Cloud Quotas overview

Google Cloud uses quotas to help ensure fairness and reducespikes in resource use and availability. A quota restricts how much of aGoogle Cloud resource your Google Cloud project can use. Quotasapply to a range of resource types, including hardware, software, and networkcomponents. For example, quotas can restrict the number of API calls to aservice, the number of load balancers used concurrently by your project, or thenumber of projects that you can create. Quotas protect the community ofGoogle Cloud users by preventing the overloading of services. Quotas alsohelp you to manage your own Google Cloud resources.

The Cloud Quotas system does the following:

In most cases, when you attempt to consume more of a resource than its quotaallows, the system blocks access to the resource, and the task thatyou're trying to perform fails.

Quotas generally apply at the Google Cloud projectlevel. Your use of a resource in one project doesn't affectyour available quota in another project. Within a Google Cloud project, quotasare shared across all applications and IP addresses.

Many services also have system limits. System limits are fixed constraints,such as maximum file sizes or database schema limitations, which cannot beincreased or decreased.

To learn about the quotas and system limits for a product, see the product'squotas and limits page—for example,Cloud Storage quotas and limits.

The following links provide additional information related to resource usage:

Types of quotas

Google Cloud has three types of quotas:

  • Allocation quotas: Allocation quotas restrict how much of a resourceGoogle Cloud allocates to you. For example, Compute Engine applies anallocation quota to the number of VMs allocated for a Google Cloudproject.

  • Rate quotas: Rate quotas restrict the rate at which you can consume aresource. Rate quotas specify a time period, and the amount of the resourcethat you are permitted to consume over that time period.

  • Concurrent quotas: Concurrent quotas restrict the number of operations that runconcurrently. Concurrent quotas usually apply to long-running operations. Forexample, some Compute Engineinsert operations can run for as long as onehour and are limited by a concurrent quota.

Quotas and the Google Cloud hierarchy

Most quotas apply to one of the following levels of the Google Cloudhierarchy:

  • Project-level quotas: Project-level quotas restrict your resource usagewithin a Google Cloud project. Using the resource in one projectdoesn't affect your available quota in another project.

  • Folder-level quotas: Folder-level quotas restrict your resource usagewithin a Google Cloud folder. Child folders and projects contribute toyour quota usage. Folders and projects outside of your folder don't affectyour available quota.

  • Organization-level quotas: Organization-level quotas restrict yourresource usage within a Google Cloud organization. Child folders andprojects contribute to your quota usage. Resource usage outside of yourorganization doesn't affect your available quota.

For example, the Compute Engine API has a project-level quota for the number ofqueries you can make per minute. If one project reaches the quota value in lessthan a minute, the project cannot make any more queries. Other projects cancontinue to make queries.

Some quotas apply at the user level. For example, the number ofGoogle Cloud projects you can create is limited by a quota applied at thelevel of the user or service account.

To identify the Google Cloud hierarchy level of the quotas for yourproduct, see the product's quotas and limits page—for example,Cloud Storage quotas and limits.

Regions and zones

Quotas are global,regional, or zonal:
  • Global: Global quotas restrict resource usage across all regions and zones. Resource usage in one region or zone reduces quota availability for all regions and zones.
  • Regional: Regional quotas restrict resource usage in a Google Cloud region. Resource use in any zone in the region contributes to regional quota use. Resource usage in one region doesn't affect available quota in another region.
  • Zonal: Zonal quotas restrict resource usage in a Google Cloud zone. Resource usage in one zone doesn't affect available zonal quota in another zone. If the resource is also subject to a regional quota, usage in one zone affects available quota in other zones by reducing the regional quota shared across zones, even though the zonal quota for other zones is unaffected.

Some resources have multiple location-based quotas. For example, a resourcemight have both a regional quota and a zonal quota. The zonal quota restrictsthe amount of use in each zone. The regional quota restricts the total useacross all zones in a given region.To find out whether a quota is regional, zonal, or global, follow theinstructions toview dimensions.

Regions and zones are examples of quota dimensions. For more information aboutworking with dimensions, seeConfigure dimensions.

Manage quota values

Managing quota values and planning your resource use accordingly helps preventerrors. Quota values are specific to your project, folder, and organization. Forexample, you might request an adjustment to the value of a quota in one project,but continue to use the default value in another project.If you're using afree trial account,you might have lower quota values for some resources compared to the quotavalues for a billed account. When you enablebilling for your project, the quota values increase for most services.To get alertswhen you're approaching a quota value or system limit,Set up quota alerts. To learn what to do ifyou run out of quota or reach a system limit, seeWhen you run out of quota.

When you run out of quota

Usually, if you run out of quota the task that you're trying to perform failsand you get aquota error. For example, creating anew project or calling an API throws a quota error if the task requires morequota than you have. When this happens, the task continues to fail until youhave enough quota to accomplish the task.

If you want to keep your quota value, you can work within its constraints tomake your request:

  • Allocation quotas: For allocation quotas, you can free up quota by deleting unused resources thatcount towards the quota or system limit that you want to consume. For example,you could have a quota value of 100 for a certain Compute Engine virtualmachine. If you already have 99 of that virtual machine but you want to createten more, your request will fail because adding ten more exceeds your quotavalue (you can still provision one more virtual machine). To free up resources,delete nine of the machines.

  • Rate quotas: For rate quotas, your available quota resets automaticallywhen the time period resets. For example, you could have a quota value of 1000requests per day for an API. If you already made 1000 requests to that API andyou want to make 1000 more, wait until the next day. For per-day quotas, thetime period resets at midnight Pacific Time. For per-minute quotas, the timeperiod resets one minute after your first request in a rolling window.

If you want to change your quota value to accommodate more resource use, you canrequest a quota adjustment. Using more resources can incur more costs. To learnabout quota adjustments, seeAbout quota adjustments.

About quota adjustments

Most quota adjustment requests are evaluated by automated systems. Theirdecision is based on criteria including the availability of resources, thelength of time you've used Google Cloud, and other factors. Requests that don'tmeet the criteria are denied.

Evaluation criteria for automated reviews is not disclosed to ensurefairness for all customers and prevent attempts to manipulate the process.Sometimes quota adjustment requests are escalated to human reviewers, who alsofollow criteria, but can consider your unique circumstances.

For quota adjustment requests that increase your quota value, you might be askedto pay in advance. For example, you might be asked to make a payment if yourequest more projects that will use paid Google Cloud services. The payment canbe applied to any charges you incur in the future and will be visible as acredit in your account.To learn how to request a quota adjustment, seeRequest a quota adjustment.

You don't need to have a paid Customer Care service to request a quotaadjustment. To automatically request quota adjustments when you're approachingyour quota value, you can use thequota adjuster. To use the quotaadjuster, you must have enough usage history for the adjuster to make informedpredictions.

What's next

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Last updated 2026-02-18 UTC.