Disable Check Constraints with INSERT and UPDATE Statements
Applies to:
SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Azure Synapse Analytics
Analytics Platform System (PDW)
You can disable a check constraint for INSERT
and UPDATE
transactions in SQL Server by using SQL Server Management Studio or Transact-SQL. After you disable the check constraints, future inserts or updates to the column will not be validated against the constraint conditions. Use this option if you know that new data will violate the existing constraint or if the constraint applies only to the data already in the database.
For more information, see Check Constraints.
Note
Check constraints are enabled and disabled with an ALTER TABLE
statement, which always requires a schema modification lock (Sch-M
). Sch-M locks prevent concurrent access to the table. For more information, see Locks and ALTER TABLE.
Permissions
Requires ALTER permission on the table.
Using SQL Server Management Studio
To disable a check constraint for INSERT and UPDATE statements
In Object Explorer, expand the table with the constraint and then expand the Constraints folder.
Right-click the constraint and select Modify.
In the grid under Table Designer, click Enforce For INSERTs And UPDATEs and select No from the drop-down menu.
Click Close.
Using Transact-SQL
To disable a check constraint for INSERT and UPDATE statements
In Object Explorer, connect to an instance of Database Engine.
On the Standard bar, click New Query.
Copy and paste the following examples into the query window and click Execute.
USE AdventureWorks2022; GO ALTER TABLE Purchasing.PurchaseOrderHeader NOCHECK CONSTRAINT CK_PurchaseOrderHeader_Freight; GO