Status Code

507 Insufficient Storage

The server cannot store the representation needed to complete the request. Learn about storage limitations in WebDAV and file upload scenarios.

Last reviewed: Jan 18, 2026 7 min read intermediate Try in Playground

#status-codes #server-error #5xx #webdav

TL;DR: Server ran out of storage space or user quota exceeded. Free up space, delete old files, or upgrade storage plan.

What is 507 Insufficient Storage?

A 507 Insufficient Storage status code means the server cannot store the data needed to complete the request because it has run out of storage space. Think of it like trying to save a file to a USB drive that’s full—there’s simply no room left for your data.

This status code is part of the WebDAV (Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning) extension and is primarily used when file upload or storage operations fail due to space constraints.

When Does This Happen?

You’ll see a 507 Insufficient Storage response in these common situations:

1. Disk Space Exhausted

Server disk is full
Upload 1GB file → Server has 500MB free → 507

2. User Quota Exceeded

User storage limit reached
Upload to cloud storage → Quota: 10GB, Used: 10GB → 507

3. Database Storage Full

Database partition full
Create large record → No space available → 507

4. Temporary Storage Full

Upload staging area full
Large file upload → /tmp directory full → 507

5. Mailbox Quota Exceeded

Email storage limit reached
Send email with attachment → Mailbox full → 507

Example Responses

Disk Space Exhausted:

HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage
Content-Type: application/json
Retry-After: 3600

{
  "error": "Insufficient Storage",
  "message": "Server has insufficient storage space to complete the request",
  "details": {
    "required_space": "1073741824 bytes (1 GB)",
    "available_space": "524288000 bytes (500 MB)",
    "shortage": "549453824 bytes (500 MB)",
    "storage_path": "/var/uploads"
  },
  "action": "Please try uploading a smaller file or contact support"
}
```text

**User Quota Exceeded:**

```http
HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage
Content-Type: application/json
X-Quota-Used: 10737418240
X-Quota-Limit: 10737418240

{
  "error": "Quota Exceeded",
  "message": "Your storage quota has been exceeded",
  "quota": {
    "limit": "10 GB",
    "used": "10 GB",
    "available": "0 bytes",
    "percentage_used": 100
  },
  "file_upload": {
    "size_attempted": "2 GB",
    "size_required": "12 GB total"
  },
  "actions": {
    "upgrade": {
      "url": "/account/upgrade",
      "description": "Upgrade to 50 GB for $9.99/month"
    },
    "cleanup": {
      "url": "/files/manage",
      "description": "Delete old files to free up space"
    }
  }
}

Temporary Storage Full:

HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage
Content-Type: application/json
Retry-After: 1800

{
  "error": "Insufficient Storage",
  "message": "Temporary storage is full",
  "details": {
    "storage_type": "temporary",
    "location": "/tmp",
    "available_space": "0 bytes",
    "cleanup_in_progress": true
  },
  "retry_after": 1800,
  "suggestion": "Storage cleanup is in progress. Please retry in 30 minutes."
}
```text

## Real-World Example

Imagine a user trying to upload a large video file to cloud storage:

**Client Upload Request:**

```http
PUT /storage/videos/presentation.mp4 HTTP/1.1
Host: cloud.example.com
Content-Type: video/mp4
Content-Length: 5368709120
Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIs...
X-Upload-Session: abc123

[5GB video data being uploaded...]

Server Response - Quota Exceeded:

HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage
Content-Type: application/json
X-User-Quota-Used: 9663676416
X-User-Quota-Limit: 10737418240
X-Upload-Session: abc123
Link: <https://cloud.example.com/account/upgrade>; rel="upgrade"

{
  "status": 507,
  "error": "Insufficient Storage",
  "message": "Cannot complete upload - storage quota exceeded",
  "upload_details": {
    "file_name": "presentation.mp4",
    "file_size": "5 GB (5,368,709,120 bytes)",
    "upload_progress": "1.2 GB uploaded before quota exceeded"
  },
  "quota_details": {
    "total_quota": "10 GB (10,737,418,240 bytes)",
    "currently_used": "9 GB (9,663,676,416 bytes)",
    "available_before_upload": "1 GB (1,073,741,824 bytes)",
    "required_for_upload": "5 GB (5,368,709,120 bytes)",
    "shortage": "4 GB (4,294,967,296 bytes)"
  },
  "solutions": [
    {
      "option": "upgrade_plan",
      "description": "Upgrade to Pro plan with 100 GB storage",
      "price": "$9.99/month",
      "url": "/account/upgrade"
    },
    {
      "option": "free_space",
      "description": "Delete old files to free up at least 4 GB",
      "url": "/files/manage",
      "required_space": "4 GB"
    },
    {
      "option": "compress_file",
      "description": "Compress video to reduce file size",
      "tools": ["HandBrake", "FFmpeg"]
    }
  ],
  "storage_breakdown": {
    "videos": "6 GB (60%)",
    "documents": "2 GB (20%)",
    "images": "1 GB (10%)",
    "other": "0.9 GB (9%)"
  }
}
```text

## 507 vs Other Storage-Related Codes

| Code    | Meaning               | Cause                          | Who's Responsible  |
| ------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------ |
| **507** | Insufficient storage  | Server/user out of space       | Server/user quota  |
| **413** | Payload too large     | Single file exceeds limit      | File size limit    |
| **500** | Internal server error | Generic server error           | Server malfunction |
| **503** | Service unavailable   | Server temporarily unavailable | Server overload    |

## Important Characteristics

**Server vs User Storage:**

