What Is a 303 Status Code? A Complete Guide With Examples

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HTTP status codes help browsers and search engines understand how a server responds to a request. Among 3xx redirection status codes, the 303 status code plays a very specific and often misunderstood role.

Unlike the commonly used 301 or 302 redirects, a 303 See Other response is primarily designed for form handling, POST requests, and user experience control, not SEO-driven URL changes.

This guide explains what a 303 status code is, how it works, when to use it, and how it differs from other redirect types.

What Is a 303 Status Code?

A 303 status code is an HTTP response that tells the browser:

“The requested resource can be found at another URL, and it should be accessed using a GET request.”

It is officially known as:

• 303 See Other
• A type of temporary redirection status code

Key takeaway:

A 303 redirect forces the browser to switch from POST to GET, even if the original request was a POST.

How a 303 Redirect Works (Simple Flow)

Here’s how a 303 status code functions:

1. User submits a form (POST request)
2. Server processes the data
3. Server responds with 303 See Other
4. Browser makes a GET request to the new URL
5. User lands on a confirmation or result page

This avoids duplicate form submissions if the page is refreshed.

When Should You Use a 303 Status Code?

As a redirection status code, a 303 redirect is intended for functional and transactional use cases, not for SEO migrations.

After Form Submission

Example:

• Contact form
• Lead generation form

Redirect to:

/thank-you/

Preventing Duplicate POST Requests

Refreshing a POST request can resubmit data — 303 prevents this.

Checkout & Payment Confirmation Pages

Used heavily in eCommerce flows.

API Responses

Many REST APIs use 303 to redirect clients to result resources.

303 vs 301 vs 302 Status Codes

Feature	301	302	303
Meaning	Permanent	Temporary	See Other
SEO Purpose	Yes	Limited	No
Changes URL Indexed	Yes	Sometimes	No
POST → GET Conversion	No	No	Yes
Link Equity Transfer	Yes	Partial	No

Important:

A 303 status code is NOT an SEO redirect.

SEO Impact of 303 Status Code

Google’s Handling

Google treats a 303 redirect as temporary and non-canonical.

This means:

• Link equity is not transferred
• Destination URL is not indexed as a replacement
• Original URL remains canonical

Industry consensus:

• Use 301 for SEO
• Use 302 for temporary SEO changes
• Use 303 for UX & POST handling only

303 Status Code Examples

Apache (.htaccess)

Redirect 303 /submit-form https://www.savit.in/thank-you

Nginx

return 303 https://www.savit.in/thank-you;

Application-Level

POST /checkout
→ 303 See Other
→ GET /order-confirmation

Common Mistakes With 303 Redirects

Using 303 for SEO URL changes

Should use 301, not 303.

Expecting ranking signals to pass

303 does not pass link equity.

Overusing 303 in content pages

Best limited to forms, APIs, and transactions.

Tools to Check 303 Status Codes

• Screaming Frog – filter by 3xx → 303
• Chrome DevTools → Network Tab
• HTTPStatus.io
• Google Search Console (URL Inspection)

FAQs

Is a 303 status code permanent?

No. It is a temporary redirection.

Does a 303 redirect affect SEO?

No. It is not meant for SEO or ranking transfer.

When should I use 303 instead of 302?

When you must force a POST request to convert into a GET.

Does Google index URLs redirected with 303?

No. Google keeps the original URL indexed.

Can I replace 301 with 303?

No. They serve completely different purposes.

Conclusion

The 303 status code is a functional redirect, not an SEO one.
It exists to improve user experience, form handling, and transactional safety, especially after POST requests.

For SEO-driven URL changes, always rely on 301 redirects.
For temporary changes, use 302.
For POST-to-GET flows, 303 is the correct choice.