diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/AlreadyExistsException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/AlreadyExistsException.java
index a941a549cf0..72511b10da6 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/AlreadyExistsException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/AlreadyExistsException.java
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
  */
 package org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions;
 
+import jakarta.ws.rs.core.Response;
+
 /**
  * A {@link PolarisException} implementation for when Polaris is unable to create an entity that
  * already exists.
@@ -30,4 +32,9 @@ public AlreadyExistsException(String message) {
   public AlreadyExistsException(String message, Throwable cause) {
     super(message, cause);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public int httpStatusCode() {
+    return Response.Status.CONFLICT.getStatusCode();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/CommitConflictException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/CommitConflictException.java
index a1e11cd0038..d643f7a9e9a 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/CommitConflictException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/CommitConflictException.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 package org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions;
 
 import com.google.errorprone.annotations.FormatMethod;
+import jakarta.ws.rs.core.Response;
 
 public class CommitConflictException extends PolarisException {
   public CommitConflictException(String message) {
@@ -39,4 +40,9 @@ public CommitConflictException(Throwable cause, String message, Object... args)
   public CommitConflictException(String message, Throwable cause) {
     super(message, cause);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public int httpStatusCode() {
+    return Response.Status.CONFLICT.getStatusCode();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/FileIOUnknownHostException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/FileIOUnknownHostException.java
index 2e830205afa..9fa26bb74b0 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/FileIOUnknownHostException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/FileIOUnknownHostException.java
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
  */
 package org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions;
 
+import jakarta.ws.rs.core.Response;
+
 /**
  * A {@link PolarisException} implementation for when an UnknownHostException happens during File IO
  * to S3, GCS, or Azure.
@@ -26,4 +28,9 @@ public class FileIOUnknownHostException extends PolarisException {
   public FileIOUnknownHostException(String message, Throwable cause) {
     super(message, cause);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public int httpStatusCode() {
+    return Response.Status.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR.getStatusCode();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/PolarisException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/PolarisException.java
index 96ef9cf7c38..80151f4a593 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/PolarisException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/PolarisException.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
  * Base class for Polaris-specific runtime exceptions.
  *
  * <p>All custom exceptions in Polaris should extend this class to provide specific error details.
+ * Subclasses must implement {@link #httpStatusCode()} to declare their HTTP response status.
  */
 public abstract class PolarisException extends RuntimeException {
 
@@ -32,4 +33,10 @@ public PolarisException(String message) {
   public PolarisException(String message, Throwable cause) {
     super(message, cause);
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the HTTP status code that should be used when this exception is mapped to an HTTP
+   * response.
+   */
+  public abstract int httpStatusCode();
 }
diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/PolarisServiceUnavailableException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/PolarisServiceUnavailableException.java
index 5479fd9f94b..fa596bf2875 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/PolarisServiceUnavailableException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/exceptions/PolarisServiceUnavailableException.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 package org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions;
 
 import com.google.errorprone.annotations.FormatMethod;
+import jakarta.ws.rs.core.Response;
 
 /**
  * Signals a transient failure that the client may resolve by retrying. Mapped to HTTP 503 (Service
@@ -37,4 +38,9 @@ public PolarisServiceUnavailableException(int retryAfterSeconds, String message,
   public int getRetryAfterSeconds() {
     return retryAfterSeconds;
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public int httpStatusCode() {
+    return Response.Status.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE.getStatusCode();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/persistence/PolicyMappingAlreadyExistsException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/persistence/PolicyMappingAlreadyExistsException.java
index a31e500b0b3..9223fa91909 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/persistence/PolicyMappingAlreadyExistsException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/persistence/PolicyMappingAlreadyExistsException.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 package org.apache.polaris.core.persistence;
 
 import com.google.errorprone.annotations.FormatMethod;
+import jakarta.ws.rs.core.Response;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.PolarisException;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.PolarisPolicyMappingRecord;
 
@@ -45,4 +46,9 @@ public PolicyMappingAlreadyExistsException(String message, Object... arg) {
   public PolarisPolicyMappingRecord getExistingRecord() {
     return this.existingRecord;
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public int httpStatusCode() {
+    return Response.Status.CONFLICT.getStatusCode();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/NoSuchPolicyException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/NoSuchPolicyException.java
index 642bd36adb3..a9157d04dc0 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/NoSuchPolicyException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/NoSuchPolicyException.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 package org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions;
 
