GitHub Actions Blocked by Billing Error Despite No Visible Payment or Spending Limit Issue

[manchilotedu-alt]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

💬 Feature/Topic Area

ARC (Actions Runner Controller)

Discussion Details

Title

GitHub Actions blocked by billing error despite no visible payment or spending limit issue

Category

Actions → Question

Description

Hello GitHub Community,

My GitHub Actions workflows are failing before the runner starts.

The exact error is:

"The job was not started because recent account payments have failed or your spending limit needs to be increased."

I have checked the following:

• Repository Actions permissions allow all actions and reusable workflows.
• Workflow permissions are set to Read repository contents and packages.
• Retention is set to 90 days.
• I cannot find any visible spending limit warning.
• The Usage page only displays a general usage breakdown.
• The Payment information page asks for billing details, but I have not added payment information.

The failed job has "runner_id = 0" and no workflow steps were executed.

I want to remain on the GitHub Free plan and avoid any additional costs.

Could someone explain how to identify whether this is an account-level billing restriction, an Actions quota issue, or another GitHub-side problem?

Thank you.

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐

[ahmed33033]

hey, this seems to be an issue facing multiple users (including me). I made a discussion post linking some of the related issues like yours together: https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/212276

Hope to get this fixed!