If you recently performed a system update, ensure you have finished the process and rebooted.

strings /boot/kernel/pf.ko | grep -i "pf version"

Incompatible PF configurations with PF program versions can have severe consequences, including security vulnerabilities, system instability, and network downtime. By understanding the causes of incompatibility and following recommendations for ensuring compatibility, system administrators and network engineers can ensure the secure configuration and stable operation of PF.

Now use the exact pfctl binary that matches your kernel. If your kernel is 14.0, ensure /sbin/pfctl is from 14.0:

If you’re writing an application or tool that generates pf.conf :