How to fix Error 10743 on Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: SQL Server Error 10743 — Invalid OFFSET Clause Data Type

Why This Error Happens

This error occurs when the value passed to the OFFSET clause in a SELECT ... ORDER BY ... OFFSET ... FETCH NEXT statement is not an integer data type, such as a VARCHAR, DECIMAL, or FLOAT value. SQL Server 2025 strictly enforces that OFFSET and FETCH NEXT arguments must evaluate to BIGINT-compatible integer expressions (typically INT or BIGINT). This commonly happens when application code dynamically builds pagination queries using string concatenation, or when a stored procedure parameter is declared with the wrong data type and passed directly into the OFFSET clause without explicit casting.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Identify the Offending Query

  • Capture the exact T-SQL statement throwing Error 10743 using SQL Server Profiler, Extended Events, or the application’s query log.
  • Check the OFFSET and FETCH NEXT values being passed — look specifically for string literals (e.g., OFFSET '10' ROWS) or parameters bound as NVARCHAR.
  • Run the query manually in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to confirm the error reproduces outside the application.

Step 2: Correct the Data Type in the Query or Procedure

  • Explicitly cast the offset and fetch values using CAST(@Offset AS INT) or CAST(@Offset AS BIGINT) directly in the OFFSET clause.
  • If using a stored procedure, verify the parameter declaration matches an integer type, for example:
  CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.GetPagedResults
      @PageOffset INT,
      @PageSize INT
  AS
  BEGIN
      SELECT * FROM dbo.Orders
      ORDER BY OrderID
      OFFSET @PageOffset ROWS
      FETCH NEXT @PageSize ROWS ONLY;
  END
  • Avoid passing NULL, empty strings, or computed expressions that can resolve to non-integer types.

Step 3: Audit Application-Side Parameter Binding

  • Inspect the application’s data access layer (e.g., Entity Framework, ADO.NET, or ODBC connection strings) for incorrect parameter type mapping.
  • On Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11, check the ODBC Data Source Administrator (odbcad32.exe) if a DSN is used, and confirm the driver version is SQL Server Native Client 18 or the Microsoft ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server.
  • Update any SqlParameter or SqlDbType declarations in code to use SqlDbType.Int or SqlDbType.BigInt instead of SqlDbType.VarChar or SqlDbType.NVarChar for pagination values.

Step 4: Restart the SQL Server Service and Clear Cached Plans

  • Open Services.msc on Windows Server 2025, locate SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER), and restart the service to clear any cached execution plans referencing the faulty query.
  • Alternatively, run DBCC FREEPROCCACHE; in SSMS to flush the plan cache without a full service restart.
  • Re-run the corrected query to confirm Error 10743 no longer appears.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • Execute the corrected query directly in SSMS with hardcoded integer values (e.g., OFFSET 0 ROWS FETCH NEXT 25 ROWS ONLY) to confirm the syntax now parses and returns results without error.
  • If the error persists after casting, check for implicit conversions in linked server queries or dynamic SQL built via sp_executesql, and ensure parameters are declared with @Offset INT rather than @Offset NVARCHAR(10) in the parameter definition string.