OpenAI API 503 Service Unavailable
Is there an outage right now?
OpenAI API official status is operational. If this error persists, it is likely an implementation or environment issue on your side.
View OpenAI API status →What this error means
503 means the server is temporarily unable to respond: overload, maintenance, or outage.
Common causes
- •Overload from demand
- •Maintenance
- •Partial outage
- •Model capacity pressure
How to fix
- 1.Retry with exponential backoff
- 2.Wait a while
- 3.Try another model/endpoint
- 4.Check this page and official status
When waiting helps (and when it won't)
Usually recovers over time if caused by overload/outage. Space out your retries.
Alternatives when OpenAI API is down
Related errors
FAQ
What is 503 Service Unavailable?
503 means the server is temporarily unable to respond: overload, maintenance, or outage.
How do I fix 503 Service Unavailable?
Retry with exponential backoff / Wait a while / Try another model/endpoint / Check this page and official status