---
title: "DROP TABLE"
id: sql-droptable
pg_version: "20devel"
---

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# DROP TABLE — remove a table

## Synopsis

```
DROP TABLE [ IF EXISTS ] name [, ...] [ CASCADE | RESTRICT ]
```

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## Description

`DROP TABLE` removes tables from the database. Only the table owner, the schema owner, and superuser can drop a table. To empty a table of rows without destroying the table, use [`DELETE`](sql-delete.md) or [`TRUNCATE`](sql-truncate.md). 

`DROP TABLE` always removes any indexes, rules, triggers, and constraints that exist for the target table. However, to drop a table that is referenced by a view or a foreign-key constraint of another table, `CASCADE` must be specified. (`CASCADE` will remove a dependent view entirely, but in the foreign-key case it will only remove the foreign-key constraint, not the other table entirely.) 

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## Parameters

**`IF EXISTS`**

 Do not throw an error if the table does not exist. A notice is issued in this case. **`name`**

 The name (optionally schema-qualified) of the table to drop. **`CASCADE`**

 Automatically drop objects that depend on the table (such as views), and in turn all objects that depend on those objects (see [Section 5.17](ddl-depend.md)). **`RESTRICT`**

 Refuse to drop the table if any objects depend on it. This is the default. <a id="id-1.9.3.137.7"></a>

## Examples

To destroy two tables, `films` and `distributors`: 
DROP TABLE films, distributors;


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## Compatibility

This command conforms to the SQL standard, except that the standard only allows one table to be dropped per command, and apart from the `IF EXISTS` option, which is a PostgreSQL extension. 

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## See Also

[ALTER TABLE](sql-altertable.md), [CREATE TABLE](sql-createtable.md)