---
title: "Delete a document's ledger chain."
method: DELETE
path: "/api/ledger/{documentId}"
tags: ["Redaction Ledger"]
---

# Delete a document's ledger chain.

`DELETE /api/ledger/{documentId}`

Permanently deletes every ledger entry for the given document. Requires an administrator and LEDGER_DELETION_ENABLED=true. Admins may delete another user's chain by passing that user's username as owner, which additionally requires ADMIN_CROSS_USER_ACCESS_ENABLED=true. Requires the `ledger:delete` scope.

## Path parameters

- `documentId` string, required

## Query parameters

- `owner` string

## Headers

- `Authorization` string, required

## Response `200`

The document's ledger chain was deleted.

## Other responses

- `400` — Bad Request
- `401` — The Authorization header is absent or the API key is not recognized.
- `403` — The caller is not an administrator, or ledger deletion is disabled for this deployment.
- `404` — No ledger chain for that document exists for this user.
- `413` — Content Too Large
- `415` — Unsupported Media Type
- `423` — The chain is protected by an active legal hold. Release the hold before deleting.
- `500` — Internal Server Error
- `503` — Service Unavailable

## Changes

- **2026-08-04** `ee79a60eea42` — 1 info
  - added the non-success response with the status `415`
- **2026-08-03** `e46672d44401` — 1 info
  - added the non-success response with the status `413`
- **2026-08-03** `cd2c6066b0d2` — 1 info
  - endpoint added

[Change history](https://skmtc.dev/philterd/apis/philter-api/changes/api/ledger/:documentId/delete.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/philterd/apis/philter-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/philterd/apis/philter-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-production.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/philterd/philter-api/revisions/d90a12a66fa6/schema)