# Validator exits and node termination

### **Validator Exit**

Validator exits are only allowed once the validator has become active on the beacon chain and 256 epochs have passed since its activation. If you've recently added a validator, please wait for it to become active on the beacon chain and wait for approximately 256 epochs after activation before proceeding with the exit steps.

* **Step 1:** Please check if your node is fully synced before exiting your validator. Use **`~/bin/stader-cli node sync`** command to check the sync status.
* **Step 2:** Please check the numbers of validator you have added to your nodes using **`~/bin/stader-cli validator status`** command.
*   **Step 3:** Now exit each validator individually using validator exit command mentioned below. Please make sure you replace "\<Validator Public Key>" placeholder with your Validator Public Key:

    **`~/bin/stader-cli validator exit-validator --validator-pub-key <Validator Public Key>`**



### Withdraw ETH bond after validator exit

* Every validators has a withdraw vault and when a validator successfully exits, the beacon chain withdraws the ETH bond (32ETH) to the withdraw vault.
* The Stader node identifies the successful exit and initiates the settlement of funds between the validator and ETHx stakers. The validator receives their share of 4ETH, and the ETHx stakers receive their share of 28ETH.
* Once the funds are settled by the Stader node, a prompt is displayed to the node operators on the CLI when they run the "validator status" command to check the exit status.
* Finally, the node operators can claim the funds for their exited validator using the following command: **`~/bin/stader-cli node claim-rewards`**



### **Node termination**

You can terminate your Stader node using the below mentioned command:

**`~/bin/stader-cli service terminate`**

**Note:**&#x20;

* Please make sure you have claimed all the rewards before terminating the node.
* Please make sure your validators have successfully exited and the ETH bond has been claimed before terminating your node.
