---
name: "acl_delete_entry_np"
section: "3"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/acl_delete_entry"
---

# acl\_delete\_entry\_np(3)

delete an ACL entry from an ACL

Part of [acl\_delete\_entry(3)](/acl_delete_entry/3.md).

## NAME

**acl\_delete\_entry**, **acl\_delete\_entry\_np** – delete an ACL entry from an ACL

## LIBRARY

Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<sys/types.h\>**

**#include \<sys/acl.h\>**

*int*\

**acl\_delete\_entry**(*acl\_t acl*, *acl\_entry\_t entry\_d*);

*int*\

**acl\_delete\_entry\_np**(*acl\_t acl*, *int index*);

## DESCRIPTION

The **acl\_delete\_entry**() function is a POSIX.1e call that removes the ACL entry *entry\_d* from ACL *acl*. The **acl\_delete\_entry\_np**() function is a non-portable version that removes the ACL entry at position *index* from ACL *acl*. Positions are numbered starting from zero, i.e. calling **acl\_delete\_entry\_np**() with *index* argument equal to zero will remove the first ACL entry.

## RETURN VALUES

The **acl\_delete\_entry()** function returns the value 0 if successful; otherwise the value -1 is returned and the global variable errno is set to indicate the error.

## ERRORS

The **acl\_delete\_entry**() function fails if:

- \[EINVAL\]

  Argument *acl* does not point to a valid ACL. Argument *entry\_d* is not a valid descriptor for an ACL entry in *acl*. Argument *index* is out of bounds.

## SEE ALSO

[acl(3)](/acl/3.md), [acl\_copy\_entry(3)](/acl_copy_entry/3.md), [acl\_get\_entry(3)](/acl_get_entry/3.md), [posix1e(3)](/posix1e/3.md)

## STANDARDS

POSIX.1e is described in IEEE POSIX.1e draft 17.

## HISTORY

POSIX.1e support was introduced in FreeBSD 4.0. The **acl\_delete\_entry**() function was added in FreeBSD 5.0.

## AUTHORS

The **acl\_delete\_entry**() function was written by Chris D. Faulhaber ⟨*jedgar@fxp.org*⟩.