# How to cancel Amazon Web Services

Close an AWS account from the Account page in the AWS Management Console as the root user: choose Close account, type the account ID, and confirm. It takes about 5 minutes, services stop, and a 90-day post-closure period follows. You still pay usage through the close date plus Reserved Instances and Savings Plans, with no documented usage refund.

Public cloud platform billed pay as you go for compute, storage, databases, and other services, with optional Savings Plans and Reserved Instances.

- Category: Hosting & deployment
- Entry plan: Pay as you go at Usage-based
- Billed via: web
- Difficulty: Medium (5.5 / 10 on the Cancellation Difficulty Index), takes about 5 minutes
- Direct cancellation page: https://console.aws.amazon.com/billing/home#/account
- Manually verified on 17 Aug 2026 against official sources
- Canonical guide: https://canicancelit.com/cancel/aws

## Cancel in a web browser

> You do not have to delete resources first. Back up data you want to keep, and cancel AWS Marketplace subscriptions separately.

1. **Sign in as the root user** Sign in to the AWS Management Console as the root user of the account you want to close. You cannot close an account while signed in as an IAM user or role.
2. **Open Account** On the navigation bar in the upper-right corner, choose your account name or number, then choose Account.
3. **Choose Close account** On the Account page, choose the Close account button.
4. **Type the account ID and confirm** Type your account ID as shown at the top of the closure dialog, then choose Close account. AWS says you should receive an email confirmation within a few minutes.

> **Warning:** Reserved Instances and Savings Plans keep billing after closure until they expire. After 90 days the account is permanently closed and content is deleted except CloudTrail trails.

## Cancel a team plan

1. **Close member accounts from Organizations when All features is on** In the AWS Organizations console, open AWS accounts, choose the member account, choose Close, enter the member account ID, and choose Close account. In consolidated billing mode the Close button is hidden; sign in to that account as the root user and use the Account page instead.
2. **Close a management account only after members are closed** Sign in as the root user of the management account, confirm every member account shows Closed, then use Account and Close account. You cannot close a management account from the Organizations console.

## Refunds, pausing, downgrades and your data

- **Refunds:** AWS bills monthly for usage through the close date. You remain responsible for outstanding fees and for Reserved Instances and Savings Plans until they expire. Fees are payable without setoff. AWS documents no additional costs or termination fees once you stop using services, and no general usage refund.
- **Pausing:** No account-level pause is documented. Closing the account is the documented way to end the AWS Customer Agreement for that account.
- **Downgrading:** After close, you cannot use previously available AWS services. During the 90-day post-closure period you can sign in only to view past billing, access account settings, or contact AWS Support. Reopening requires contacting AWS Support and paying the outstanding balance, including required invoice information, within 30 days of closure.
- **Account data:** AWS recommends backing up data you want to keep. After the 90-day post-closure period, AWS permanently closes the account and deletes content and resources except CloudTrail trails. The AWS account ID cannot be reused. AWS Marketplace subscriptions are not automatically canceled on account closure.

## At a glance

- Cancellation fee: None documented
- Refund window: None for usage
- Effective: Immediate stop, then 90-day post-closure
- Free plan after: No

## FAQ

**Do I have to delete every resource before I close AWS?**

No. AWS says you do not need to delete resources first, but you should back up data you want to keep. Marketplace subscriptions must be canceled separately.

**When does AWS billing stop?**

You remain responsible for usage before closure and receive a bill the following month. Reserved Instances and Savings Plans keep billing until they expire.

**Can I reopen a closed AWS account?**

Only during the 90-day post-closure period, by contacting AWS Support and paying the outstanding balance, including required invoice information, within 30 days of closure.

**Who can close an AWS account?**

The root user, from the Account page. IAM users and roles cannot close a standalone account. Organization member accounts can also be closed from the Organizations console when All features is enabled.

**Is there a cancellation fee?**

AWS pricing says there are no additional costs or termination fees once you stop using services. Outstanding usage, Reserved Instances, and Savings Plans remain payable.

## Official sources

- [Close an AWS account](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/accounts/latest/reference/manage-acct-closing.html) (checked 2026-08-17)
- [AWS Pricing](https://aws.amazon.com/pricing/) (checked 2026-08-17)
- [AWS Customer Agreement](https://aws.amazon.com/agreement/) (checked 2026-08-17)
- [AWS Privacy Notice](https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/) (checked 2026-08-17)

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Verified cancellation guide from Can I Cancel It? (https://canicancelit.com). JSON version: https://canicancelit.com/cancel/aws.json