> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vlm.run/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Rate Limits

> Rate limits for the VLM Run Gateway API

The VLM Run Gateway applies per-tier rate limits on `POST /v1/openai/chat/completions`. Limits are enforced in memory; when you exceed
a bucket, the API returns `429 Too Many Requests`. See
[Authentication](/gateway/authentication) for how tiers are determined.

## Limits by Tier

| Tier              | How it is identified                                             | Rate limit                        | Bucket key |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ---------- |
| **Anonymous**     | No `Authorization` header, or `Bearer ""` / `Bearer vlmrun`      | 60 requests/min, 1000 requests/hr | Client IP  |
| **Authenticated** | Valid VLM Run API key (`Authorization: Bearer <VLMRUN_API_KEY>`) | 60 requests/min, 1000 requests/hr | User ID    |

Anonymous and authenticated users share the same numeric limits today. The
difference is how traffic is attributed: anonymous requests are capped per
IP, while authenticated requests are capped per user account.

<Note>
  Sign up at [app.vlm.run](https://app.vlm.run) for a free API key. An API
  key lets you attribute usage to your account and avoids sharing a rate
  limit bucket with other users on the same IP.
</Note>

When a limit is exceeded, the Gateway returns HTTP `429`. See
[Error Codes](/gateway/error-codes#rate-limit-exceeded-429) for the response
body and handling guidance.

## Tips

* Back off and retry after a short delay when you receive a `429`.
* Prefer URL-based document inputs over large base64 payloads to keep request
  latency predictable under load.
* For production document workloads, use an authenticated API key so limits
  apply to your account rather than a shared IP bucket.

If you need higher limits, contact [support@vlm.run](mailto:support@vlm.run?subject=Gateway%20rate%20limit%20increase).