HTTP 507 Insufficient Storage
HTTP 507 Insufficient Storage means the server cannot complete the request because it does not have enough storage space to store the data required to fulfill it. This is a server-side infrastructure problem — the disk, database, or storage backend has run out of capacity. The request itself is valid; the server simply cannot execute it.
Quick reference
| Code | 507 |
|---|---|
| Name | Insufficient Storage |
| Category | 5xx Server Errors |
| Specification | RFC 4918 §11.5 |
| IANA status | Assigned |
| Cacheable | No |
| Client action | Contact the server operator. Storage must be increased or cleaned up before the request can succeed. |
| In-depth guide | HTTP 507 full guide → |
What HTTP 507 means
RFC 4918 (WebDAV) defines 507 as indicating that the server is unable to store the representation needed to successfully complete the request. This condition is considered temporary — if the storage condition is resolved, the same request should succeed. It is distinct from 413 Content Too Large, which is a permanent rejection based on a configured size limit, not an actual storage exhaustion.
507 appears most often in WebDAV environments and file storage APIs, but it applies to any server that persists data and can run out of space: databases hitting storage limits, object storage buckets at capacity, application servers with full log disks, or cloud environments hitting provisioned IOPS or storage quotas.
Unlike most 5xx errors, 507 has a specific resolution path: free up storage or expand capacity. The request will succeed once storage is available.
Common causes
Disk full on application server
The server's disk partition where uploads, logs, or temporary files are stored has reached 100% utilization. Any write operation — including log writes — will fail. Check disk usage with df -h. Common culprits are log files, temporary upload directories, and database journal files that were not cleaned up.
Database storage limit reached
Managed databases (RDS, Supabase, PlanetScale) have provisioned storage limits. When the limit is reached, write operations fail and the application returns 507 (or 500 if the application does not map the storage error to 507). Increase the provisioned storage or clean up unused data.
Object storage quota exceeded
Cloud object storage like S3, GCS, or Azure Blob generally does not have hard quotas, but accounts can hit billing-triggered limits, bucket-level policies, or regional capacity events. Check the storage account status and billing dashboard.
Temporary directory full
Application servers that buffer large uploads or process files may fill the system's /tmp partition. Multipart uploads and file processing pipelines that do not clean up temporary files are common causes. Configure a cleanup routine or point temporary storage to a separate larger partition.
Database row or column size limits
Some databases have per-row, per-table, or per-column size limits. Writing a value that exceeds these limits can produce a storage error that surfaces as 507 if the application maps database errors correctly.
How to diagnose and fix 507
- Check disk usage. Run
df -hon the application server. A partition at 100% is the most common cause. Identify which directory is consuming space withdu -sh /*. - Clean up logs and temporary files. Rotate and compress logs. Clear temporary upload directories. Archive or delete old data exports.
- Check database storage. Query your database's storage usage. For PostgreSQL:
SELECT pg_database_size('dbname');. For MySQL: check information_schema table sizes. For managed databases, check the provider dashboard. - Expand storage capacity. Increase the disk or partition size, expand the database storage tier, or add storage capacity to the server.
- Set up monitoring and alerts. Add disk usage alerts at 80% and 90% so storage exhaustion is detected before it causes 507 errors in production.
507 vs 413 vs 500
| Code | Meaning | Cause | Resolvable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 413 | Content Too Large | Request body exceeds configured size limit | Change limit or reduce body size |
| 507 | Insufficient Storage | Server has no physical space left to store the data | Yes — free up or expand storage |
| 500 | Internal Server Error | Generic unhandled error — may include storage errors | Depends on root cause |
FAQ
What does HTTP 507 Insufficient Storage mean?
HTTP 507 means the server does not have enough storage space to complete the request. The server's disk, database, or storage backend is full. Freeing space or expanding capacity will allow the request to succeed.
Is 507 a permanent error?
No. RFC 4918 describes it as a temporary condition. Once storage is available — either by freeing up space or expanding capacity — the same request should succeed.
What should I do when I get a 507?
If you are the end user, contact the server operator — there is nothing you can do on the client side. If you are the server operator, check disk usage, database storage, and temporary file directories immediately.
Can 507 come from a database?
Yes. If a database operation fails due to storage exhaustion — the database disk is full, the managed database storage limit is reached, or a table is at its maximum row count — and the application correctly maps this to an HTTP 507, you will see 507. Many applications return 500 instead because they do not explicitly handle storage errors.
Related resources
On this site: HTTP 507 Insufficient Storage — full guide · HTTP 413 Content Too Large · HTTP 500 Internal Server Error · HTTP 508 Loop Detected · All 5xx server errors
Standards: RFC 4918 §11.5 · IANA HTTP Status Code Registry · MDN Web Docs: 507