---
title: "Delete a firewall"
description: "Delete an E2E Firewall in MyAccount to stop its billing, with what to save first and what happens to its public IP and VPCs."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "firewall"
platform: "MyAccount"
url: "/myaccount/firewall/how-to/delete-a-firewall/"
topic: ["delete"]
---

# Delete a firewall

<!-- cspell:ignore FortiGate -->

Delete a firewall when you no longer need it. Billing stops, its licence is released, and the
firewall is deleted permanently, with every setting on its FortiGate.

The reserved IP the firewall used as its public IP stays reserved in your account. It shows
**Available** in **Manage Reserved IP**, and it is billed monthly until you delete it there.

Each VPC the firewall was in stays as it is, and the firewall's address in it is freed.

## Before you begin

- You have a backup of the FortiGate's configuration, saved from the FortiGate's screen, if you
  want any of it again. Policies, VPN tunnels, and every other setting are deleted with the
  firewall.
- You have moved anything you still need off the firewall: VPN tunnels, NAT, or routes from your
  nodes. Traffic through it stops once you delete it.
- On a committed firewall, you have already paid for the whole term, and deleting before it ends
  gives no refund.
- The firewall is **Running**, **Powered off**, or **Failed**, and unlocked. **Delete Firewall** is
  greyed out while the firewall is locked or changing state. See
  [Lock a firewall](/myaccount/firewall/how-to/lock-a-firewall/).
- Accidental protection is off. While it is on, **Delete Firewall** reads
  **This action cannot be performed while the accidental protection mode is enabled.** See
  [Turn on accidental protection for a firewall](/myaccount/firewall/how-to/turn-on-accidental-protection-for-a-firewall/).
- Your role in the project can delete firewalls.

## Delete the firewall

Back up anything you want to keep first. Once you click **Delete**, the firewall and every setting
on its FortiGate are deleted permanently.

1. In MyAccount, under **Network**, click **Firewall**.
2. On **Manage Firewall**, in the firewall's row, click **Actions**, then **Delete Firewall**.
3. In **Delete Firewall**, turn on **I understand and I want to delete my Firewall: <name>?** The
   firewall's data is lost, and licensed software may need new licences. The public IP stays with
   you: **This firewall's public IP is already reserved and will remain with you until you release
   it.**
4. Click **Delete**.

**Firewall deletion in progress** shows. The firewall can keep reading **Running** for two to three
minutes. Then it reads **Terminating**, and **Firewall deleted successfully** shows when it leaves
the list.

If it stays **Terminating** for much longer than that, contact support with the firewall's name.
Until E2E finishes deleting the firewall, the public IP stays **Attached** in **Manage Reserved
IP**.

To delete a firewall from a script, see
[Delete Firewall by Node ID](/api/myaccount/operations/delete-nodes-firewall-id/) in the API
reference.

## Check the firewall is gone

The firewall leaves **Manage Firewall**. In MyAccount, under **Network**, click **Reserve IP**. The
firewall's public IP shows **Available** on **Manage Reserved IP**.

## Delete the reserved IP

(Optional) To stop paying for the public IP, delete it on **Manage Reserved IP**. To use it for a
new firewall instead, keep it, and pick it under **Select IP** when you create the firewall. See
[Delete a reserved IP](/myaccount/reserved-ip/how-to/delete-a-reserved-ip/).

When you need a firewall again, see
[Create a firewall](/myaccount/firewall/how-to/create-a-firewall/). For help with a delete that
does not finish, see
[I cannot delete my firewall](/myaccount/firewall/troubleshooting/firewall/#i-cannot-delete-my-firewall).