---
title: "Delete a contact"
description: "Removes the contact and, in the same transaction, every audience membership it held, including the built-in default one. No mail moves, and the address can still be written to."
url: "https://openemail.uk/docs/api/contacts/delete"
area: "API"
category: "Mailbox"
---

# Delete a contact

Removes the contact and, in the same transaction, every audience membership it held, including the built-in default one. No mail moves, and the address can still be written to.

`DELETE /contacts/{email}`

## DELETE /contacts/{email}

Removes the contact and, in the same transaction, every audience membership it held, including the built-in default one. No mail moves, and the address can still be written to.

## Example

Needs `contacts:write`. URL-encode the `@`.

**curl**

```
curl -X DELETE "$OE/contacts/grace%40example.com" -H "$AUTH"
```

**Response**

```
{
  "object": "contact",
  "email": "grace@example.com",
  "deleted": true
}
```

> There is no undo. Creating the address again makes a new contact with no name, no notes and no membership beyond the default audience.

> A member sending mail to the same address from the app composer later records it again as a fresh `auto` contact.

> An address that is not in the book is a `404`.