Trying to delete Organization

Question

Having a problem working out how to delete my AWS Organization. I created the organization just to learn, but now having problems with Systems Manager. Rather than trying to figure out Systems Manager just want to delete my Organization. However I usually get the errors;

1. To delete an organization you must first remove all member accounts (except the master).
2. I do try to delete the one account I created, all the ones I find are listed as Suspended.
3.  Can't find it now, but I do remember it also complains about trying to do that from the management account.

Appreciate any advice,
Bob

re:Post Agent · Answer

I understand your frustration, Bob. Deleting an AWS Organization can indeed be tricky, especially when dealing with suspended accounts. Let me explain the process and the challenges you're facing:

1. You're correct that to delete an organization, you must first remove all member accounts except the management account (formerly known as the master account).

2. The issue you're encountering with suspended accounts is a common one. When you close a member account before removing it from the organization, it enters a 'suspended' state. Unfortunately, accounts in this state cannot be removed from the organization immediately. They can remain in this suspended state for up to 90 days, which prevents you from deleting the organization until all member accounts are completely closed.

3. Regarding your third point, it's true that you need to be careful about which account you're using to perform these actions. You should be using the management account to delete the organization, but you can't remove the management account itself from the organization directly.

Here's what you can try:

1. If possible, reopen the suspended member accounts.
2. Once reopened, remove these accounts from the organization.
3. After all member accounts are removed, you can then delete the organization using the management account.

To delete the organization, you can use the AWS Organizations console or the AWS CLI. If using the CLI, the command would be:

aws organizations delete-organization

Remember, you must be an admin of the management account to perform this operation, and you need to have removed all member accounts, organizational units (OUs), and policies from the organization first.

If you're unable to reopen the suspended accounts and can't wait for the 90-day period, you might need to contact AWS Support for further assistance.

After deleting the organization, your management account will become a standalone AWS account, which should resolve your issues with Systems Manager.

I hope this helps clarify the process and provides a path forward for you, Bob.  
**Sources**  
[Cannot remove the management account | AWS re:Post](https://repost.aws/questions/QU1FQRsG59RniZ8imj2FgBoQ/cannot-remove-the-management-account)  
[Use DeleteOrganization with an AWS SDK or CLI - AWS SDK Code Examples](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/code-library/latest/ug/organizations_example_organizations_DeleteOrganization_section.html)  
[Deleting an organization with AWS Organizations - AWS Organizations](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/organizations/latest/userguide/orgs_manage_org_delete.html)  
[Organizations examples using AWS CLI - AWS SDK Code Examples](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/code-library/latest/ug/cli_2_organizations_code_examples.html)

Trying to delete Organization

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