```text
Server storage (507):
- Physical disk full
- Server-side quota exceeded
- Affects all users

User quota (507):
- Individual user limit
- Account-specific restriction
- Only affects that user
```text

**Temporary vs Permanent:**

```text
Temporary (recoverable):
- Cleanup can free space
- Files can be deleted
- Retry-After header provided

Permanent (upgrade needed):
- Maximum capacity reached
- Physical hardware limit
- Requires quota increase or hardware upgrade
```text

**WebDAV Context:**

```http
# WebDAV-specific response
HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage
Content-Type: application/xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<D:error xmlns:D="DAV:">
  <D:insufficient-storage/>
</D:error>

Common Mistakes

❌ Using 507 for file size limits

# File too large, but storage available
HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage  ← Wrong! Should be 413
Message: File exceeds 100MB upload limit

# Should be:
HTTP/1.1 413 Payload Too Large
Message: File exceeds 100MB upload limit
```text

**❌ Not providing quota information**

```http
HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage
Content-Type: text/plain

Out of storage.  ← Unhelpful, no details

❌ Using 507 for temporary failures

HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage  ← Wrong for temporary issue
Message: Server is busy, try again

# Should be:
HTTP/1.1 503 Service Unavailable
Retry-After: 60
```text

**✅ Correct usage with actionable information**

```http
HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage
Content-Type: application/json
Retry-After: 3600

{
  "error": "Insufficient Storage",
  "quota_used": "10 GB",
  "quota_limit": "10 GB",
  "required_space": "2 GB",
  "upgrade_url": "/account/upgrade"
}

Best Practices

Provide Detailed Quota Information:

HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage
Content-Type: application/json
X-Quota-Used: 10737418240
X-Quota-Limit: 10737418240
X-Quota-Available: 0

{
  "error": "Insufficient Storage",
  "message": "Storage quota exceeded",
  "quota": {
    "total": "10 GB",
    "used": "10 GB",
    "available": "0 bytes",
    "percentage": 100
  },
  "upload_attempted": {
    "file_size": "2 GB",
    "space_needed": "2 GB"
  },
  "recommendations": [
    "Delete unused files",
    "Upgrade to larger plan",
    "Compress large files"
  ],
  "storage_analysis": {
    "largest_files": [
      {"name": "backup.zip", "size": "3 GB"},
      {"name": "video.mp4", "size": "2 GB"}
    ]
  }
}
```javascript

**Check Storage Before Upload:**

```javascript
// Express.js middleware
async function checkStorageQuota(req, res, next) {
  const userId = req.user.id
  const uploadSize = parseInt(req.headers['content-length'])

  const quota = await getUserQuota(userId)
  const used = await getStorageUsed(userId)
  const available = quota.limit - used

  if (uploadSize > available) {
    return res.status(507).json({
      error: 'Insufficient Storage',
      message: 'Upload would exceed storage quota',
      upload_size: uploadSize,
      quota_limit: quota.limit,
      quota_used: used,
      quota_available: available,
      shortage: uploadSize - available,
      upgrade_url: '/account/upgrade'
    })
  }

  next()
}

app.put('/upload/:filename', checkStorageQuota, uploadHandler)

Offer Solutions:

HTTP/1.1 507 Insufficient Storage
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "error": "Insufficient Storage",
  "solutions": [
    {
      "type": "delete_files",
      "description": "Free up space by deleting old files",
      "url": "/files/cleanup",
      "potential_savings": "3.5 GB"
    },
    {
      "type": "upgrade_plan",
      "description": "Upgrade to Pro plan",
      "current_plan": "Free (10 GB)",
      "new_plan": "Pro (100 GB)",
      "price": "$9.99/month",
      "url": "/account/upgrade"
    },
    {
      "type": "compress_upload",
      "description": "Compress your file before uploading",
      "estimated_reduction": "40-60%"
    }
  ]
}
```javascript

**Implement Storage Monitoring:**

