# ERR\_Packet

`ERR_Packet` indicates that an error occurred.

## Fields

* [int<1>](/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/protocol-data-types.md#fixed-length-integers) `ERR_Packet` header = `0xFF`.
* [int<2>](/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/protocol-data-types.md#fixed-length-integers) error code. see [error list](/docs/server/reference/error-codes/mariadb-error-code-reference.md).
* If (error code == `0xFFFF`) /\* progress reporting \*/:
  * [int<1>](/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/protocol-data-types.md#fixed-length-integers) stage.
  * [int<1>](/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/protocol-data-types.md#fixed-length-integers) max\_stage.
  * [int<3>](/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/protocol-data-types.md#fixed-length-integers) progress.
  * [string\<lenenc>](/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/protocol-data-types.md#length-encoded-strings) progress\_info.
* Else:
  * If (next byte = '#'):
    * [string<1>](/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/protocol-data-types.md#fixed-length-strings) sql state marker '#'.
    * [string<5>](/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/protocol-data-types.md#fixed-length-strings) sql state.
    * [string\<EOF>](/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/protocol-data-types.md#fixed-length-strings) human-readable error message.
  * Else:
    * [string\<EOF>](/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/protocol-data-types.md#fixed-length-strings) human-readable error message.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Note that the `ERR_Packet` is supposed to send a server error to the client. In particular, all error codes in the range 2000 to 2999 and 5000 to 5999 (inclusive) are reserved for client errors, and an ERR packet with such an error code will be considered malformed.
{% endhint %}

## See also

* [Progress reporting](/docs/server/reference/product-development/mariadb-internals/using-mariadb-with-your-programs-api/progress-reporting.md)

<sub>*This page is licensed: CC BY-SA / Gnu FDL*</sub>

{% @marketo/form formId="4316" %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/clientserver-protocol/4-server-response-packets/err_packet.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.