---
category: [Administration & Integrations, Administration & Integrations/Workday API, Platform and Product Extensions, Platform and Product Extensions/Integration]
keyword: [Extend, Integrate, REST API]
nav: wcp_docs
parent_url: /wcp_docs/
title: >- 
  Concept: Request Timeout REST API Header
layout: subsection
---

The `wd-request-timeout` header enables clients to specify a custom timeout value for REST API requests. This header enables clients to inform the server about the maximum amount of time they will wait for a response. The primary purpose of this header is to specify the maximum time the client will wait for the server response.

<b>Note:</b> The `wd-request-timeout` header doesn’t guarantee the server response within the specified timeframe.

The `wd-request-timeout` header provides clients with greater control over their interactions with the server, enabling them to define acceptable wait times for responses. This header can be useful for long-running operations where the default server-side timeout might not be sufficient, or for critical operations where a faster failure is desired.

## Request Timeout Header

To define a client request timeout, specify this HTTP header in your REST API request:

```
wd-request-timeout: <time in milliseconds>
```

The `wd-request-timeout` value must be an integer representing the time in milliseconds.

Example: This sample `wd-request-timeout` header specifies a 5-second timeout.

```
wd-request-timeout: 5000
```

## Timeout Response

The server responds with these HTTP status codes depending on the nature of the timeout:

-   <b>499: Client closed request</b>

    Along with error code `S26`, the server returns the 499 status code when the client reaches the timeout before the server could respond.

    ```
    499 Client Closed Request{
        "error": "Client request timeout occurred before the server could provide a response",
        "code": "S26"
    }
    ```

-   <b>503: Server timeout</b>

    Along with error code `S27`, the server returns the 503 status code when a timeout occurs on the server side, and the client request did not include the `wd-request-timeout` header.

    ```
    503 Service Unavailable
    {
        "error": "A timeout has occurred before the server could provide a response",
        "code": "S27"
    }
    ```



## Guidelines and Considerations

-   Unless Workday defines an explicit timeout for a specific REST API endpoint, the default client request timeout is 600000 milliseconds (10 minutes). The default timeout applies to both read and write requests.

-   The maximum `wd-request-timeout` value is 1800000 milliseconds (30 minutes).

-   Clients can avoid the "499 Client Closed Request" response by increasing the `wd-request-timeout` header value.