HTTP 414 URI Too Long

What It Means

The HTTP 414 URI Too Long status code indicates that the URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) requested by the client is longer than the server is willing to interpret. This typically happens with excessively long query strings.

URL Length Limits

Browser/Server	Max URL Length
Chrome	~2MB
Firefox	~65,536 chars
Safari	~80,000 chars
Apache (default)	8,190 chars
Nginx (default)	4,096 chars
IIS	16,384 chars

Common Causes

Long query strings: Passing too much data via URL parameters
Redirect loops: Parameters accumulating through redirects
Base64 in URLs: Embedding encoded data in query strings
Many filter options: Complex search/filter combinations

Solutions

# Instead of GET with long query string:
GET /search?ids=1,2,3,4,5,...,1000

# Use POST with body:
POST /search
Content-Type: application/json

{"ids": [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ..., 1000]}

Server Configuration

# Nginx - increase buffer sizes
large_client_header_buffers 4 32k;

# Apache - increase URI limit
LimitRequestLine 32768

# IIS (web.config)
<requestLimits maxUrl="32768" />

Best Practices

Keep URLs under 2,000 characters for maximum compatibility
Use POST for operations with large payloads
Consider pagination instead of large ID lists
Store complex filters server-side and reference by ID

Frequently Asked Questions

What does HTTP 414 URI Too Long mean?

HTTP 414 URI Too Long (formerly 'Request-URI Too Long') means the URL in the request is longer than the server is willing to process. This usually happens when too much data is passed via query string parameters, such as long filter lists, encoded data, or accumulated redirect parameters.

What is the maximum URL length?

There is no single limit. Nginx defaults to 4,096 characters, Apache to 8,190, and IIS to 16,384. Browsers have their own limits too: Chrome supports about 2MB, Firefox about 65,536 characters, and Safari about 80,000 characters. For maximum compatibility, keep URLs under 2,000 characters.

How do I fix a 414 error?

The best fix is to redesign your request: use POST with a request body instead of GET with a long query string, implement pagination instead of passing large ID lists, store complex filter states server-side and reference them by ID, or compress and encode data more efficiently.

What is the difference between 414 and 413?

414 URI Too Long means the URL (including path and query string) is too long. 413 Payload Too Large means the request body (POST data, file upload) is too big. They refer to different parts of the HTTP request. Use POST with a body to avoid 414 errors from long query strings.

Can redirect loops cause 414 errors?

Yes. If each redirect appends parameters to the URL (like tracking tokens or state), the URL can grow longer with each hop until it exceeds the server limit. This is a common cause of unexpected 414 errors and can be diagnosed by inspecting the redirect chain with browser dev tools.