"RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR" should only be used with error codes from -20,000 to -20,999

RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR may only be called with an error code from -20,000 to -20,999, which is the range reserved for application errors. When called with another value, Oracle raises the exception: ORA-21000: error number argument to raise_application_error of 0 is out of range.

Noncompliant Code Example

BEGIN
  RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR(0, 'This is an application error'); -- Non-Compliant - raises ORA-21000
END;
/

Compliant Solution

BEGIN
  RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR(-20000, 'This is an application error'); -- Compliant
END;
/