---
title: "LOCALDB_ERROR_INVALID_INSTANCE_NAME | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "08/09/2016"
ms.prod: sql
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: performance
ms.topic: "reference"
ms.assetid: 709ac713-aadd-4d5b-a0f9-d859a79dd24c
author: stevestein
ms.author: sstein
---
# LOCALDB_ERROR_INVALID_INSTANCE_NAME
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]
    
## Details  
  
|||  
|-|-|  
|Product Name|SQL Server|  
|Event ID|283|  
|Event Source|SQL Server Local Database Runtime 12.0|  
|Component|Local Database Runtime API|  
|Message Text|The instance name contains invalid characters or is too long. Consult the API documentation.|  
  
## Explanation  
 The instance name contains invalid characters or is too long.  
  
## User Action  
 Consult the Local Database Runtime API documentation on legal names for Local Database Runtime instances.  For additional information, see [SQL Server Express LocalDB Instance API Reference](../../relational-databases/express-localdb-instance-apis/sql-server-express-localdb-reference-instance-apis.md).