This topic lists and describes system generated HTTP client error and success status responses, and server error status responses.
API errors are identified using standard HTTP response codes in a JSON-formatted error message array. For example:
[
{
"error_key": "contacts.api.not_found",
"error_message": "contact_id is in an invalid format."
}
]
Client Error Response Codes
400: Bad Request
Example error message: Bad request. Either the JSON was malformed or there was a data validation error.
Description: Your request includes malformed JSON or does not conform to the expected schema.
Action: Do not resubmit the request until you have verified that the JSON and schema that you are using is valid.
401: Unauthorized
Example error message: The access token used is invalid.
Description: The access token or API key that you provided is not valid or has expired.
Action: Please provide a valid access token or use the OAuth flow to generate a new token.
Learn more: Authentication
403: Forbidden
Example error message: Forbidden request. You lack the necessary scopes, you lack the necessary user privileges, or the applicaton is deactivated.
Description: The API key that you are attempting to use is currently deactivated or your access token does not contain the scope or user privileges required for your request.
Action: Verify that the access token has the appropriate scopes and privileges required for your request.
Learn more: Scopes
Learn more: User Privileges
404: Not Found
Example error message: The requested resource was not found.
Description: The resource that you requested was not found.
Action: Verify that you have provided the correct name (spelling) for the resource, you have properly formatted the request path, and you are requesting access to a resource that exists.
405: Method Not Allowed
Example error message: The requested resource does not support the method used.
Description: The requested resource does not support the HTTP method you used. For example, requesting to POST a resource that does not support the POST method produces a 405 error response code.
Action: Verify that the resource supports the method you are using in your request.
409: Conflict
Example error message: Conflict - a resource with that name already exists.
Description: You are attempting to create (POST) or update (PUT) a resource with a name that already exists for a resource within the account. For example, attempting to create an email address or email campaign name that already exists produces a 409 error response code.
Action: Provide a unique resource name and resend the request.
415: Unsupported Media Type
Example error message: Unsupported Media Type
Description: The media format type that you are specifying for a given resource and method is not supported. For example, attempting to send a request with text/plain as the content-type in the header with a method that requires application/JSON produces a 415 error response code.
Action: Verify that you have specified the appropriate media format type for the resource.
429: Too Many Requests
Example error message: Too many requests. You have exceeded 1,000 queued activities for this user account.
Description: You sent too many requests and exceeded a rate limit in the V3 API. Your API key has a limit of 10,000 requests per day and 4 requests per second. To prevent abuse, the V3 API also has request limits on certain endpoints. The bulk activity endpoints have a limit of 1,000 queued activities per Constant Contact user account.
Action: Wait until the rate limit expires before sending new requests. If you exceed the queued activity limit, use the GET /activities endpoint to determine how many activities are currently in the queue.
Server Error Response Codes
500: Server Error
Example error message: There was a problem with our internal service.
Description: The Constant Contact internal service encountered an unexpected condition that is preventing it from fulfilling your request.
Action: Please try your request again later.
503: Service Unavailable
Example error message: The internal service is temporarily unavailable.
Description: The Constant Contact internal service is temporarily unavailable.
Action: Please try your request again later.
Success Response Codes
200: OK
Your request (GET, PUT, or PATCH) was successful.
201: Created
Your request (usually a PUT or POST) to create a new resource was successful. The response body contains the new resource or a link to the new resource.
202: Accepted
Your POST or DELETE processing request was accepted.
204: No Content
You request was successful and the method did not return a response body. Delete methods usually return 204 response codes. Certain POST methods will also return a 204 response code.