HTTP 408 Request Timeout

Client error code, RFC 9110, section 15.5.9

What it means

The server waited for the whole request and it did not arrive in time. It is usually about a slow or interrupted connection.

A real response

This is the request and the answer our test server gave when we asked it to return 408.

GET /c/408 HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com

HTTP/1.1 408 Request Timeout
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2026 10:00:00 GMT
Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8
Content-Length: 11

<p>demo</p>

If you run the site

Check timeouts on the server, proxy and load balancer, and that clients are not sending large uploads over a slow link. The client may repeat the request, on a new connection if needed.

If you are a visitor

Try again. If you are on a weak connection, wait for a better one, especially for uploads.

A common mistake

Setting the request-reading timeout very low on a server that gets file uploads.

Registered in the IANA HTTP Status Code Registry as Request Timeout, defined in RFC 9110, section 15.5.9.

This is an independent guide. It is not connected with the IETF, IANA, any browser maker or any company named here. Meanings were checked against the RFC texts on 14 November 2026. Responses shown were recorded on 14 November 2026 from a small test server on the author's own computer.