ERROR CODES / ENGLISH
insufficient_quota: your balance or quota is used up
How to tell an exhausted balance from an expired quota window, where to check your account, and what each 402 scenario means.
Reviewed 2026-11-13 · ERROR CODES / 402 · Chinese detail: 完整中文页
What it means
The account has run out of money or quota. Two different things can be exhausted: the account balance, which you top up with money, and the quota window, which resets monthly or daily. The message says quota, but you need to know which one applies.
// OpenAI
{'error': {'message': 'You exceeded your current quota, please check your plan and billing details.', 'type': 'insufficient_quota', 'code': 'insufficient_quota'}}
// DeepSeek
{"error":{"message":"Insufficient Balance","type":"invalid_request_error","code":"invalid_request_error"}}Common causes
| Share | Cause |
|---|---|
| 50% | The account balance is actually used up |
| 25% | Wrong key (a test key has no quota) |
| 15% | Free quota expired (often after 72 hours or 30 days) |
| 10% | The quota window has not reset (it restores at the start of the month or day) |
How to confirm
- Log in to the dashboard and check the balance. Do not rely on the error message alone.
- Confirm which key you are using. Many sites keep test keys and production keys separate.
- Check the expiry date of any free quota. Expired free quota is not replenished.
- If the limit is a quota window (for example 1 million tokens per month), wait for the reset or upgrade the plan.
Fix
Top up the account, switch to the key that has quota, or wait for the quota window to reset. If the free quota has expired, treat further usage as paid. After a top-up, allow a short delay before testing again.
If it still fails
| Symptom | Responsible party |
|---|---|
| The dashboard shows a balance but you get 402 | The site's billing is inconsistent; contact support |
| Still failing right after a top-up | Credit delay; wait 1-5 minutes |
| Only one model returns 402 | That model is billed separately and its balance is insufficient |
Do not conclude that you are within budget just because the balance still shows a number. Some sites calculate gift quota and topped-up quota separately. When the gift quota is exhausted you get 402, while the page still shows the topped-up balance.
General guidance, not a statement about any specific provider. For measured data, see the relay directory and method.