{“type”:“error”,“sequence_number”:2,“error”:{“type”:“tokens”,“code”:“rate_limit_exceeded”,“message”:“Request too large for gpt-5.2-codex in organization org-XXX on tokens per min (TPM): Limit 10000, Requested 11454. The input or output tokens must be reduced in order to run successfully. Visit https://platform.openai.com/account/rate-limits to learn more. You can increase your rate limit by adding a payment method to your account at https://platform.openai.com/account/billing.","param”:null}}
This is an odd message - and it indicates that there is some free trial service is being delivered unexpectedly. I would expect that someone going through the setup workflow of a new organization would get just trials of mini models, but the complete “what can be used when unpaid” is completely undocumented (and often not successfully setup at all).
The API use is not connected to ChatGPT subscriptions, and requires purchase of credits. Follow the API’s error guidance and buy credits to fund usage if you are using an API key created in a project.
There is no codex model at all listed on the API “models” documentation where one could guess the API TPM limits for it.
So OpenAI needs to put Codex models into the model documents with tiers so one can also see the service level gets when graduating beyond tier-1 of a first payment to OpenAI to purchase prepaid credits.
Once the following criteria are met, you’ll automatically move to the next tier:
At least $5 spent on the API since account creation.
The odd thing is: I bought 20 $ in credits sometime last year, and since tried to reach tier 1. But I hit rate limits with the API so that I never even come close to actually USING $5 … It seems that spending means using, not buying. A catch-22.
However, as others pointed out here (thank you all!), the issue is that the free tier has ZERO limit on Codex. The error message is odd. But this explains it.
The tier is not determined by usage - only the amount paid to OpenAI on an organization, and the time elapsed since the first payment when making another.
Even a year ago, any payment would have put you into tier 1, and your past payment would be shown under billing → credit grants.
You might want to check out the organization selector at top-left in the platform.openai.com site, ensuring you check each organization option you have for discovering that past payment, or recall a different login.
Credits do expire after a year, and then with balance at or under $0, the org would be shut off, but the tier of an organization should not drop.
