Before deleting AWS Network Firewall, remove every route and endpoint association that depends on it, then restore the traffic paths your VPC is meant to use. AWS warns that deleting a firewall is irreversible. Inventory the affected VPCs, Availability Zones, route tables, and account owners first; then change dependencies in order.
1. Map the firewall’s traffic paths
Start by identifying every firewall subnet mapping and its Availability Zone. For each one, inspect the route tables for routes targeting that firewall endpoint. Also identify VPC endpoint associations that use the firewall, including associations in VPCs outside its primary VPC.
Record the current routes and the intended destination of each affected traffic flow before editing anything. AWS recommends noting the original route settings in its Network Firewall getting-started tutorial, so they can be restored when removing the example configuration.
- Which VPC and Availability Zone does each firewall subnet mapping cover?
- Which route tables contain a route to a firewall endpoint or association endpoint?
- Who owns each endpoint association, especially across accounts?
- Where should each flow go after it no longer traverses this firewall?
2. Restore intended routes before removing endpoints
Update routes so traffic reaches its intended destination without passing through the firewall. Do not simply delete a route and assume traffic will take the right path: determine the replacement target for each destination based on the VPC design.
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For the tutorial’s internet-gateway example
AWS’s simple example records the original routes, directs traffic through the firewall endpoint, and then restores the original internet-gateway and customer-subnet route-table entries before removing the route-table configuration created for the endpoint. Treat those entries as an example to adapt, not a universal recipe.
For other VPC designs
Ingress and egress paths involving NAT gateways, Transit Gateway, centralized inspection, or other routing components may require different changes. AWS notes that the exact route updates depend on the architecture. Confirm both sides of each flow—such as forward and return paths—against the design before applying changes. Removing the firewall should not silently bypass another intended inspection or security control.
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AWS’s developer guide says, “You must remove the firewall from any VPC route tables that mention it.” See Deleting a firewall.
3. Remove endpoint associations and coordinate ownership
Find every VPC endpoint association using the firewall. Before deleting an association, remove route-table references to its endpoint; a route reference can prevent deletion. For an association owned by another AWS account, coordinate with that account’s owner and ask them to delete it. Do not assume the firewall owner can remove a resource owned by someone else.
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Review AWS’s guidance for managing VPC endpoint associations alongside the routes in each associated VPC. Clear route dependencies first, then remove the association through the account that owns it.
4. Meet the firewall deletion prerequisites
Before issuing the delete operation, disable the firewall’s logging configuration and confirm that delete protection is off. The DeleteFirewall API reference requires DeleteProtection to be FALSE. If protection is enabled, disable it using the appropriate Network Firewall API operation, then recheck the firewall configuration.
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Also verify that no route table still references a firewall endpoint. AWS identifies route-table references as a dependency that can prevent deleting a firewall or endpoint association. Keep the record of routes you captured earlier until the post-change traffic checks pass.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.5. Delete the firewall, then clean up unused policy resources
Once routes and associations no longer depend on the firewall and the deletion prerequisites are satisfied, delete the firewall. AWS’s API warns: “You can’t revert this operation.” This is not a reversible detach; make sure the route changes and ownership coordination are complete before proceeding.
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Afterward, inspect the firewall policy and rule groups created for this deployment. Delete only resources that are no longer referenced. AWS checks policy references, and a policy with associations cannot be deleted. In its tutorial cleanup, AWS deletes the firewall before its policy and rule groups.
6. Verify routing and cleanup
After the changes, recheck affected route tables in every Availability Zone and VPC, and confirm each important traffic flow follows its intended post-firewall path. Check the firewall and association status until the deletion and association cleanup are complete. These are operational checks to tailor to your topology, rather than a single AWS-prescribed checklist for every architecture.
AWS notes that configuration changes can normally propagate within minutes, with brief inconsistency possible. That is general guidance about configuration propagation, not a guaranteed firewall deletion duration; validate actual traffic rather than treating elapsed time as proof of completion.
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