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4xx Client Error

HTTP 403 Forbidden

The server understood the request but refuses to allow it.

Check a URL's HTTP status

What 403 means

Unlike 401, logging in will not help; the identity is known but lacks permission, or the server blocks the request entirely.

Common causes

  • File or directory permissions deny access.
  • A firewall, WAF, or bot protection blocked the request.
  • IP address or country restrictions.

How to fix it

  1. Check file permissions and server access rules.
  2. Review WAF or CDN security rules for false positives.
  3. Confirm the account has the required role.

SEO impact

If crawlers receive 403, pages drop out of search results. Make sure bot protection allows verified search engine crawlers.

How to check a status code

Enter a URL in the HTTP Status Checker to see its status code, every redirect hop, and response time. For redirect-heavy pages, the Website Speed Test shows how much time redirects add.

FAQ

What does HTTP 403 mean?
403 Forbidden is a 4xx client error status code. The server understood the request but refuses to allow it.
What causes a 403 error?
File or directory permissions deny access. A firewall, WAF, or bot protection blocked the request. IP address or country restrictions.
How do I fix HTTP 403?
Check file permissions and server access rules. Review WAF or CDN security rules for false positives. Confirm the account has the required role.

Defined in RFC 9110.

Other 4xx client error codes

400 Bad Request401 Unauthorized404 Not Found405 Method Not Allowed406 Not Acceptable408 Request Timeout409 Conflict410 Gone413 Content Too Large414 URI Too Long415 Unsupported Media Type418 I'm a teapot422 Unprocessable Content425 Too Early429 Too Many Requests431 Request Header Fields Too Large451 Unavailable For Legal Reasons