Troubleshooting · Claude Code
Claude Code API Error 402 billing_error — Insufficient Balance
Claude Code prints API Error: 402 billing_error when the prepaid balance cannot cover the request. Top up; do not retry 402 as a rate limit.
What you see
API Error: 402 {"type":"error","error":{"type":"billing_error","message":"insufficient balance or key spending limit reached for this request"}}Why it happens
- The prepaid balance on the key does not cover the request just submitted.
- The key has a spending limit and has reached it, even though the account still has balance.
- A pending top-up is not spendable until it is credited.
How to fix it
- Top up any whole-dollar amount and retry after the payment is credited. Backoff never resolves a 402.
- If this key has a spending limit, raise or remove it.
- Read the live balance with the same key. Branch on HTTP 402 and error.type billing_error.
Check the balance for this key
curl https://router.apitoken.sale/balance \
-H "x-api-key: $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"Related searches
claude code 402claude code insufficient balance
FAQ
Is 402 the same as 429?+
No. 429 is per-minute throughput and is retryable. 402 is empty prepaid balance. Honour Retry-After on 429. Top up on 402.
Will Claude Code recover from 402 by itself?+
No. Retries cannot credit a balance. Top up, then send the request again.
Why did a request fail while the dashboard still shows some balance?+
The remaining number can be the account balance while this key has already hit its spending limit. Raise the key limit or top up.