---
title: "String Limitations | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "01/19/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: connectivity
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: connectivity
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "ODBC desktop database drivers [ODBC]"
  - "desktop database drivers [ODBC]"
ms.assetid: ec1da65f-c69d-415d-bf75-8fda8aa2b39f
author: David-Engel
ms.author: v-daenge
---
# String Limitations
The maximum length of an SQL statement string is 65,000 characters.  
  
 When the Microsoft Access driver is used, only SQL-92 string constants (with single quotation marks, not double quotation marks) are supported.  
  
 The pipe character (|) cannot be used in a string, whether the character is enclosed in back quotes or not.  
  
 For maximum interoperability, applications should pass strings in parameters, rather than passing quoted strings.