When Do Codex Usage Limits Reset?
Codex usage on a ChatGPT plan is measured against rolling windows, not a fixed calendar. On Plus (and Business Standard) you have a 5-hour allowance and a weekly allowance, and you need room in both to keep working, so you can hit the 5-hour limit with weekly usage left. On Pro 100, Pro 200 and Pro 500 the main limit is weekly, and on Go it is monthly. A window starts with your first request after the previous one ends, so there is no single reset time for everyone; the Usage screen shows your next refresh. On top of the normal schedule there are three kinds of one-time reset. OpenAI sometimes grants a free banked reset you can use later, or applies an automatic reset to selected accounts. Eligible Plus and Pro personal accounts can also buy an instant reset, which restores usage immediately and restarts the weekly period from your next request. Codex CLI, the IDE extension, the desktop app, web, cloud tasks and ChatGPT Work all draw from the same allowance, so usage anywhere counts.
Affiliate link, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Symptoms You Might See
Codex says you have hit your usage limit and shows a time to try again
You hit the 5-hour limit while the weekly meter still shows usage left
Your weekly reset date changed after a reset or purchase
You received a reset but your usage did not refresh
The Usage screen shows '1 reset available'
Common Causes
The 5-hour window is used up (Plus)
On Plus, heavy sessions can use the 5-hour allowance well before five hours pass. It reopens with your first request after the window closes.
The weekly allowance is used up
The weekly allowance runs on a seven-day cycle from the start of your current period. Long agent runs, high reasoning settings and cloud tasks use it faster.
Usage in other surfaces
The CLI, IDE, desktop app, web, cloud tasks and ChatGPT Work share one allowance, so work in one place reduces what is left in another.
A reset moved your schedule
OpenAI's help center explains that banked, automatic and paid resets can restart a usage period, which replaces the old refresh time with a new one.
Step-by-Step Fixes
Check your exact refresh time
When to try: First
In the CLI run /status or /usage. In the desktop app open Settings, Usage & billing; on the web open Usage settings. Use the time shown there rather than calculating it yourself.
Use a banked reset if you have one
When to try: When the Usage screen shows a reset available
In Usage settings select the summary showing a reset available and confirm. In the CLI, enter /usage and choose Redeem reset. At least one covered allowance must be below 80% remaining for it to apply.
Buy an instant reset (eligible Plus and Pro)
When to try: When you cannot wait and the option is offered
From desktop Usage settings choose Buy an instant reset, or use the offer banner after you hit the weekly limit. It applies immediately, cannot be saved, and your next weekly period starts with your next request. OpenAI says these purchases are generally not refundable.
Use usage credits instead
When to try: When you only need a little more usage
Usage credits are a separate pay-as-you-go balance used after your included limits run out. Unlike a reset, they do not move your weekly schedule.
Reduce what each task costs
When to try: To make the next window last longer
Use a lower reasoning level or smaller model for routine work, keep threads short, and avoid running many sessions in parallel.
Refresh before buying again
When to try: When a reset seems not to work
If a reset does not seem to apply, refresh or reopen Usage settings and confirm the right account and workspace. Do not use or buy another reset to test the first one.
How to Prevent This
Check both the 5-hour and weekly meters before a long session on Plus
Save heavy reasoning settings for hard problems
Remember that every Codex surface shares one allowance
Use banked resets before they expire
When to Contact Support
Contact OpenAI support if you paid for a reset and the meter did not change after refreshing, including the purchase time and receipt number. Support does not grant or replace free promotional resets.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Codex limit reset?▼
There is no fixed time. The 5-hour window reopens with your first request after it closes, and the weekly allowance resets seven days after your current weekly period began. Check Usage settings or /status for your exact time.
Does Pro have a 5-hour Codex limit?▼
According to OpenAI's help center, a full reset on Pro 100, Pro 200 and Pro 500 restores the weekly allowance, which is the main Codex limit on those plans. Plus has both a 5-hour and a weekly allowance.
Can I reset my Codex limit early?▼
Yes, with a banked reset if you have one, or by buying an instant reset if your Plus or Pro personal account is eligible. Free resets are promotional and not guaranteed.
Why did my weekly reset date change?▼
Resets restart the usage period they affect, so the next automatic refresh is calculated from the new period. That is expected behavior.
Does Codex usage count against ChatGPT Work?▼
Yes. Codex surfaces and ChatGPT Work draw from the same allowance on your plan.
Sources and verification
Product behavior and limits can change. These primary sources were used to verify this guide.
Other Common AI Errors
ChatGPT Not Working
Service Issues
🚦Rate Limit Exceeded
Usage Limits
📏Context Length Exceeded
Input Limits
🔥Model Overloaded
Service Issues