<p>MySQL raises ER_PARTITION_MAXVALUE_ERROR when the MAXVALUE keyword appears in any partition other than the final one within a RANGE or LIST partition definition.</p>
<p>MySQL Error 1481: ER_PARTITION_MAXVALUE_ERROR occurs when MAXVALUE is placed in a non-final RANGE or LIST partition. Move the MAXVALUE partition to the end or replace it with an explicit boundary to resolve the issue.</p>
MAXVALUE can only be used in last partition definition
MySQL displays the message "MAXVALUE can only be used in last partition definition" when it detects that the MAXVALUE keyword appears in any partition other than the last one in a RANGE or LIST partitioned table.
The error stops table creation or alteration because the optimizer relies on the final MAXVALUE partition to capture every remaining value. Violating this rule breaks the logic MySQL uses to route rows to partitions.
Partition pruning depends on strictly ascending boundaries. If MAXVALUE appears early, subsequent partitions would never receive rows, creating unreachable partitions and unpredictable query plans.
By forcing MAXVALUE to be last, MySQL guarantees deterministic partition selection and efficient pruning during query execution.
The most frequent trigger is a developer placing MAXVALUE in the middle of a partition list when adding new range boundaries.
Copy-pasting examples from documentation without adjusting the order, or auto-generated DDL tools that append partitions incorrectly, also spark the error.
Reorder the partition clauses so the one using MAXVALUE appears last, or substitute MAXVALUE with an explicit literal greater than any expected value.
Dropping and recreating the partitioned table with a correct definition is often quicker than altering individual partitions, especially on small schemas.
When extending a date-range table, add the new upper boundary before the MAXVALUE partition, then move MAXVALUE to the end.
If migrating from another database, convert default or catch-all partitions to a trailing MAXVALUE partition to match MySQL's expectations.
Maintain partition definitions in version-controlled SQL scripts and review boundary ordering during code reviews.
Use Galaxy's real-time linting to highlight misplaced MAXVALUE clauses as you type, preventing deployment errors.
Errors 1463 (ER_PARTITION_FUNC_NOT_ALLOWED) and 1493 (ER_PARTITION_INVALID_OPTIONS) often surface during the same operations. Fix them by validating partition functions and options before execution.
Developer places MAXVALUE in the middle of RANGE partitions while adding new boundaries.
Migration tools output partitions alphabetically rather than by boundary value.
Example DDL from documentation reused without adjusting partition order for the target data range.
Source system allowed multiple catch-all partitions, producing incompatible DDL for MySQL.
Raised when an unsupported function appears in partition expressions. Replace the function with a deterministic, allowed expression.
Occurs when incompatible partition options such as ENGINE or DATA DIRECTORY are specified. Remove or correct the conflicting option.
Triggered by mismatched column counts in partition definitions. Align the column list with the primary key or unique key columns.
No. MySQL supports exactly one MAXVALUE partition, and it must be the final entry in the partition list.
The table will not be created or altered, so performance is unaffected, but deployment is blocked until the error is resolved.
Both versions enforce the same rule: MAXVALUE only in the last partition. The error code 1481 is identical.
Galaxy flags invalid partition definitions in real time and offers a quick-fix suggestion to reorder your SQL before execution.
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