Hermes 402 billing error misread as "rate limited"
Hermes misclassifies HTTP 402 billing errors as rate limits and suggests your key may be invalid, sending you down the wrong debugging path. The real cause is an exhausted spend limit or empty balance. Check your provider's billing dashboard, raise the per-key spend cap or top up your balance, and don't bother rotating keys.
Likely cause
Hermes misclassifies HTTP 402 billing errors as rate limits and tells you the key may be invalid. The real cause is an exhausted spend limit or empty balance, so rotating keys sends you down the wrong path.
The fix
- 1 Check your provider billing dashboard for a hit spend cap or zero balance.
- 2 Raise the per-key spend limit or top up the balance - don't rotate keys.
- 3 If logs show 'rate limited' alongside a 402, trust the 402 and fix billing.
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Frequently asked questions
Hermes says 'rate limited, key may be invalid' but my key works. Why?
It misreads HTTP 402 (a billing error) as a rate limit. Your key is fine; you've hit a spend cap or run the balance to zero. Fix billing rather than rotating keys.
How do I confirm it's billing and not an actual rate limit?
Look for a 402 status in the logs and check your provider's billing dashboard for a hit spend limit or zero balance. A genuine rate limit shows a 429, not a 402.
Will adding another key help?
No. If the account or key has hit its spend limit, a second key on the same account hits the same wall. Raise the limit or top up the balance instead.
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