Cryptoki function return values for functions that use a token

Any Cryptoki function that uses a particular token (i.e., any Cryptoki function except for C_Initialize, C_Finalize, C_GetInfo, C_GetFunctionList, C_GetSlotList, C_GetSlotInfo, or C_WaitForSlotEvent) can return any of the following values:

CKR_DEVICE_MEMORY: The token does not have sufficient memory to perform the requested function.
CKR_DEVICE_ERROR: Some problem has occurred with the token and/or slot. This error code can be returned by more than just the functions mentioned above; in particular, it is possible for C_GetSlotInfo to return CKR_DEVICE_ERROR.
CKR_TOKEN_NOT_PRESENT: The token was not present in its slot at the time that the function was invoked.
CKR_DEVICE_REMOVED: The token was removed from its slot during the execution of the function. The relative priorities of these errors are in the order listed above, e.g., if either of CKR_DEVICE_MEMORY or CKR_DEVICE_ERROR would be an appropriate error return, then CKR_DEVICE_MEMORY should be returned.

In practice, it is often not critical (or possible) for a Cryptoki library to be able to make a distinction between a token being removed before a function invocation and a token being removed during a function execution.

RSA Security Inc. Public-Key Cryptography Standards - PKCS#11 - v210