HTTP 308 Permanent Redirect — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

A 308 Permanent Redirect means the page you requested has permanently moved to a new address — and your browser should always go to the new address from now on. It works like a 301 redirect, but with one technical difference: the type of request your browser used must stay the same when it follows the redirect. As a regular visitor, you will almost never notice a 308 — your browser handles it silently and automatically sends you to the right page.

Affected Models

All web browsers
All websites
API services
Websites that have moved or been reorganized

Common Causes

The website permanently moved a page to a new URL and wants browsers to update their records
A website migrated to a new domain and all old URLs are permanently forwarded
The website switched from HTTP to HTTPS and is permanently redirecting old HTTP links
An API endpoint was permanently moved to a new address
A website reorganized its URL structure and set permanent redirects from old to new paths

How to Fix It

In almost all cases, do nothing. Your browser follows the 308 redirect automatically.

You will simply land on the new page without any visible indication that a redirect occurred.
Update any bookmarks pointing to the old URL. Since this is a permanent redirect, the old address will never come back.

Updating bookmarks means your browser goes directly to the correct page next time, skipping the redirect.
If you are in a redirect loop, clear your browser cache and cookies and try again.

Cached redirect chains can occasionally loop. Clearing cache resets this.
If you end up on an unexpected page, navigate to the website's homepage and find your content from there.

A poorly configured 308 can occasionally point to the wrong destination.
If you received an old link from someone else, let them know the address has changed permanently.

Sharing the new correct URL helps others avoid the extra redirect step.

When to Call a Professional

A 308 is not an error and requires no action from visitors. Your browser handles it automatically. Website owners should use 308 when a redirect is truly permanent and when preserving the HTTP method is important (such as for forms or APIs).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a 301 and a 308?

Both signal a permanent redirect. A 301 allows the browser to change the request method when following the redirect (usually converting from POST to GET). A 308 requires the browser to use the exact same request method. For regular website browsing, both behave identically.

Should I update my bookmarks for a 308 redirect?

Yes — unlike a 302 or 307 (which are temporary), a 308 is permanent. The old URL will always redirect. Updating your bookmark to the new URL saves a tiny bit of time on every visit.

Do search engines follow 308 redirects?

Yes — search engines like Google follow 308 redirects and update their index to point to the new URL. Over time, search results will show the new address instead of the old one.