# Troubleshooting: refusal codes Each refusal a buyer can get, what it means and what to do. A refused call answers with an HTTP status and, in most cases, a `code` and an `error` sentence. Find the code below. The full answer bodies are in the [API reference](/docs/api). ## Money | Status | `code` | What it means | What you do | |---|---|---|---| | `402` | `budget_exceeded`, `budget_paused` | A spending limit stops the job: the month's budget, a feature cap, or this key's limit. | Raise the limit on https://www.linkio.com/billing#limits, or wait for the next month. | | `402` | `needs_approval` | The job costs more than your "ask me before any job over $X" amount. | Approve it on https://www.linkio.com/account/activity?view=waiting, then repeat the call once. | | `402` | `card_required` | No money on the account covers the job, and there is no card. | Add a card on https://www.linkio.com/billing, add money on https://www.linkio.com/shop, or add your own provider keys on https://www.linkio.com/account/ai-keys. | | `402` | `payment_failed` | The last card charge failed. Paid work is paused. | Change the card on https://www.linkio.com/billing. | | `402` | `credit_line` | Unbilled usage reached the card's limit and is charged shortly. | Wait for the charge, or charge it now (`usage_billing_pay_now`). | | `400` | `CONFIRM_REQUIRED` | A paid prospecting start needs your confirmation. Nothing is held. | Read the quote, then repeat the call with `confirm: true`. | | `503` | `TENANT_RESOLUTION_TIMEOUT` | Linkio could not confirm in time who pays. No job started. | Repeat the same call once after `Retry-After` seconds. | ## Keys and limits | Status | `code` | What it means | What you do | |---|---|---|---| | `401` | | No key, or the key is revoked or expired. | Make a key on https://www.linkio.com/account/api-keys. | | `403` | `SCOPE_DENIED` | The key does not hold the scope the call needs (`required_scope`). | Make a key with that scope, for example the Automation level, and revoke the old one. | | `403` | `ACCOUNT_TYPE_DENIED` | A managed account's key called a self-serve-only route, such as site search. | Nothing. The route is not for managed accounts. | | `403` | `owner_only` | A key tried to make a key. | The account owner makes keys on https://www.linkio.com/account/api-keys. | | `403` | `email_not_verified` | The account's email is not verified. | Verify the email first. | | `429` | `DAILY_READ_CAP` | The key used its reads for this UTC day. | Wait for `resetsAt`. Read less often: one feed read an hour is enough. | | `429` | `RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED` | Too many MCP calls in a minute. | Wait `Retry-After` seconds. | ## Closing, reopening and moving a placement These come from `line_item_close`, `line_item_reopen` and `line_item_replace_site`. See [When a placement goes wrong](/docs/self-serve/problems). | Status | `code` | What it means | What you do | |---|---|---|---| | `403` | `NOT_SELF_SERVE` | The placement is on a managed order. | Your account manager handles managed orders. | | `400` | `REASON_REQUIRED` | The reason is missing or shorter than 5 characters. | Say why, for example "seller rejected: need a new site". | | `409` | `ALREADY_CLOSED` | The placement is already cancelled, refunded or credited. | Nothing. Reopen it with `line_item_reopen` if you closed it. | | `409` | `ORDER_CLOSED` | The order is completed or cancelled. | Nothing on it changes here. Ask Linkio, or add the site to a new order. | | `409` | `LIVE` | The placement has a published URL. | Ask Linkio if the link is wrong or gone (`report_issue`). | | `409` | `LIVE_OR_PAID` | The seller sent a published URL, or is paid or being paid. | Check the link and pay as usual. Ask Linkio for anything else. | | `409` | `SELLER_PAID` | A seller invoice is paid, part paid, disputed or refunded. | The money must be settled first. Ask Linkio. | | `409` | `ORDER_PAID` | The order was paid through Linkio. A self-serve order is never paid as a whole, so this is not one. | Ask Linkio. | | `409` | `CHECKOUT_OPEN` | A payment through Linkio is open on the order. A self-serve order is never paid as a whole, so this is not one. | Ask Linkio. | | `409` | `EXCHANGE_ITEM` | The placement is part of an exchange; other placements depend on it. | Ask Linkio to close or move it. | | `409` | `NOT_CLOSED` | You asked to reopen a placement that is not closed. | Nothing. | | `409` | `NOT_CLOSED_HERE` | Linkio cancelled this placement; it was not closed with `line_item_close`. | Ask Linkio. | | `400` | `TOKEN_REQUIRED` | A move needs an `offerToken`. | Call `line_item_replace_site` with the domain and no token to list the sellers. | | `400` | `DOMAIN_INVALID` | The domain is not a valid site. | Pass a domain like `example.com`. | | `409` | `SITE_ALREADY_USED` | Another open placement of the same brand is on that site. | Pick a site that is new to the brand. | | `400` | `OFFER_NOT_FOUND` | The token is not one of the site's sellers now. | List the sellers again. | | `400` | `OFFER_NOT_SELECTABLE` | That seller cannot be chosen now. | Pick another seller. | | `409` | `SAME_SELLER` | That seller is already on the placement. | Pick another seller or another site. | ## Recording a publisher payment | Status | `code` | What it means | What you do | |---|---|---|---| | `409` | `ITEM_CLOSED` | The placement is closed, so it is not marked paid. Its seller was told to stop. | If the seller did publish it, reopen it first (`line_item_reopen`), or ask Linkio. | ## Articles | Status | `code` | What it means | What you do | |---|---|---|---| | `409` | `OWN_CONTENT` | The placement is marked as your own article, so no AI article starts on it. | Upload your article with `order_byoc_upload`. Or clear the choice: `ownContent: false` with `line_items_update`. | ## Connecting an agent | Answer | What it means | What you do | |---|---|---| | `401` `Missing Authorization header` | The client sent no key. | Add the header `Authorization: Bearer `. | | `403` `Invalid API key`, with a hint about a placeholder | The client sent the variable name, not the key. | Export the variable before you start the client, or write the key into the header. | | `403` `Invalid API key`, `Unrecognized credential format` | The value is not a Linkio key. | Copy the key again from the keys page. | ## Something else A refusal that is not on this page, or a tool that does not do what it says: tell Linkio. An agent uses `report_issue` (what it tried, what happened, what it expected; no secrets). `report_status` shows the team's answer.