles to which the policy applies and the `USING` and `WITH CHECK` expressions to be modified. To change other properties of a policy, such as the command to which it applies or whether it is permissive or restrictive, the policy must be dropped and recreated. 

To use `ALTER POLICY`, you must own the table that the policy applies to. 

In the second form of `ALTER POLICY`, the role list, `using_expression`, and `check_expression` are replaced independently if specified. When one of those clauses is omitted, the corresponding part of the policy is unchanged. 

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## Parameters

**`name`**

 The name of an existing policy to alter. **`table_name`**

 The name (optionally schema-qualified) of the table that the policy is on. **`new_name`**

 The new name for the policy. **`role_name`**

 The role(s) to which the policy applies. Multiple roles can be specified at one time. To apply the policy to all roles, use `PUBLIC`. **`using_expression`**

 The `USING` expression for the policy. See [CREATE POLICY](sql-createpolicy.md) for details. **`check_expression`**

 The `WITH CHECK` expression for the policy. See [CREATE POLICY](sql-createpolicy.md) for details. <a id="id-1.9.3.23.7"></a>

## Compatibility

`ALTER POLICY` is a PostgreSQL extension. 

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## See Also

[CREATE POLICY](sql-createpolicy.md), [DROP POLICY](sql-droppolicy.md)