Fix the BlenderGIS “Overpass Unknown HTTP Status Code 406” Error
You drew an area, asked BlenderGIS to import OpenStreetMap buildings and roads — and got unknown http status code 406 instead. The Overpass server actively refused your query. Here is what causes it and how to get your data imported.
What the 406 Error Means
BlenderGIS imports vector data — buildings, roads, land use, and other OpenStreetMap features — by sending your query to the Overpass API, a public read-only service that answers structured queries against the OSM database. When everything works, the Overpass server returns the features inside your bounding box and BlenderGIS builds the geometry.
A 406 status means the server received your request and deliberately rejected it: a server-side refusal, not a crash in the addon and not a missing API key. (Overpass is a separate service from tile providers like MapTiler — your basemap API key has nothing to do with this error.)
The reasons are few and predictable — once you know which one applies, the fix is straightforward.
The Three Most Common Causes
In practice, nearly every BlenderGIS 406 error traces back to one of these three causes, listed from most to least common.
1. Your Bounding Box Is Too Large
The Overpass server caps how much data a single query may return. A bounding box covering a whole city — especially a dense one — asks the server to extract millions of features in one go, and the server refuses oversized queries rather than timing out on them. If your area covers more than a neighborhood or two, this is very likely your cause.
2. Rate Limiting or an Overloaded Server
The public Overpass instance is shared by thousands of users worldwide. It rate-limits clients that send too many requests too fast, and during peak load it refuses requests outright to protect itself. If you fired off several imports in quick succession, or the same query worked yesterday, you are probably hitting rate limiting or server overload — not a problem with your query.
3. An Outdated BlenderGIS Version
Older addon versions can send queries in a format the current Overpass servers handle poorly. This is the least common of the three causes, but the easiest to rule out: if you are not on the latest stable release (v2.2.15, December 20, 2025), update before you spend time debugging the query itself.
Fix It: Step by Step
Follow these in order. Most 406 errors are resolved by step 2.
Step 1 — Draw a Smaller Area
Start with a deliberately small bounding box — a few city blocks or a single district. If it imports cleanly, you have confirmed the cause: the original box was simply too large. Dense urban areas need much smaller boxes than rural ones, because the feature count per square kilometer is far higher.
Step 2 — Split One Big Query Into Smaller Ones
Divide a large region into a grid of smaller bounding boxes and import them one at a time, then join the results in Blender. Import the pieces sequentially — not in rapid bursts — and pause briefly between them so you don’t trip rate limiting.
Step 3 — Wait and Retry
If small queries also fail, or the same query worked before, the server is likely rate-limiting you or under heavy load. Wait several minutes — up to half an hour at peak times — and retry. Avoid hammering the server with rapid retries; that extends the throttling.
Step 4 — Switch to an Alternative Overpass Mirror
Several public Overpass mirrors exist besides the main instance, and load differs between them. If BlenderGIS exposes the Overpass endpoint in its addon preferences, try switching to a less-loaded mirror — it will often accept a query the main instance just refused.
Step 5 — Update BlenderGIS to the Latest Version
If nothing above helps, make sure you are on the latest stable release — v2.2.15 (December 20, 2025). Remove the old copy of the addon before installing the new one so two versions are never installed at once, restart Blender, and retry. Grab the latest release from our BlenderGIS download page.
Preventing the 406 Next Time
- Default to small areas. Start every OSM import with the smallest bounding box that covers your needs, and only expand if the import succeeds.
- Plan big imports as grids. If your project needs a whole city, sketch the grid of sub-areas first and import them in sequence.
- Space out your requests. Don’t fire five imports in ten seconds. A short pause between queries keeps you clear of rate limits.
- Keep the addon current. Endpoint behavior changes over the years; staying on the latest BlenderGIS means your queries match what the servers expect.
Dealing with a different error — a blank satellite basemap, a missing API key, or an install failure? The BlenderGIS troubleshooting hub maps every common symptom to its fix. If your satellite imagery won’t appear at all, start with our basemap diagnostic checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “unknown http status code 406” mean in BlenderGIS?
It means the Overpass server — the public API BlenderGIS uses to fetch OpenStreetMap vector data — received your query and refused to run it. It is a server-side refusal, not a crash in the addon.
Is the 406 error caused by my MapTiler API key?
No. Overpass is a separate service from tile providers like MapTiler. Your basemap or elevation API keys have nothing to do with OSM vector imports, so re-entering them will not fix a 406.
How small should my bounding box be to avoid the 406 error?
There is no fixed size — it depends on feature density. Start with a few city blocks or one district in an urban area; you can go larger in rural areas. If the small box imports fine, split your original area into pieces of that size and import them one by one.
Can I use a different Overpass server?
Yes, several public Overpass mirrors exist. If BlenderGIS exposes the Overpass endpoint in its addon preferences, switch to an alternative mirror — a less-loaded mirror will often accept a query the main instance refused.
The 406 error appears instantly. Is the Overpass server down?
An instant refusal usually means the query itself was rejected (most often: too large), not that the server is down. Shrink the bounding box and retry. If even tiny queries fail instantly, wait and try again later — the server may be throttling you.
Will updating BlenderGIS fix the 406 error?
It can help, especially if you are on a very old version whose query format or default endpoint is out of date. The latest stable release is v2.2.15 (December 20, 2025). But if your bounding box is simply too large, updating alone will not fix it — split the query.