ERROR: must be owner of relation

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• 20 Sep, 2025
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ERROR: must be owner of relation

PostgreSQL Must Be Owner of Relation – Error Explained

When working with PostgreSQL tables, you may encounter this error:

ERROR: must be owner of relation table_name

Why Does This Error Occur?

• You are logged in as a user who does not own the table.

• The table belongs to another schema or user.

• Attempting to alter or drop system-owned relations.

• Privileges such as GRANT are not enough for ownership-required tasks.

Quick Fixes for PostgreSQL Must Be Owner of Relation Error

1. Check table ownership

\d table_name

Look at the Owner column to see who owns the table.

2. Switch to the table owner

If you know the owner’s role, connect with:

psql -U owner_user dbname

ALTER TABLE table_name OWNER TO new_user;

4. Grant necessary privileges (alternative approach)

If ownership change isn’t possible, grant privileges:

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON table_name TO username;

5. Use a superuser account (last resort)

Superusers can perform operations regardless of ownership, but use carefully:

psql -U postgres dbname

Conclusion

 At Learnomate Technologies, we’re here to support you every step of the way with top-notch training in PostgreSQL DBA and more.

For more detailed insights and tutorials, do check out our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@learnomate, where we regularly share practical tips and deep dives into essential database topics. And if you’re serious about mastering PostgreSQL DBA, head over to our website for our full training program: learnomate.org/training/postgresql-training/.

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