topic Re: What permissions are needed to fix [INSUFFICIENT_PERMISSIONS] User does not have permission toSE in Get Started Discussions

What permissions are needed to fix [INSUFFICIENT_PERMISSIONS] User does not have permission toSELECT

DataDp — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 22:25:39 GMT

Hi,

I am getting the following error in Databricks when running a SELECT query:

[INSUFFICIENT_PERMISSIONS] Insufficient privileges: User does not have permission SELECT on any file. SQLSTATE: 42501

Context:

Environment: Unity Catalog enabled
I am trying to query a table located in dbfs by me
I do not have direct admin rights, so my workspace admin will need to grant the permissions.

Question:
What exact permissions (on tables, schemas, or storage) does my admin need to grant so that I can run SELECT queries successfully?

Re: What permissions are needed to fix [INSUFFICIENT_PERMISSIONS] User does not have permission toSE

akshay_1333 — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 23:10:43 GMT

all you need is run Usage on Catalog / schema and select permissions on table level..

Re: What permissions are needed to fix [INSUFFICIENT_PERMISSIONS] User does not have permission toSE

nayan_wylde — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 16:21:34 GMT

Please run this command
GRANT SELECT ON ANY FILE TO `[user]`

Re: What permissions are needed to fix [INSUFFICIENT_PERMISSIONS] User does not have permission toSE

WiliamRosa — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 13:22:29 GMT

If you’re getting an “Insufficient Permissions” error in Databricks, it usually means your user is missing one or more privileges required for the action you’re trying to perform. In Unity Catalog, for example, querying a view in dedicated compute mode often requires USE CATALOG, USE SCHEMA, and SELECT on all underlying tables or views referenced by that view, and if the view depends on other views, each upstream layer must also have the right SELECT grants. Some workflows, like reading files directly from storage, require SELECT ON ANY FILE, and tools like dbt may also need CREATE on the catalog even if the schema already exists. Ensuring the right permissions are granted at every level—catalog, schema, table/view, and file access—should resolve most cases.