Common errors
The following errors are common across our APIs. More specific errors can be found in each API page.
If an error occurs, an error table like the one below (but containing a single row) will be returned. To test for an error response, look for a 4-column table with columns “Error”, “Description”, “Cause” and “Resolution”.
Generic errors like these have IDs below 100. Specific errors have IDs starting at 1000.
Id | Error | Cause | Resolution |
---|---|---|---|
-1 | Unknown error | The cause of the error is unknown but details have been passed to our support staff who will investigate. | These problems are typically short lived and are often resolved by trying again in a few minutes. |
2 | Unknown key | The key you are using to access the service was not found. | Please check that the key is correct. It should be in the form AA11-AA11-AA11-AA11. |
3 | Account out of credit | Your account is either out of credit or has insufficient credit to service this request. | Please check your account balance and top it up if necessary. |
4 | Request not allowed from this IP | The request was disallowed from the IP address. | Check the security settings on the key first. If they look fine, please contact support as it may be from an IP address on our blacklist. |
5 | Request not allowed from this URL | The request was disallowed from the URL. | Check the security settings on the key first. If they look fine, please contact support as it may be from a URL on our blacklist. |
6 | Web service not available on this key | The requested web service is disallowed on this key. | Check the security settings on the key first. You can limit a key to certain web services. |
7 | Web service not available on your plan | The requested web service is not currently available on your payment plan. | Some services are only available in specific regions due to licensing restrictions. Please contact us for more information. |
8 | Key daily limit exceeded | The daily limit on the key has been exceeded. | Alter the daily limit on the key. Check the usage details first to see if usage is normal. |
9 | Your account has been suspended | Your account has been suspended. This can be for a number of reasons including non-payment of an invoice. | Please contact us in order to resolve this issue. |
10 | Surge protector triggered | An unusually large number of requests have been processed for your account so the surge protector has been enabled. | You can disable the surge protector at any time but this is only recommended if you are running through a batch of requests. |
11 | No valid license available | The request requires a valid license but none were found. | Please check your purchase history. You may be using a license that is no longer valid or of an incorrect type. |
12 | Management key required | To use this web service you require a management key. Management can be enabled on any key, but we advise you to use management keys with care. | Sign in to the website and create a new management key or change an existing key. |
13 | Demo limit exceeded | The daily demonstration limit for this service or account has been exceeded. | The limit will be reset at midnight tonight. If you would like the limit increased, please contact us. |
14 | Free service limit exceeded | You have used too many free web services. | Our web services are designed to operate in stages. The first is usually a Find service followed by a Retrieve. If you use too many Finds without the corresponding number of Retrieves you will receive this error. For more information, please contact us. |
15 | Wrong type of key | The type of key you’re using isn’t supported by this web service. | This usually happens if you’re using a user or server license with a web service that only supports transactional keys. Please use another key and try again. |
16 | Key expired | The key you are trying to use has expired. | Please check that you are using the right key. A new one may have been issued if you recently renewed your key. Contact us if you have any questions. |
17 | Individual User exceeded Lookup Limit | An Individual User has exceeded their daily lookup limit on the key and that user will be prevented from using your service until tomorrow (GMT). | Check the usage details. If required, increase the Lookup Limit per Individual User or add the specific Individual User’s IP to the Limiter Exclusions. |
18 | Missing or invalid parameters | A required parameter was not supplied of the value of a parameter cannnot be converted into the right type. | Check the parameters passed and their values against the specification for this service. |
19 | Invalid JSON object | The JSON object sent in your request is invalid. | Please ensure your JSON object is syntactically correct and try again. |
20 | Endpoint not available | The web service you are calling is not available on this endpoint. | Refer to our documentation pages to ensure you are calling a valid endpoint for the web service you are requesting. |
21 | Sandbox Mode is not available on this endpoint | The License key used has Sandbox Mode enabled, but the testing functionality is not available on this endpoint. | Disable the Sandbox Mode on the License key. |
22 | HTTPS requests only | As of 3rd September 2018 all new accounts must use HTTPS. | Ensure you consume all of our APIs over HTTPS and not HTTP. |
23 | Agreement Not Signed | There are agreements associated with service which are not signed. | Please go to your account and check your agreements. |
24 | Not enough credit for request | There is not enough credit on the account to process the request. | Please top up your account with credit. |
25 | Unexpected error, please contact the help desk for more information |