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title: "DROP SCHEMA (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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---
# DROP SCHEMA (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2008-all-md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-all-md.md)]

  Removes a schema from the 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  
  
```  
-- Syntax for SQL Server and Azure SQL Database  
  
DROP SCHEMA  [ IF EXISTS ] schema_name  
```  
  
```  
-- Syntax for Azure SQL Data Warehouse and Parallel Data Warehouse  
  
DROP SCHEMA schema_name  
```  
  
## Arguments  
 *IF EXISTS*  
 **Applies to**: [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] ([!INCLUDE[ssSQL15](../../includes/sssql15-md.md)] through [current version](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=299658)).  
  
 Conditionally drops the schema only if it already exists.  
  
 *schema_name*  
 Is the name by which the schema is known within the database.  
  
## Remarks  
 The schema that is being dropped must not contain any objects. If the schema contains objects, the DROP statement fails.  
  
 Information about schemas is visible in the [sys.schemas](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/schemas-catalog-views-sys-schemas.md) catalog view.  
  
 **Caution** [!INCLUDE[ssCautionUserSchema](../../includes/sscautionuserschema-md.md)]  
  
## Permissions  
 Requires CONTROL permission on the schema or ALTER ANY SCHEMA permission on the database.  
  
## Examples  
 The following example starts with a single `CREATE SCHEMA` statement. The statement creates the schema `Sprockets` that is owned by `Krishna` and a table `Sprockets.NineProngs`, and then grants `SELECT` permission to `Anibal` and denies `SELECT` permission to `Hung-Fu`.  
  
```  
CREATE SCHEMA Sprockets AUTHORIZATION Krishna   
    CREATE TABLE NineProngs (source int, cost int, partnumber int)  
    GRANT SELECT TO Anibal   
    DENY SELECT TO Hung-Fu;  
GO  
```  
  
 The following statements drop the schema. Note that you must first drop the table that is contained by the schema.  
  
```  
DROP TABLE Sprockets.NineProngs;  
DROP SCHEMA Sprockets;  
GO  
```  
  
  
## See Also  
 [CREATE SCHEMA (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/create-schema-transact-sql.md)   
 [ALTER SCHEMA (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/alter-schema-transact-sql.md)   
 [DROP SCHEMA (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/drop-schema-transact-sql.md)   
 [EVENTDATA (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/eventdata-transact-sql.md)