> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.pears.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://support.pears.io/plan/community-events/delete-an-event.md).

# Delete an Event

Learn when a community event can be deleted in PEARS and why events with payment history are kept permanently.

Most community events can be deleted, but events that have collected money cannot. Payment records are permanent, so PEARS keeps the event that produced them.

{% hint style="info" %}
**TIP:** Deleting is not the same as canceling. Cancel an event when it will no longer take place but you want to keep its record and notify registrants. Delete removes the event entirely.
{% endhint %}

## When an Event Can Be Deleted

| Event state                     | Who can delete it                      |
| ------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| Any event with payment activity | No one — the event is kept permanently |
| Canceled, with unpaid invoices  | Event Administrators only              |
| Canceled, with no invoices      | Anyone who can edit the event          |

## Events with Payment Activity

An event that has any payment activity can never be deleted — not by event creators, not by Event Administrators, and not by PEARS support.

Payment activity means any of the following:

* A charge, refund, or void has been recorded
* A payment was attempted through the payment provider, even if it failed
* An invoice reached a status that carries money

{% hint style="warning" %}
**NOTE:** This applies even when every payment has been fully refunded. A refund reverses the money, but the record of the original payment remains and is kept for reconciliation and auditing.
{% endhint %}

On the event detail view, the **Delete** action appears but is disabled for these events. Hover over it to see an explanation of why the event cannot be removed.

{% hint style="info" %}
**TIP:** Test registrations created while [previewing](/plan/community-events/publish-an-event.md) the registration flow do not count as payment activity, so previewing an event does not prevent you from deleting it later.
{% endhint %}

## Canceled Events with Unpaid Invoices

If an event was canceled and has invoices that were never paid, only users with the **Event Administrators** role can delete it. Other users see the message "Only event administrators can delete canceled events with invoices."

## Delete an Event

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open the Event

Open the community event you want to delete.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Open the More Menu

On the event detail view, open the **More** menu and click **Delete**.

If **Delete** is disabled, the event has payment activity and cannot be removed.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Confirm

Review the confirmation page and confirm the deletion.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**NOTE:** Deleting an event also removes its registrations, sessions, and form responses. To remove a single registration instead, see [Manage Registrations](/plan/community-events/manage-registrations.md#delete-a-registration).
{% endhint %}