SQL Error: division by zero / Divide by zero error encountered
An expression divided by a value that was 0 for at least one row.
Exact message you may see
division by zeroDivide by zero error encounteredDivision by 0 Meaning
PostgreSQL and SQL Server raise an error; MySQL returns NULL (or errors in strict mode with ERROR_FOR_DIVISION_BY_ZERO). Ratios, averages and percentages over empty groups are the usual sources.
Common causes
- Ratio with a zero denominator (no orders, no visits)
- Average/percentage computed for empty groups
- Data with unexpected zeros
⚡ Quick fix
- Wrap the denominator with
NULLIF(x, 0) - Use CASE to return 0 or NULL explicitly
- Filter out zero rows when they aren’t meaningful
Detailed fix by platform
SQL
- NULLIF guard:sql
SELECT campaign, clicks * 100.0 / NULLIF(impressions, 0) AS ctr_percent FROM campaign_stats;
How to diagnose
- Expression — Which division?
- Rows — Which rows have a 0 denominator?
🔧 Still not fixed?
Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:
Similar errors
Most viewed in SQL
Other ways to find it
Where this error sits
Origin: Data. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):
🧠 Still stuck? Analyze your error
Paste the full message, response headers or stack trace — we'll detect the platform and point to the most likely cause.
💬 What worked for others
No tips yet — did something else fix this for you?
Share what worked for you
Tips are checked by an editor before they appear. Links are removed.
Did this fix work for you?
Report a correction or suggest an improvement
Last updated 13 Oct 2026