Use the actual Groq response to separate credential problems, model policy, exhausted capacity and failed processing. The status alone is a starting point; the error fields and request context determine the fix.
Error format at Groq
Groq describes a JSON error object with a message and type. Preserve the original response and status before a client wrapper replaces them with a generic exception. Official documentation.
{"error":{"message":"<provider-supplied diagnostic>","type":"invalid_request_error"}}The displayed object illustrates the documented shape. It is not a fabricated reproduction. For your own log, preserve the model identifier and endpoint while redacting credentials, private prompt content and unrelated account identifiers.
Error code table
| Status / documented label | Diagnostic direction | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 400 Bad Request | Request syntax or unsupported fields | Compare the payload with the relevant endpoint and compatibility notes. |
| 401 Unauthorized | Credential missing or invalid | Check the process environment and intended Groq endpoint. |
| 403 Forbidden | Permission restriction | Inspect organization and project model policy. |
| 404 Not Found | Resource or route not found | Verify the exact model and endpoint. |
| 429 Too Many Requests | Rate boundary reached | Read the reset information and throttle shared work. |
| 498 Flex Tier Capacity Exceeded | Flex capacity unavailable | Use the documented later-retry or alternative processing policy. |
| 500 / 502 / 503 | Service-side failure | Check status, keep the request identifier and retry within a bounded budget. |
These are documented status labels and diagnostic summaries; the exact message can depend on the rejected request. Official documentation.
Authentication errors
The native client and the compatible endpoint both require a Groq credential. For the OpenAI client, configure Groq’s base URL and pass GROQ_API_KEY. A credential for another provider is not interchangeable. Official documentation.
Check the environment of the running process, not just the terminal used to edit the file. A deployed worker may have an older secret or a different project configuration. Test the same minimal request after the configuration change and preserve both outcomes.
Rate and quota errors
For a rate rejection, compare request and token counters and their reset windows. Groq supplies retry-after on rate-limited responses. Official documentation.
A project’s model restriction can return a permissions error with model_permission_blocked_project; an organization restriction has its own code. A replacement key does not change the policy. Official documentation.
Reaching a configured spend limit can return a bad-request response with code blocked_api_access. Inspect that billing control instead of retrying the payload as though it were a temporary rate rejection. Official documentation.
For a billing concern, inspect the actual plan and account payment state. Avoid repeatedly resubmitting a task while its admission is blocked. Queue it with a visible status or stop it cleanly.
Request validation errors
The OpenAI compatibility guide lists unsupported fields. Migrating a payload unchanged can therefore produce a validation error even if the same client library successfully connects. Official documentation.
Remove optional fields until the minimal valid request works, then restore one feature at a time. Keep the failing and corrected payload shapes without secrets. A structured-output issue should be tested against the selected model’s supported schema behavior rather than fixed with arbitrary string cleanup.
Model and context errors
Verify the exact catalog identifier and its allowed project scope. A misspelled identifier and a forbidden model are different diagnoses, even when both prevent generation. Official documentation.
For an oversized request, inspect the assembled input rather than only the user’s visible message. Retrieval results, retained conversation and tool definitions can dominate it. Preserve essential instructions when reducing input; dropping the first or last message without understanding its role can create a different failure.
Server errors and status
Groq documents server-error statuses and notes that requests returning server errors are not charged. Preserve the actual status rather than infer it from a client timeout. Official documentation.
Check Groq service status and avoid making every worker retry at once. A timeout can leave the client uncertain, so reconcile task state before blindly repeating work with side effects.
Use the key verification steps and the minimal Python script to prepare a reproducible report. The Groq hub connects the remaining operational checks.
Use the AI API cost calculator to turn the model and workload you are considering into an estimate.
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Frequently asked questions
Does every forbidden response mean the key is invalid?
What is Groq’s Flex capacity status?
Can I retry a malformed payload until it succeeds?
What should I retain for support?
Why can a small user message exceed context?
Sources
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