How to Fix Row Level Security Errors

Overview

Permission errors have four common causes and they are worth checking in a fixed order rather than guessing.

Beginner explanation: The error usually means "the database refused", not "the code is broken". Start at the database.

Technical explanation: Check table privileges first, then whether a policy exists for the operation, then whether the policy condition can ever be true for this user, then whether the request actually carried a session.

Steps

1. Confirm privileges are granted for the role making the request.
2. Confirm a policy exists for the exact operation — read, insert, update or delete.
3. Read the policy condition and ask whether it can be true for this user.
4. Confirm the request is authenticated and the session is being sent.
5. Retest with a second account.

:::tip A separate policy is needed for each operation. An insert policy does not let anyone read the row back. :::

What to check afterwards

• The failing operation now succeeds for the intended user
• It still fails for an unintended user
• No policy was widened to "true" to make it pass

Common problems

• Only one policy written for all operations.
• Session not attached on server-side calls.
• Widening the policy to make the error go away. That is a data leak, not a fix.

Where people get stuck

If you have followed the steps and the result still is not right, the fastest path is usually to describe the exact behaviour you expected, the behaviour you got, and any error text, then ask for a fix in one focused follow-up prompt. If that loop is not converging, hand it over.