Cannot drop database because currently in use

How to fix the SQL Server error Cannot drop the database because it is currently in use?

Also know as the 3702 error, the SQL Server error Cannot drop the database because it is currently in use is frequent in multi-user environments. It is possible to manage SQL databases with scripts or via the various windows of SQL Server Management Studio. For example, you can simply delete a database with a SQL DROP statement. However, if there are active connections on the database being deleted, then the database returns an error message, because a database with an active connection cannot be deleted.

Table of Contents

1. Scripts that generates the drop database error

The exact error message text is the following:

Cannot drop database because it is currently in use. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 3702).

Note: Be careful to check the database backups before deleting it completely. Especially in important projects and production environments.

For example, this type of script generates the error:

USE [master];
GO

DROP DATABASE [DB1];
GO

Another way to create the database is to check if the DB exist on the server, before running the Drop Database command, like this for example:

USE [master];
GO

IF EXISTS (
	SELECT name 
	FROM master.dbo.sysdatabases
	WHERE name = 'DB1'
)
DROP DATABASE [DB1];
GO

To avoid this error, close all active connections to the database before the drop and terminate the current queries. Then close the tabs in SSMS or explicitly end the open connections on the database. Finally close the active tabs if only one user is currently connected. For the second step, run these two operations :

2. Execute sp_who2 procedure to identify IDs of active sessions

In the screenshot we identify the active sessions for the DB1 database. We see one user with SPID 51.

sp_who2

Cannot drop the database because it is currently in use run the sp_who2 command to to fix error 3702 — *Cannot drop the database because it is currently in use* – *run the sp_who2 command to to fix error 3702*

Check out this other article about how to create a database with default options with the SSMS graphic user interface.

3. Close sessions with the SQL Server kill command and SPID

It is the active SPID that prevent the drop from being successful. Indeed, the Microsoft RDBMS do not allow to drop a database with active sessions. Indeed, you need to terminate all the sessions with the SPIDs found. To do this, use the Server Process ID (SPID) found in the previous query to kill the session. Execute the query in SSMS.

kill 51

Use the kill procedure to terminate the session with the SPID identified earlier

4. Execute again the drop database script without error

Repeat the operation till no active connections are visible on the list. To go further, here is the official documentation of the T-SQL kill command. The “unable to drop the database because it is currently in use” sql command error is a classical one. Indeed it’s an object that allows many connections from different users at the same time.

Conclusion on SQL Server error 3702

This MS SQL tutorial explains how to avoid the common SQL Server error message : Cannot drop the database because it is currently in use. It is a common error and the tip is very useful when creating and deleting multiple databases in development and testing environments for example.

How to completely drop a SQL Server database ?

A database, unlike a table, cannot be erased or dumped. A database must be dropped, i.e., completely deleted to remove all its contents. Use the DROP DATABASE command to delete a SQL Server database.