How to Cancel OpenAI API Billing or Delete Your API Account
Quick answer
Cancel pay-as-you-go from Billing Overview > Cancel plan; this pauses API access but does not clear owed usage. Account deletion goes through the privacy portal.
Most likely fix: Cancel the API plan
How to fix it
Try these in order — the most common fix is first.
1. Cancel the API plan
- Settings > Billing > Overview > Cancel plan
- You need billing permission
Did this fix it?2. Delete API keys
- Delete keys in the organization and check the legacy user keys page at Settings > Profile > API keys
Did this fix it?3. Export invoices
- Download invoices from Billing history first
Did this fix it?4. Delete the account
- Use the OpenAI privacy portal or ChatGPT settings; deletion is permanent
- Business/Enterprise workspaces must go through their admin
Did this fix it?
Symptoms
You want to stop API charges or close your account.
Why it happens
- Charges from unpaid usage
- Legacy user keys still active
- Credits are non-refundable
This guide also covers
- cancel openai api
- delete openai api account
- openai api stop charges
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The same problem in other apps
All billing, cancellation & refunds guides →
- How to Cancel Claude Subscription (Anthropic Claude)
- How to Cancel Google Gemini Subscription (Google AI Plus, Pro, Ultra) (Google Gemini)
- How to Cancel Perplexity Pro or Max Subscription (Perplexity)
Other OpenAI errors
- OpenAI API 429 Too Many Requests (Rate Limit)
- OpenAI API Error: You Exceeded Your Current Quota (insufficient_quota)
- OpenAI API 401 Incorrect API Key Provided
- OpenAI API 500 and 503 Server Errors (server_is_overloaded)
- OpenAI API Request Timed Out / 504 Gateway Timeout
- OpenAI API Credits Expired or Balance Disappeared
- OpenAI "Your Organization Must Be Verified" 403 Error
- OpenAI API model_not_found: Model Does Not Exist or You Do Not Have Access