Codex 5-Hour Limit
Content updated: Sep 15, 2026
Direct answer
The Codex 5-hour limit caps your usage within a rolling five-hour window. As the window rolls forward, capacity frees up continuously — you do not wait for a fixed reset time. Your current 5-hour remaining quota and reset time are shown by the /status command in Codex.
Rolling window, not a fixed clock
A rolling window means the limit looks back five hours from now, rather than resetting at fixed times. Usage older than five hours stops counting against you, so capacity returns gradually. This is why your 5-hour reset time moves as you use Codex.
5-hour limit vs weekly limit
The 5-hour window smooths short bursts; the weekly limit caps total usage across seven days. You can have 5-hour capacity available while the weekly limit is exhausted — in that case you wait for the weekly reset. Both numbers appear in /status.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Codex 5-hour limit?
A rolling usage cap: within any five-hour window your usage is limited, and capacity returns as older usage falls out of the window.
When does the 5-hour limit reset?
Continuously, as the window rolls forward. Your /status output shows the exact time your current window frees up.
Why can I use Codex again before five hours have passed?
Because the window rolls: usage from more than five hours ago no longer counts, freeing capacity gradually rather than all at once.