OpenAI 429 rate_limit_error: what it means and how to fix it

429 rate_limit_error: Rate limit reached for requests

How to fix it

1. Wait at least the Retry-After duration; without it, retry with exponential backoff and jitter, and cap the number of retries.
2. Remove redundant calls, cache answers you ask for twice, and lower max_tokens.
3. Use the Batch API for work that does not need an instant answer.

Is it down right now?

Check our live status page or the official one.

Retry it properly

from openai import OpenAI, RateLimitError, InternalServerError

# The SDK retries some errors with backoff; quota and billing errors never clear by retrying.
client = OpenAI(max_retries=6)

try:
    r = client.responses.create(model="gpt-5", input="Hello")
except RateLimitError as e:          # 429: check e.code for quota vs rate limit
    if getattr(e, "code", None) in ("insufficient_quota", "credit_balance_exhausted"):
        raise  # fix billing, do not retry
except InternalServerError:          # 500 / 503 server_is_overloaded
    pass  # retry later or fall back to another model

The official SDKs retry some errors automatically (max_retries); billing and quota errors never clear by retrying.

Same kind of error at other providers

• Anthropic 429 rate_limit_error
• Google Gemini API 429 RESOURCE_EXHAUSTED

Other OpenAI errors

• 429slow_down: Slow downretry
• 429insufficient_quota: You exceeded your current quota, please check your plan and billing defix
• 401invalid_api_key: Incorrect API key providedfix
• 401invalid_authentication: Invalid Authenticationfix
• 401ip_not_authorized: IP not authorizedfix
• 401You must be a member of an organization to use the APIfix
• 403unsupported_country_region_territory: Country, region, or territory not supportedfix
• 500server_error: The server had an error while processing your requestretry
• 503server_is_overloadedretry
• 400invalid_request_errorfix

Source

• OpenAI error documentation: developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/error-codes (checked Oct 24, 2026)

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