What causes HTTP 403 Forbidden?

Insufficient permissions for the requested resource. IP address blocked or rate limited. CORS policy blocking the request. Directory listing disabled on the server.

HTTP 403 Forbidden

Client Error

The server understood the request but refuses to authorize it. Unlike 401, authenticating will not help because the client lacks permission.

Common Causes

Insufficient permissions for the requested resource
IP address blocked or rate limited
CORS policy blocking the request
Directory listing disabled on the server

How to Fix

Check user permissions and roles
Verify CORS headers if accessing from a browser
Contact the server administrator for access
Check firewall and IP allowlist settings

Related Status Codes

401 Unauthorized 404 Not Found 451 Unavailable For Legal Reasons

Need to look up other HTTP status codes?

View the Full HTTP Status Code Reference