SQLSTATE 42602 ERROR Class 42: Syntax Error or Access Rule Violation

invalid_name Invalid Name — SQLSTATE 42602

SQLSTATE 42602 (invalid_name): The SQL is malformed or references a missing object or privilege.

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Last reviewed May 2025 Grounded in source

Symptoms

The server reports SQLSTATE 42602 (invalid_name), a condition in the Syntax Error or Access Rule Violation class.

  • The error is written to the server log and returned to the client carrying SQLSTATE 42602.
  • Any driver (libpq, JDBC, psycopg, npgsql, pgx) surfaces this code in its error object so you can branch on it programmatically.
  • PL/pgSQL can trap it by name: EXCEPTION WHEN invalid_name THEN.

Environment

Severity: ERROR  |  PostgreSQL versions: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

Reproduce with the exact statement and read the full message in the server log (raise log_min_messages / set log_min_error_statement for more context).

Root Cause

42602 belongs to Class 42 — Syntax Error or Access Rule Violation. In this class, the SQL is malformed or references a missing object or privilege.

The first two characters (42) identify the error class, so application code can match the whole class via 42000 when the specific code is not needed.

Diagnostic Queries

Recovery

Fix the syntax at the position the error reports, verify object names/case/search_path, install any required extension, and GRANT the missing privilege.

Reference: PostgreSQL error codes — Class 42 (Syntax Error or Access Rule Violation).

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