Fact check
AI analysis“HTTP status code 402 (not 403) was originally defined as a “payment required” response.”
Reasoning
Both HTTP/1.0 (RFC 1945) and HTTP/1.1 (RFC 2616) list status code 402 with the description "Payment Required," confirming the original definition. The IANA registry and MDN documentation echo this definition, reinforcing the claim.
On confidence: Multiple primary RFC sources directly define 402 as "Payment Required" and note it is reserved for future use.
Important context
The code was introduced as a placeholder for future payment‑related use cases, but it has never been widely implemented in practice. It remains reserved and is not commonly seen in real‑world HTTP responses.
Evidence
Supporting (3)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceRFC 1945 – Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.0
10.4.2 402 Payment Required The request requires payment. This code is reserved for future use.
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceRFC 2616 – Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1
10.4.2 402 Payment Required The request requires payment. This code is reserved for future use.
- Tier 2 — Independent reportingindependent originIANA HTTP Status Code Registry
402 Payment Required – The request requires payment. This status code is reserved for future use.
Contextual (1)
- Tier 3 — Secondary reportingindependent originMDN Web Docs – 402 Payment Required
The 402 (Payment Required) status code is reserved for future use. Originally defined as a payment‑required response, it is not widely used.
Limitations
No evidence contradicts the claim, and the sources are authoritative; however, the claim does not address why the code is rarely used today, which is outside the scope of verification.
- Last verified:
- Sep 26, 2026, 5:06 PM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 0.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
Can Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince save the web from AI?The Verge