No value for required variable Terraform Origin: Platform & cloud OSI layer 7 · Application Last updated 5 Nov 2026

Terraform: Error: No value for required variable — The root module input variable "region" is not set, and has no default value

A variable without a default wasn't supplied.

Exact message you may see Error: No value for required variableThe root module input variable "region" is not set, and has no default valueUse a -var or -var-file command line argument to provide a value for this variableError: No value for required variable on variables.tf line 1Error: Missing required variable
Explore the map of this error Full error map →
Seen on: Terraform

Meaning

Provide it: -var region=eu-west-1, a terraform.tfvars/*.auto.tfvars file, -var-file, or TF_VAR_region. In CI (non-interactive) Terraform can't prompt (-input=false) so the run fails. Add defaults for optional values.

Common causes

  • Variable has no default and isn't passed
  • tfvars filename not auto-loaded
  • CI run with -input=false
  • Environment variable name case wrong (TF_VAR_Region)
  • Module call missing the argument

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Pass -var/-var-file or set TF_VAR_name
  2. Name the file terraform.tfvars or *.auto.tfvars
  3. Add default = ... where sensible

Detailed fix by platform

Terraform

  1. TF_VAR_region=eu-west-1 terraform plan -input=false

How to diagnose

  1. Variable — Default?
  2. File — Auto-loaded?
  3. CI — input=false?

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

Where this error sits

Origin: Platform & cloud. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):

Error building ARM Config: obtain subscription from Azure CLI — Terraform: Error: building AzureRM Client: obtaining subscription ID / Please run 'az login' to setup account (Terraform)Error building ARM Co…Invalid AWS Region — Terraform: Error: Invalid AWS Region: us-east-3 / Error: configuring Terraform AWS Provider: validating provider credentials: operation error STS: GetCallerIdentity (Terraform)Invalid AWS RegionInvalid function argument — Terraform: Error: Invalid function argument — Invalid value for "list" parameter: list of string required / Call to function "lookup" failed (Terraform)Invalid function argu…Invalid value for input variable — Terraform: Error: Invalid value for variable — "instance_type" must be a t3 type / The given value is not suitable for var.x declared at variables.tf:1,1-17: string required (Terraform)Invalid value for inp…Missing required argument — Terraform: Error: Missing required argument — The argument "ami" is required, but no definition was found (Terraform)Missing required argu…No valid credential sources found (AWS provider) — Terraform: Error: No valid credential sources found — failed to refresh cached credentials, no EC2 IMDS role found / Error: configuring Terraform AWS Provider: no valid credential sources (Terraform)No valid credential s…UnauthorizedOperation / AccessDenied during Terraform apply — Terraform: Error: creating EC2 Instance: UnauthorizedOperation: You are not authorized to perform this operation. User: arn:aws:iam::123:user/ci is not authorized to perform: ec2:RunInstances (Terraform)UnauthorizedOperation…No value …

Explore the map of this error Full error map →

🧠 Still stuck? Analyze your error

Paste the full message, response headers or stack trace — we'll detect the platform and point to the most likely cause.

💬 What worked for others

No tips yet — did something else fix this for you?

Share what worked for you

Tips are checked by an editor before they appear. Links are removed.