How do I pass an exit code from sqlcmd to the batch file that is calling it? It turned out this is not a simple issue. The research will take you into understanding the sqlcmd.exe. Understanding transact-sql. Knowing how the options provided by sqlcmd.exe are confusing and unspecific. See how one TINY opening is left with raiserror function and you have to pretty much go for the precise bulls eye and a very specific parameters supplied to the raiserror to make this work.