+import jakarta.ws.rs.core.Response;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.PolarisException;
 
 public class NoSuchPolicyException extends PolarisException {
@@ -29,4 +30,9 @@ public NoSuchPolicyException(String message) {
   public NoSuchPolicyException(String message, Throwable cause) {
     super(message, cause);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public int httpStatusCode() {
+    return Response.Status.NOT_FOUND.getStatusCode();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyAttachException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyAttachException.java
index e47d978d0fd..cc24b6f70ad 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyAttachException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyAttachException.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 package org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions;
 
 import com.google.errorprone.annotations.FormatMethod;
+import jakarta.ws.rs.core.Response;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.PolarisException;
 
 public class PolicyAttachException extends PolarisException {
@@ -31,4 +32,9 @@ public PolicyAttachException(String message, Object... args) {
   public PolicyAttachException(Throwable cause, String message, Object... args) {
     super(String.format(message, args), cause);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public int httpStatusCode() {
+    return Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST.getStatusCode();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyInUseException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyInUseException.java
index 14d165497e1..616a01e7e80 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyInUseException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyInUseException.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 package org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions;
 
 import com.google.errorprone.annotations.FormatMethod;
+import jakarta.ws.rs.core.Response;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.PolarisException;
 
 public class PolicyInUseException extends PolarisException {
@@ -31,4 +32,9 @@ public PolicyInUseException(String message, Object... args) {
   public PolicyInUseException(Throwable cause, String message, Object... args) {
     super(String.format(message, args), cause);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public int httpStatusCode() {
+    return Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST.getStatusCode();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyVersionMismatchException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyVersionMismatchException.java
index c2f8f8f78e1..95b10040205 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyVersionMismatchException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/exceptions/PolicyVersionMismatchException.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 package org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions;
 
+import jakarta.ws.rs.core.Response;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.PolarisException;
 
 public class PolicyVersionMismatchException extends PolarisException {
@@ -28,4 +29,9 @@ public PolicyVersionMismatchException(String message) {
   public PolicyVersionMismatchException(String message, Throwable cause) {
     super(message, cause);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public int httpStatusCode() {
+    return Response.Status.CONFLICT.getStatusCode();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/validator/InvalidPolicyException.java b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/validator/InvalidPolicyException.java
index 9672cfa617b..e91d0c735ee 100644
--- a/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/validator/InvalidPolicyException.java
+++ b/polaris-core/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/core/policy/validator/InvalidPolicyException.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 package org.apache.polaris.core.policy.validator;
 
+import jakarta.ws.rs.core.Response;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.PolarisException;
 
 /** Exception thrown when a policy is invalid or violates defined rules. */
@@ -33,4 +34,9 @@ public InvalidPolicyException(String message, Throwable cause) {
   public InvalidPolicyException(Throwable cause) {
     super("Invalid policy", cause);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public int httpStatusCode() {
+    return Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST.getStatusCode();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/runtime/service/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/service/exception/PolarisExceptionMapper.java b/runtime/service/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/service/exception/PolarisExceptionMapper.java
index 97d77de7dbd..b3ed74bf299 100644
--- a/runtime/service/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/service/exception/PolarisExceptionMapper.java
+++ b/runtime/service/src/main/java/org/apache/polaris/service/exception/PolarisExceptionMapper.java
@@ -25,64 +25,37 @@
 import jakarta.ws.rs.ext.ExceptionMapper;
 import jakarta.ws.rs.ext.Provider;
 import org.apache.iceberg.rest.responses.ErrorResponse;
-import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.AlreadyExistsException;
-import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.CommitConflictException;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.PolarisException;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.PolarisServiceUnavailableException;
-import org.apache.polaris.core.persistence.PolicyMappingAlreadyExistsException;
-import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions.NoSuchPolicyException;
-import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions.PolicyAttachException;
-import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions.PolicyInUseException;
-import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions.PolicyVersionMismatchException;
-import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.validator.InvalidPolicyException;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 import org.slf4j.event.Level;
 
 /**
- * An {@link ExceptionMapper} implementation for {@link PolarisException}s modeled after {@link
- * IcebergExceptionMapper}
+ * An {@link ExceptionMapper} implementation for {@link PolarisException}s. Delegates HTTP status
+ * resolution to {@link PolarisException#httpStatusCode()}.
  */
 @Provider
 public class PolarisExceptionMapper implements ExceptionMapper<PolarisException> {
 
   private static final Logger LOGGER = LoggerFactory.getLogger(PolarisExceptionMapper.class);
 
