405 Method Not Allowed

The endpoint exists but does not support the HTTP method you used.

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Status code405
Status textMethod Not Allowed
Category4xx Client Error
Response has bodyUsually
SpecificationRFC 9110

What does 405 Method Not Allowed mean?

The endpoint exists but does not support the HTTP method you used. It belongs to the 4xx Client Error class, which means the request contains bad syntax or cannot be fulfilled. Something about the request needs to change.

When do APIs return 405?

Sending POST to a read-only endpoint, or PUT where the API expects PATCH.

How to fix a 405 Method Not Allowed

Read the Allow response header — it lists the methods the endpoint accepts. Send an OPTIONS request to discover them.

Reproduce a 405 response

The fastest way to understand a status code is to trigger one and read the full response. Open the API tester and send a request to https://httpbin.org/status/405 — you will see the 405 status along with every response header the server sent. Comparing those headers against a working request is often what reveals the cause.

When you are debugging a real endpoint, check the response headers as carefully as the body, and confirm you are using the right HTTP method for the operation.

Related 4xx status codes

400 Bad Request

The server could not understand the request because it is malformed.

401 Unauthorized

The request lacks valid authentication credentials. Despite the name, this means unauthenticated.

402 Payment Required

The request cannot be processed until payment is made.

403 Forbidden

The server understood the request and knows who you are, but refuses to authorise it.

404 Not Found

The server cannot find the requested resource.

406 Not Acceptable

The server cannot produce a response matching the client's Accept header.

405 Method Not Allowed FAQ

What is the difference between 405 and 404?

404 means nothing exists at the URL. 405 means the resource exists but does not accept the method you used, for example a POST to an endpoint that is read-only.

How do I find out which methods an endpoint allows?

Read the Allow header on the 405 response, which lists them. Sending an OPTIONS request to the same URL returns the same list on servers that support it.

Why do I get 405 on a POST that should work?

Often the URL is slightly wrong. A redirect may have turned the POST into a GET, a trailing slash may route to a different handler, or the request reached a static file server that only serves GET and HEAD.

See also

  • HTTP methods — What each method is for, and which ones a resource has to support.

References