---
title: remove_policies() | Tiger Data Docs
description: Remove refresh, compression, or data retention policies from a continuous aggregate
---

Early access [2.10.0](https://github.com/timescale/timescaledb/releases/tag/2.10.0)

Remove refresh, columnstore, and data retention policies from a continuous aggregate. The removed columnstore and retention policies apply to the continuous aggregate, *not* to the original hypertable.

```
timescaledb_experimental.remove_policies(
     relation REGCLASS,
     if_exists BOOL = false,
     VARIADIC policy_names TEXT[] = NULL
) RETURNS BOOL
```

To remove all policies on a continuous aggregate, see [`remove_all_policies()`](/docs/reference/timescaledb/continuous-aggregates/remove_all_policies/index.md).

## Samples

Given a continuous aggregate named `example_continuous_aggregate` with a refresh policy and a data retention policy, remove both policies.

Throw an error if either policy doesn’t exist. If the continuous aggregate has a columnstore policy, leave it unchanged:

```
SELECT timescaledb_experimental.remove_policies(
    'example_continuous_aggregate',
    false,
    'policy_refresh_continuous_aggregate',
    'policy_retention'
);
```

## Arguments

The syntax is:

```
SELECT timescaledb_experimental.remove_policies(
    relation = '<view_name>',
    if_exists = true | false,
    policy_names = '<policy_name>', ...
);
```

| Name           | Type       | Default | Required | Description                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| -------------- | ---------- | ------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `relation`     | `REGCLASS` | -       | ✔        | The continuous aggregate to remove policies from                                                                                                                                            |
| `if_exists`    | `BOOL`     | false   | -        | When true, prints a warning instead of erroring if the policy doesn’t exist.                                                                                                                |
| `policy_names` | `TEXT`     | -       | -        | The policies to remove. You can list multiple policies, separated by a comma. Allowed policy names are `policy_refresh_continuous_aggregate`, `policy_compression`, and `policy_retention`. |

## Returns

Returns `true` if successful.