What Is Governor Limits in Salesforce?
Governor limits are per-transaction caps Salesforce enforces on shared resources - SOQL queries, DML rows, CPU time, heap size - so that no single tenant can
Updated 2026-09-09
Governor limits are per-transaction caps Salesforce enforces on shared resources - SOQL queries, DML rows, CPU time, heap size - so that no single tenant can degrade the platform for others.
In more detail
They are enforced at runtime and cannot be raised. Code that exceeds one fails the whole transaction with a limit exception rather than degrading.
The best-known ones are 100 SOQL queries and 150 DML statements per synchronous transaction, and 50,000 records returned per transaction.
Why it matters for admins
- Bulk data operations that fire triggers or flows can hit them even when your own code is clean.
- They are distinct from org limits - daily API calls, storage - which apply across the org rather than per transaction.
- A mass update that succeeds on 200 rows can fail on 2,000 for limit reasons alone, which is why batching matters.
Frequently asked questions
- Can governor limits be increased?
- No. They are fixed by the platform. The response is to write bulk-safe code and batch the work, not to request an exception.
- Do governor limits apply to declarative automation?
- Yes. Flows and other declarative tools consume the same transaction limits as Apex, which is why complex flow chains fail on large data loads.
More from the Glossary
- What Is a Sandbox in Salesforce?A sandbox is a copy of your Salesforce org used for development, testing, and training, isolated from production data and users.
- What Is a Change Set in Salesforce?A change set is Salesforce's built-in, point-and-click mechanism for moving configuration - not data - from one connected org to another, most commonly from a
- What Is a Duplicate Rule in Salesforce?A duplicate rule defines what Salesforce does when a user is about to save a record that looks like an existing one - block it, allow it with a warning, or ju
- What Is a Permission Set in Salesforce?A permission set is a collection of settings and permissions that extends a user's access without changing their profile. Permission sets are additive: they g
- What Is a Record Type in Salesforce?A record type lets one object behave differently for different business processes - different page layouts, different picklist values, and different default v
- What Is a Salesforce ID in Salesforce?A Salesforce ID is the unique identifier of a record. It comes in a 15-character case-sensitive form and an 18-character case-insensitive form that is safe fo
Related reading
- Admin How-ToHow to Check Salesforce Org LimitsCheck Salesforce org limits - API calls, data storage, file storage, and daily email - from Setup, the limits API, and the browser, before you hit them.
- Admin How-ToHow to Create and Deploy a Salesforce Change SetStep by step: create an outbound change set, upload it, and deploy it as an inbound change set - plus the deployment connection you need between orgs before any of it works.
- Admin How-ToHow to Mass Update Salesforce Records SafelyA safe procedure for mass updating Salesforce records: scope with SOQL, snapshot before, batch the import, and verify after - with the automation traps to check first.