Temporary Error
452

Error (Temporary Error)

What is SMTP 452?

SMTP code 452 is used to indicate that the recipient's email server is
unable to accept the message due to a lack of storage space, too many
recipients, or insufficient system resources.

The error most commonly occurs when the recipient's mailbox is full.
However it may also happen if, the email exceeds the server's recipient limit,
or the server is facing resource limitations.

Generally this states the message will be defferred (delayed)
and will retry again later.

Code Breakdown

Each digit in an SMTP response code carries a specific meaning.

1st digit
4

Transient Negative

A temporary condition prevented completion. The sender should retry.

2nd digit
5

Mail System

Status of the mail system as a whole.

3rd digit
2

Specific Condition

The third digit narrows the response. Zero is typically generic; higher values are increasingly specific.

Response Examples

Typical server responses you may encounter.

smtp session
S: 452 4.2.2 <[recipient email]>: Recipient address rejected: Error: BUZON LLENO. MAILBOX IS FULL.
S: 452 #4.5.3 Too many recipients
S: 452 4.3.1 Insufficient system storage
gmail smtp
S: 452 4.2.2 The email account that you tried to reach is over quota. Please direct the recipient to Clear Google Drive space & increase storage.
S: 452 4.5.3 Domain policy size per transaction exceeded, please try this recipient in a separate transaction. This message means the email policy size (size of policies, number of policies, or both) for the recipient domain has been exceeded.
S: 452 4.5.3 Your message has too many recipients.

Common Causes

Why you might receive this response.

1
Mailbox Full: The recipient's mailbox does not have enough space to accept new emails.
2
Server Storage Limits: The email server has reached its storage capacity, preventing it from accepting new messages.
3
Too Many Recipients: The email has more recipients than the server's policy allows.
4
Insufficient System Storage: The server is facing a shortage of system resources or storage space to process the email.

How to Fix This

To address a 452 error:

  • If caused by a full mailbox, the sender can retry sending the email at a
    later time, allowing the recipient a chance to clear space in their mailbox.
  • If due to too many recipients, reduce the number of recipients and resend
    the email.
  • If the issue is related to insufficient system storage, the issue may need
    to be resolved by the receiving server's administrator.
  • Contacting the recipient or their server administrator through alternative
    means to inform them of the issue can be beneficial.
  • Regular monitoring of mailbox sizes, adhering to recipient limits, or
    server resource management can prevent recurrence of this issue.

Need help with email delivery?

CloudMailin can help troubleshoot and resolve SMTP issues.

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Other SMTP Codes

All codes