---
name: "lprm"
section: "1"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/lprm"
---

# lprm(1)

remove jobs from the line printer spooling queue

## NAME

**lprm** – remove jobs from the line printer spooling queue

## SYNOPSIS

**lprm** \[**-**\] \[**-P***printer*\]\[ \[*job#* *...*\] \[*user* *...*\]\]

## DESCRIPTION

**lprm** will remove a job, or jobs, from a printer's spool queue. Since the spooling directory is protected from users, using **lprm** is normally the only method by which a user may remove a job. The owner of a job is determined by the user's login name and host name on the machine where the [lpr(1)](/lpr/1.md) command was invoked.

Options and arguments:

- **-P***printer*

  Specify the queue associated with a specific *printer* (otherwise the default printer is used).

- **-**

  If a single “**-**” is given, **lprm** will remove all jobs which a user owns. If the superuser employs this flag, the spool queue will be emptied entirely.

- *user*

  Causes **lprm** to attempt to remove any jobs queued belonging to that user (or users). This form of invoking **lprm** is useful only to the superuser.

- *job#*

  A user may dequeue an individual job by specifying its job number. This number may be obtained from the [lpq(1)](/lpq/1.md) program, e.g.,

  ```
  % lpq -l
  1st:ken				[job #013ucbarpa]
  	(standard input)	100 bytes
  % lprm 13
  ```

If neither arguments or options are given, **lprm** will delete the currently active job if it is owned by the user who invoked **lprm**.

**lprm** announces the names of any files it removes and is silent if there are no jobs in the queue which match the request list.

**lprm** will kill off an active daemon, if necessary, before removing any spooling files. If a daemon is killed, a new one is automatically restarted upon completion of file removals.

## ENVIRONMENT

If the following environment variable exists, it is utilized by **lprm**:

- PRINTER

  If the environment variable PRINTER exists, and a printer has not been specified with the **-P** option, the default printer is assumed from PRINTER.

## FILES

- */etc/printcap*

  Printer characteristics file.

- */var/spool/output/\**

  Spooling directories.

- */var/spool/output/\*/lock*

  Lock file used to obtain the PID of the current daemon and the job number of the currently active job.

## DIAGNOSTICS

- **Permission** **denied**

  File to remove was owned by another user.

## SEE ALSO

[lpq(1)](/lpq/1.md), [lpr(1)](/lpr/1.md), [lpd(8)](/lpd/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **lprm** command appeared in 3.0BSD.

## BUGS

Since there are race conditions possible in the update of the lock file, the currently active job may be incorrectly identified.