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title: "DROP COLUMN ENCRYPTION KEY (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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---
# DROP COLUMN ENCRYPTION KEY (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2016-asdb-xxxx-xxx_md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2016-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

  Drops a column encryption key from a database.  
  
 ![Topic link icon](../../database-engine/configure-windows/media/topic-link.gif "Topic link icon") [Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions](../../t-sql/language-elements/transact-sql-syntax-conventions-transact-sql.md)  
  
## Syntax  
  
```  
  
DROP COLUMN ENCRYPTION KEY key_name [;]  
```  
  
## Arguments  
 *key_name*  
 Is the name by which the column encryption key to be dropped from the database.  
  
## Remarks  
 A column encryption key cannot be dropped if it is used to encrypt any column in the database. All columns using the column encryption key must first be dropped.  
  
## Permissions  
 Requires **ALTER ANY COLUMN ENCRYPTION KEY** permission on the database.  
  
## Examples  
  
### A. Dropping a column encryption key  
 The following example drops a column encryption key called `MyCEK`.  
  
```  
DROP COLUMN ENCRYPTION KEY MyCEK;  
GO  
```  
  
## See Also  
 [Always Encrypted (Database Engine)](../../relational-databases/security/encryption/always-encrypted-database-engine.md)   
 [CREATE COLUMN ENCRYPTION KEY (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/create-column-encryption-key-transact-sql.md)   
 [ALTER COLUMN ENCRYPTION KEY (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/alter-column-encryption-key-transact-sql.md)   
 [CREATE COLUMN MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/create-column-master-key-transact-sql.md)