---
title: "trial_allowance_exhausted error"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/docs/errors/trial_allowance_exhausted.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/docs/errors/trial_allowance_exhausted"
last_updated: "2026-10-22"
type: "reference"
summary: "HTTP 402 trial_allowance_exhausted: The trial allowance is used up. Cause, fix and a curl example."
related: ["https://lookvalid.com/docs/errors.md", "https://lookvalid.com/docs/credits-and-billing.md"]
---

# trial_allowance_exhausted error

HTTP 402 trial_allowance_exhausted: The trial allowance is used up. Cause, fix and a curl example.

`trial_allowance_exhausted` is returned with HTTP **402**. Retryable: no. Sending the same request again returns the same error. Nothing is charged for this error.

## What it means

The trial allowance is used up.

## Most likely cause

The account is in its trial and has used all the credits the trial allows. Lookups are paused. Nothing is charged, and nothing starts the plan for you.

## How to fix it

Nothing was charged. Start your plan from the billing page ("Start my plan now") to keep going; the plan is only charged when you do.

## Example

The billing page calls this when you choose "Start my plan now". It ends the trial and charges the first month at once. With no running trial it returns HTTP 409.

```sh
curl -i -X POST https://YOUR_API_HOST/v1/me/billing/start-plan -H "Authorization: Bearer $FIREBASE_ID_TOKEN"
```

An error response is one JSON envelope. Branch on `code`, never on the message text. The `message` and `fix` of a real response can be more specific than the defaults shown here.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "trial_allowance_exhausted",
    "message": "The trial allowance is used up.",
    "fix": "Nothing was charged. Start your plan from the billing page (\"Start my plan now\") to keep going; the plan is only charged when you do.",
    "docs_url": "https://lookvalid.com/docs/errors/trial_allowance_exhausted",
    "retryable": false,
    "request_id": "req_3fK9pQ2xVb7LmN4sTz8WcA"
  }
}
```

## See also

- [All error codes](https://lookvalid.com/docs/errors.md) with the response envelope.
- [Credits and billing (the trial)](https://lookvalid.com/docs/credits-and-billing.md).
- Quote the `request_id` when you write to [hello@lookvalid.com](mailto:hello@lookvalid.com).

## Related

- [Errors](https://lookvalid.com/docs/errors.md)
- [Credits and billing](https://lookvalid.com/docs/credits-and-billing.md)