OpenAI: You Have No Credits Remaining
'You have no credits remaining. Add credits to continue using the API at https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization/billing/' is OpenAI's billing error for API usage. It comes back as HTTP 429 with the code credit_balance_exhausted, which means the OpenAI Platform organization behind the API key has no prepaid credits left. In Codex you see it as 'stream disconnected before completion: You have no credits remaining', and it surprises people because they pay for ChatGPT Plus or Pro. The reason is that Codex has two separate ways to sign in. Sign in with ChatGPT uses your subscription's included Codex usage. Sign in with an API key bills the OpenAI Platform account at standard API rates, and a ChatGPT subscription does not add API credits. So the fix is either to switch Codex back to ChatGPT sign-in, or to add credits to the correct API organization. Retrying never helps, because every request with that key fails until the balance changes.
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Symptoms You Might See
Codex stops every turn with 'You have no credits remaining'
Your app or SDK returns 429 with code credit_balance_exhausted and type insufficient_quota
You pay for ChatGPT Plus or Pro but Codex still says you have no credits
The OpenAI Platform will not let you create or reactivate an API key
The error continues after you added credits
Common Causes
Codex is signed in with an API key
OpenAI's Codex documentation says API key sign-in uses standard API pricing instead of included ChatGPT plan usage. If an OPENAI_API_KEY was used to log in, your subscription is not being used at all.
The API organization's prepaid balance is empty
API usage is prepaid per organization. When the balance reaches zero, all keys in that organization fail with credit_balance_exhausted until credits are added.
Credits were added to a different organization
Credits belong to the organization, not to you as a person. A top-up in one organization does nothing for a key created in another.
A spend limit, not an empty balance
If the balance is positive, the 429 may be a project or organization spend limit instead. Those carry different codes (project_spend_limit_exceeded, organization_spend_limit_exceeded) and are fixed by raising the limit.
Step-by-Step Fixes
Check how Codex is signed in
When to try: First, if you have a ChatGPT subscription
Run codex login status in the terminal, or open the profile menu in the app or IDE extension. If it says you are signed in with an API key and you meant to use your ChatGPT plan, that is the cause.
Switch Codex to Sign in with ChatGPT
When to try: When you want to use included plan usage
Run codex logout, then codex login and complete the browser sign-in with your ChatGPT account. In the app or IDE extension, log out from the profile menu and choose Sign in with ChatGPT. Remove OPENAI_API_KEY from your shell profile if it keeps being picked up.
Add credits to the right organization
When to try: When you intend to pay for API usage
If you do want API billing, open platform.openai.com, confirm the organization selector matches the one the key was created in, then add credits under Settings, Billing.
Rule out spend limits
When to try: When you have credits but still get 429
If the balance is positive and requests still fail, read error.code in the response. Raise the project or organization spend limit if that is what it names.
Stop automatic retries on billing errors
When to try: For production apps
SDKs retry 429s by default, which wastes time on billing errors. Treat credit_balance_exhausted and the spend-limit codes as stop conditions and alert someone instead of retrying.
How to Prevent This
Keep one sign-in method per machine and know which one Codex is using
Turn on auto-recharge or a low-balance alert for API organizations
Check error.code, not only error.type, in your error handling
Create keys in the organization that actually holds the credits
When to Contact Support
Contact OpenAI support if credits show on the billing page of the same organization as your key but requests still fail, or if a payment completed without the balance updating. Include the organization ID, the time, and the request ID from the error.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ChatGPT Plus or Pro give me API credits?▼
No. ChatGPT plans include Codex usage when you sign in with ChatGPT, but API key usage is billed separately through the OpenAI Platform at standard API rates.
Why does Codex say no credits when I have a subscription?▼
Codex is almost certainly signed in with an API key. Run codex login status, then log out and sign in with ChatGPT to use your plan's included usage.
What is credit_balance_exhausted?▼
It is the error code OpenAI returns, with HTTP 429, when the API organization has no prepaid credits left. Unlike a rate limit, waiting does not fix it; adding credits does.
I added credits and still get the error. Why?▼
The key probably belongs to a different organization than the one you topped up. Check the organization selector on the Platform and the organization the key was created under.
Is this the same as Codex usage limits?▼
No. Usage limits apply to ChatGPT sign-in and show as hitting your 5-hour or weekly limit. 'No credits remaining' is specific to API key billing.
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