-  private Response.Status getStatus(PolarisException exception) {
-    return switch (exception) {
-      case PolarisServiceUnavailableException polarisServiceUnavailableException ->
-          Response.Status.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE;
-      case AlreadyExistsException alreadyExistsException -> Response.Status.CONFLICT;
-      case CommitConflictException commitConflictException -> Response.Status.CONFLICT;
-      case InvalidPolicyException invalidPolicyException -> Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST;
-      case PolicyAttachException policyAttachException -> Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST;
-      case NoSuchPolicyException noSuchPolicyException -> Response.Status.NOT_FOUND;
-      case PolicyVersionMismatchException policyVersionMismatchException ->
-          Response.Status.CONFLICT;
-      case PolicyMappingAlreadyExistsException policyMappingAlreadyExistsException ->
-          Response.Status.CONFLICT;
-      case PolicyInUseException policyInUseException -> Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST;
-      default -> Response.Status.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR;
-    };
-  }
-
   @Override
   public Response toResponse(PolarisException exception) {
-    Response.Status status = getStatus(exception);
+    int statusCode = exception.httpStatusCode();
     getLogger()
-        .atLevel(
-            status.getFamily() == Response.Status.Family.SERVER_ERROR ? Level.INFO : Level.DEBUG)
+        .atLevel(statusCode >= 500 ? Level.INFO : Level.DEBUG)
         .setCause(exception)
         .log("Full PolarisException");
 
     ErrorResponse errorResponse =
         ErrorResponse.builder()
-            .responseCode(status.getStatusCode())
+            .responseCode(statusCode)
             .withType(exception.getClass().getSimpleName())
             .withMessage(exception.getMessage())
             .build();
     Response.ResponseBuilder builder =
-        Response.status(status).entity(errorResponse).type(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON_TYPE);
+        Response.status(statusCode).entity(errorResponse).type(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON_TYPE);
     if (exception instanceof PolarisServiceUnavailableException e
         && e.getRetryAfterSeconds() != 0) {
       builder.header(HttpHeaders.RETRY_AFTER, e.getRetryAfterSeconds());
diff --git a/runtime/service/src/test/java/org/apache/polaris/service/exception/ExceptionMapperTest.java b/runtime/service/src/test/java/org/apache/polaris/service/exception/ExceptionMapperTest.java
index 4520b7bf841..d7266a307aa 100644
--- a/runtime/service/src/test/java/org/apache/polaris/service/exception/ExceptionMapperTest.java
+++ b/runtime/service/src/test/java/org/apache/polaris/service/exception/ExceptionMapperTest.java
@@ -38,7 +38,15 @@
 import org.apache.iceberg.exceptions.RuntimeIOException;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.AlreadyExistsException;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.CommitConflictException;
+import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.FileIOUnknownHostException;
+import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.PolarisException;
 import org.apache.polaris.core.exceptions.PolarisServiceUnavailableException;
+import org.apache.polaris.core.persistence.PolicyMappingAlreadyExistsException;
+import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions.NoSuchPolicyException;
+import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions.PolicyAttachException;
+import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions.PolicyInUseException;
+import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.exceptions.PolicyVersionMismatchException;
+import org.apache.polaris.core.policy.validator.InvalidPolicyException;
 import org.jboss.logmanager.Level;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
@@ -111,6 +119,30 @@ public void testServiceUnavailableWithRetryAfter() {
     assertThat(response.getHeaderString(HttpHeaders.RETRY_AFTER)).isEqualTo("3");
   }
 
+  @ParameterizedTest
+  @MethodSource("polarisExceptionStatusCodes")
+  public void testPolarisExceptionStatusCodes(PolarisException exception, int expectedStatus) {
+    assertThat(exception.httpStatusCode()).isEqualTo(expectedStatus);
+
+    PolarisExceptionMapper mapper = new PolarisExceptionMapper();
+    Response response = mapper.toResponse(exception);
+    assertThat(response.getStatus()).isEqualTo(expectedStatus);
+  }
+
+  static Stream<Arguments> polarisExceptionStatusCodes() {
+    return Stream.of(
+        Arguments.of(new AlreadyExistsException("msg"), 409),
+        Arguments.of(new CommitConflictException("msg"), 409),
+        Arguments.of(new PolarisServiceUnavailableException(0, "msg"), 503),
+        Arguments.of(new InvalidPolicyException("msg"), 400),
+        Arguments.of(new PolicyAttachException("msg"), 400),
+        Arguments.of(new PolicyInUseException("msg"), 400),
+        Arguments.of(new NoSuchPolicyException("msg"), 404),
+        Arguments.of(new PolicyVersionMismatchException("msg"), 409),
+        Arguments.of(new PolicyMappingAlreadyExistsException("msg"), 409),
+        Arguments.of(new FileIOUnknownHostException("msg", new RuntimeException()), 500));
+  }
+
   static Stream<Arguments> testFullExceptionIsLogged() {
     // ConstraintViolationException isn't included because it doesn't propagate any info to its
     // inherited Exception