HTTPREF
← Back to status codes

HTTP Status Code

405 Method Not Allowed

Client Error

The request method is not allowed for the requested resource.

HTTP status code reference, response example, common causes, fixes, and related status codes.

What does HTTP 405 Method Not Allowed mean?

HTTP 405 Method Not Allowed is a status code sent by a server to indicate the result of an HTTP request.

Status codes help browsers, APIs, apps, and backend systems understand whether a request succeeded, failed, was redirected, or needs additional action.

In practice, HTTP 405 Method Not Allowed usually appears when a server responds under specific request, validation, permission, or infrastructure conditions.

Response example

HTTP/1.1 405 Method Not Allowed
Allow: GET, POST

HTTP example

HTTP/1.1 405 Method Not Allowed

Relevant headers

Allow
Allow: GET, POST

Common causes

  • Using POST on a GET-only endpoint
  • Using DELETE on an unsupported route

How to fix it

  • Use one of the allowed methods
  • Check route handler configuration

Common mistakes

  • Assuming the status code alone explains the full backend issue
  • Ignoring related response headers that add important context
  • Treating temporary errors as permanent failures
  • Retrying too aggressively without checking the cause
  • Debugging the frontend only when the problem is server-side

How browsers and APIs use it

Browsers, APIs, and backend services use HTTP status codes to understand the outcome of a request. Depending on the status code, an application may render content, retry a request, redirect the user, show an error, or trigger a different flow in the client or server.

Developer note

If you hit 405 in Next.js or an API framework, check whether the route handler exports the method you are trying to use.

Related status codes