Why Notion ‘Database Cannot Be Imported’ From CSV With BOM Encoding

When you try to import a CSV file into Notion as a database, you may see the error message: “Database Cannot Be Imported.” This often happens when the CSV file uses a Byte Order Mark (BOM) encoding. Notion’s import tool does not fully support UTF-8 BOM files, causing it to misinterpret the first row as malformed data. This article explains why the BOM encoding triggers the import failure and provides clear steps to fix and avoid the error.

Why a BOM-Encoded CSV Fails to Import Into Notion

The Byte Order Mark (BOM) is a Unicode character (U+FEFF) placed at the start of a text file to indicate the endianness of the encoding. When a CSV file is saved with UTF-8 BOM encoding, the BOM appears as a hidden three-byte sequence (EF BB BF) at the very beginning of the file. Notion’s database import parser expects the first row to contain column headers without any invisible prefix. When the parser encounters the BOM bytes, it treats them as part of the first cell value. This corrupts the header row, and the import engine cannot determine a valid schema. As a result, Notion rejects the entire file with the generic “Database Cannot Be Imported” error.

Many spreadsheet applications, including Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, default to saving CSV files with UTF-8 BOM encoding. This is especially common when exporting data from non-English locales or when the original data contains special characters such as accented letters, em dashes, or currency symbols. While BOM encoding helps other software identify the file as UTF-8, it creates a compatibility problem with Notion.

The Technical Root Cause

Notion uses a strict CSV parser that reads the first line as the database column definition. The BOM bytes are not stripped before parsing. Because the BOM is not a printable character, the parser sees a malformed first cell that may appear as empty or as an unrecognized character. When the parser fails to create column properties from the first row, it stops the import and shows the error. This is not a bug in Notion but a deliberate design choice to maintain data integrity. Notion expects UTF-8 without BOM, which is the standard for web-based applications.

Steps to Convert a BOM-Encoded CSV for Notion Import

You can fix the CSV file by removing the BOM marker using any of the methods below. Each method works on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Choose the one that fits your workflow.

Method 1: Re-save the CSV Using Excel

1. Open the CSV file in Excel
   Launch Microsoft Excel. Click File > Open and select your CSV file. Excel reads the BOM correctly, so the data appears normal.
2. Click File > Save As
   In the Save As dialog, click the Save as type dropdown.
3. Select CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (csv)
   This option saves the file with UTF-8 encoding without BOM. Do not choose the generic CSV (Comma delimited) option, as that may use ANSI encoding and corrupt special characters.
4. Click Save
   If prompted about compatibility, click Yes. Close the file and reopen it in Notion. Go to the Notion workspace, click Import, select CSV, and upload the new file.

Method 2: Strip BOM Using Notepad

1. Open the CSV file in Notepad
   Right-click the CSV file and choose Open with > Notepad. The BOM is invisible, but the file opens normally.
2. Click File > Save As
   In the Save As dialog, locate the Encoding dropdown at the bottom.
3. Change Encoding to UTF-8
   Select UTF-8 from the dropdown. This saves the file without the BOM prefix. Do not select UTF-8 with BOM.
4. Click Save
   Overwrite the original file or create a new copy. Open Notion and import the saved file.

Method 3: Use Notepad++ to Remove BOM

1. Open the CSV file in Notepad++
   Install Notepad++ if needed. Open the file via File > Open.
2. Check the current encoding
   Look at the status bar at the bottom. If you see UTF-8-BOM, the file has the marker.
3. Click Encoding > Encode in UTF-8
   This command strips the BOM and converts the file to plain UTF-8. The status bar changes to UTF-8 without BOM.
4. Save the file
   Press Ctrl+S. The file is now BOM-free. Import it into Notion.

If Notion Still Shows the Import Error After Conversion

CSV Contains a Byte Order Mark That Was Not Fully Removed

Some text editors or online converters may add the BOM back if you choose the wrong encoding option. Verify the file encoding using Notepad++ or a hex editor. In Notepad++, open the file and check the status bar. If it still says UTF-8-BOM, repeat the conversion using the Encode in UTF-8 command. Then save again.

First Row Has Empty or Duplicate Column Headers

Even after removing the BOM, Notion may reject the file if the first row contains empty cells, duplicate headers, or unsupported characters. Open the CSV in Excel. Ensure every column has a unique, non-empty header. Remove any leading or trailing spaces in header names. Save as CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) again.

CSV File Uses a Delimiter Other Than Comma

Notion expects comma-separated values. If your file uses semicolons, tabs, or pipes, the import will fail. Open the file in Notepad. Check if columns are separated by commas. If not, use Excel to re-export with comma delimiters. In Excel, go to File > Options > Advanced. Under Editing options, clear the Use system separators checkbox. Set Decimal separator to a period and Thousands separator to a comma. Then save as CSV UTF-8.

Notion CSV Import: BOM Encoding vs UTF-8 Without BOM

Item	UTF-8 with BOM	UTF-8 without BOM
File signature	Starts with bytes EF BB BF	No prefix bytes
Notion import support	Not supported — causes “Database Cannot Be Imported” error	Fully supported — imports as a database with correct headers
Default in Excel	Yes, when using Save As > CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited)	Only if manually saved via Notepad or Notepad++
Special character handling	Preserves accented characters, symbols, and em dashes	Preserves the same characters without the BOM prefix
Compatibility with other apps	Works in most text editors and web apps	Works in all apps, including Notion

You can now convert any BOM-encoded CSV file into a format that Notion accepts. Use the Save As CSV UTF-8 option in Excel or the Encode in UTF-8 command in Notepad++. After conversion, the import should succeed and create a new database with your columns intact. For large files, batch convert using a PowerShell script that removes the BOM from multiple CSVs at once. This saves time when you work with regular data exports from enterprise systems.