skipped more than REJECT_LIMIT (%

SQLSTATE 22P02 condition invalid_text_representation class 22 — Data Exception severity ERROR

Reproduced & verified on PostgreSQL 14.23, 15.18, 16.14, 17.10 and 18.4 — identical message on every version.

Last reviewed 7 Jun 2026 · Reproduced live with the SQL on this page.

Symptoms

A statement failed with SQLSTATE 22P02 (invalid_text_representation), reported at severity ERROR. This is a Data Exception condition: PostgreSQL emits the message skipped more than REJECT_LIMIT (%.

The client receives SQLSTATE 22P02 (invalid text representation).
The operation is rejected at ERROR level; the statement does not complete.

What the server log shows

ERROR:  skipped more than REJECT_LIMIT (%

Why PostgreSQL raises this

Class 22 (Data Exception) is raised at run time when a value cannot be represented, converted, or processed by the requested type or function — bad input syntax, out-of-range values, or invalid arguments.

As described in PostgreSQL’s Chapter 8 Data Types and Appendix A (PostgreSQL Error Codes), SQLSTATE 22P02 carries the condition name invalid_text_representation in class Data Exception. (Paraphrased — see the linked reference for the exact wording.)

Common causes

A literal or parameter does not match the target type’s input format.
A value exceeds the range or length the type allows.
A function received an argument outside its valid domain.
An encoding, cast, or format conversion failed.

How to fix it

Validate and sanitize the input value before sending it.
Cast explicitly to the intended type and confirm the format.
Widen the column/type or clamp the value to the supported range.
Reproduce with the exact literal to see which value is rejected.

Version applicability

This message text is present in PostgreSQL 18, 19. It was introduced around PostgreSQL 18; earlier releases do not emit this exact text.

Related & next steps

Reference: PostgreSQL Chapter 8 Data Types.