This topic describes how to release an elastic IP address (EIP) that you no longer need. After you release an EIP, you are no longer charged for the EIP.

Background information

Take note of the following limits before you release an EIP:
  • You can release only pay-as-you-go EIPs. You cannot release subscription EIPs.
  • You cannot release EIPs that are locked due to security issues.
After you release an EIP, you are no longer charged for the EIP. However, you may still receive bills.
  • Bills for pay-by-data-transfer EIPs are generated on an hourly basis. The bill for data transfer within the current hour is generated at the next hour.

    For example, if you release an EIP at 10:30, you will receive a bill at 11:00. The bill contains fees that are charged from 10:00 to 11:00.

  • Bills for pay-by-bandwidth EIPs are generated on a daily basis. A bill is generated at 00:00 every day and contains fees that are charged during the last day.

    For example, if you release an EIP on January 1, 2019, you will receive a bill at 00:00 (UTC+8), January 2, 2019. The bill contains fees that are charged during January 1, 2019.

Prerequisites

Before you release an EIP, make sure that the following requirements are met:

Release an EIP

  1. Log on to the Elastic IP Address console .
  2. In the top navigation bar, select the region where the EIP is deployed.
  3. On the Elastic IP Addresses page, find the EIP that you want to manage and choose More > Release in the Actions column.
  4. In the Release EIP dialog box, click OK.
    If you release an EIP that belongs to a contiguous EIP group, all EIPs in the group are released. Select I have read and understand the preceding information, and I want to release the group of contiguous EIPs and all EIPs in the group. and then click OK.

Enable deletion protection

You can enable deletion protection to prevent EIPs from being released due to human errors.

  1. Log on to the Elastic IP Address console .
  2. In the top navigation bar, select the region where the EIP is deployed.
  3. Use one of the following methods to enable deletion protection:
    After you enable deletion protection for an EIP, you cannot release the EIP.
    • Method 1:
      1. On the Elastic IP Addresses page, find the EIP that you want to manage and click its ID.
      2. On the Instance Information tab, click Enable Deletion Protection.
    • Method 2

      On the Elastic IP Addresses page, select one or more EIPs and choose More > Enable Deletion Protection.

Disable deletion protection

If the EIP that you want to release has deletion protection enabled, you must disable deletion protection before you can release the EIP.

  1. Log on to the Elastic IP Address console .
  2. In the top navigation bar, select the region where the EIP is deployed.
  3. Use one of the following methods to disable deletion protection:
    • Method 1:
      1. On the Elastic IP Addresses page, find the EIP that you want to manage and click its ID.
      2. On the Instance Information tab, click Disable Deletion Protection.
    • Method 2

      On the Elastic IP Addresses page, find the EIP that you want to manage, move the pointer over Deletion protection, and then click Disable Deletion Protection in the tooltip that appears.

    • Method 3

      On the Elastic IP Addresses page, select one or more EIPs and choose More > Disable Deletion Protection.