---
title: "eth_call"
description: "Executes a read-only message call against Base state without broadcasting a transaction; pair with pending on Flashblocks for pre-confirmed reads."
source: https://basehub.org/api-reference/eth/eth_call/
---
import { Aside, Tabs, TabItem } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';

Runs a message call immediately against node state without broadcasting a transaction or consuming on-chain gas. Use it to read contract state or simulate calls.

<Aside type="tip">
**Flashblocks:** call `https://mainnet-preconf.base.org` with `"pending"` to simulate against the current pre-confirmed block state, refreshed every ~200ms.
</Aside>

<Aside type="note">
**`eth_call "pending"` block context on Flashblocks nodes:** block-context properties (`block.number`, `block.timestamp`, `block.basefee`) may reflect a block several behind tip due to how nodes cache historical Flashblocks. See the [Flashblocks FAQ](/flashblocks/faq/#why-does-eth_call-pending-report-a-block-context-several-blocks-behind-tip) for details.
</Aside>

## Parameters

### `transaction` (object, required)

The transaction call object.

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `from` | string | Address the call is sent from. Optional; defaults to the zero address. |
| `to` | string | Address the call is directed to. Required. |
| `gas` | string | Gas provided for the call as a hexadecimal integer. Defaults to a high limit if omitted. |
| `gasPrice` | string | Gas price in wei as a hexadecimal integer. For legacy transactions. Optional. |
| `maxFeePerGas` | string | EIP-1559 maximum total fee per gas. Optional. |
| `maxPriorityFeePerGas` | string | EIP-1559 maximum priority fee per gas. Optional. |
| `value` | string | Value transferred in wei as a hexadecimal integer. Optional. |
| `data` | string | ABI-encoded call data: the 4-byte function selector followed by encoded arguments. Optional. |

### `block` (string, required)

Block number in hex, or `"latest"`, `"pending"`, `"safe"`, `"finalized"`, `"earliest"`. Pass `"pending"` on a Flashblocks endpoint to call against pre-confirmed state.

## Returns

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `result` | string | The return value of the call as a hex-encoded byte array. |

## Error codes

| Code | Message | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `-32000` | execution reverted | The call reverted. The `data` field in the error object contains the ABI-encoded revert reason when available. |

## Example

### Request

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="Standard (latest)">

```bash
curl https://mainnet.base.org \
  -X POST \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "method": "eth_call",
    "params": [
      {
        "to": "0x833589fCD6eDb6E08f4c7C32D4f71b54bdA02913",
        "data": "0x70a082310000000000000000000000004200000000000000000000000000000000000006"
      },
      "latest"
    ],
    "id": 1
  }'
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="Flashblocks (pending, ~200ms)">

```bash
curl https://mainnet-preconf.base.org \
  -X POST \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "method": "eth_call",
    "params": [
      {
        "to": "0x833589fCD6eDb6E08f4c7C32D4f71b54bdA02913",
        "data": "0x70a082310000000000000000000000004200000000000000000000000000000000000006"
      },
      "pending"
    ],
    "id": 1
  }'
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

### Response

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "result": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000005f5e100"
}
```