```javascript
// Monitor storage usage
async function monitorStorage(userId) {
  const quota = await getQuota(userId)
  const used = await getStorageUsed(userId)
  const percentage = (used / quota.limit) * 100

  // Warn at 80%
  if (percentage >= 80 && percentage < 90) {
    await sendWarningEmail(userId, 'storage_80_percent')
  }

  // Alert at 90%
  if (percentage >= 90 && percentage < 100) {
    await sendWarningEmail(userId, 'storage_90_percent')
  }

  // Block at 100%
  if (percentage >= 100) {
    await disableUploads(userId)
  }
}

Implementation Examples

Express.js:

const multer = require('multer')
const diskSpace = require('check-disk-space').default

app.post('/upload', async (req, res) => {
  const uploadPath = '/var/uploads'
  const fileSize = parseInt(req.headers['content-length'])

  // Check available disk space
  const diskInfo = await diskSpace(uploadPath)

  if (diskInfo.free < fileSize) {
    return res.status(507).json({
      error: 'Insufficient Storage',
      message: 'Server storage is full',
      required: fileSize,
      available: diskInfo.free,
      shortage: fileSize - diskInfo.free
    })
  }

  // Check user quota
  const userQuota = await getUserQuota(req.user.id)
  const userUsed = await getStorageUsed(req.user.id)

  if (userUsed + fileSize > userQuota.limit) {
    return res.status(507).json({
      error: 'Quota Exceeded',
      quota_limit: userQuota.limit,
      quota_used: userUsed,
      quota_available: userQuota.limit - userUsed,
      upgrade_url: '/account/upgrade'
    })
  }

  // Proceed with upload
  next()
})
```javascript

**Django:**

```python
from django.http import JsonResponse
from django.views.decorators.http import require_http_methods
import shutil

@require_http_methods(["POST"])
def upload_file(request):
    upload_size = int(request.META.get('CONTENT_LENGTH', 0))

    # Check disk space
    stat = shutil.disk_usage('/var/uploads')
    available_space = stat.free

    if upload_size > available_space:
        return JsonResponse({
            'error': 'Insufficient Storage',
            'message': 'Server storage is full',
            'required': upload_size,
            'available': available_space,
            'shortage': upload_size - available_space
        }, status=507)

    # Check user quota
    user_quota = get_user_quota(request.user)
    used_space = get_user_storage(request.user)

    if used_space + upload_size > user_quota.limit:
        return JsonResponse({
            'error': 'Quota Exceeded',
            'quota_limit': user_quota.limit,
            'quota_used': used_space,
            'quota_available': user_quota.limit - used_space
        }, status=507)

    # Handle upload
    return handle_file_upload(request)

ASP.NET Core:

[HttpPost("upload")]
public async Task<IActionResult> Upload(IFormFile file)
{
    var uploadPath = Path.Combine(_env.ContentRootPath, "uploads");
    var driveInfo = new DriveInfo(Path.GetPathRoot(uploadPath));

    if (driveInfo.AvailableFreeSpace < file.Length)
    {
        return StatusCode(507, new
        {
            error = "Insufficient Storage",
            message = "Server storage is full",
            required = file.Length,
            available = driveInfo.AvailableFreeSpace,
            shortage = file.Length - driveInfo.AvailableFreeSpace
        });
    }

    var userQuota = await _quotaService.GetUserQuotaAsync(User.UserId);
    var usedSpace = await _quotaService.GetUsedSpaceAsync(User.UserId);

    if (usedSpace + file.Length > userQuota.Limit)
    {
        return StatusCode(507, new
        {
            error = "Quota Exceeded",
            quota_limit = userQuota.Limit,
            quota_used = usedSpace,
            quota_available = userQuota.Limit - usedSpace,
            upgrade_url = "/account/upgrade"
        });
    }

    await SaveFileAsync(file);
    return Ok();
}

Try It Yourself

Visit our request builder and simulate storage errors:

Set method to POST
Set path to /upload
Add large file or exceed quota
Click Send request
See 507 with storage details and solutions

413 Payload Too Large - Single file exceeds size limit
503 Service Unavailable - Server temporarily unavailable
500 Internal Server Error - Generic server error
423 Locked - Resource is locked (WebDAV)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 507 Insufficient Storage mean?

A 507 error means the server cannot store the representation needed to complete the request. The server has run out of storage space or the user quota is exceeded.

When is 507 used?

It is primarily used in WebDAV for file storage operations when disk space is full. Some cloud storage APIs also use it when user storage quotas are exceeded.

How do I fix a 507 error?

Free up storage space on the server, increase storage quota, delete unnecessary files, or upgrade to a larger storage plan if using cloud services.

What is the difference between 507 and 413?

507 means the server storage is full. 413 means the single request payload is too large. 507 is about total available space; 413 is about individual request size.

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