How to use fine-tuned LLMs from an account but billing for another account

Question

How to use fine-tuned LLMs from an account but billing for another account

starfriend 0

Hi there,

I have completed GPT finetuning (Azure openAI) and got fine-tuned LLM models though one my Azure account but which reaches its expense limit, so I want to use my another Azure account to continue work on these fine-tuned models (e.g., evaluation, continuous FT, ...) and the new expense will be only accounted in my second account, is this possible? How can I do this?

I see there is a way to transfer models, will that solve my issue, and will the transferring cause new expense in old account?

Or if there are any other approaches?

Thank you!

Pavankumar Purilla 7,110 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi starfriend,

You can move your fine-tuned Azure OpenAI models to another Azure account to ensure that all future usage and fine-tuning costs are billed to the second account. To do this, follow these steps:

Export the fine-tuned model from the original Azure OpenAI resource:

Go to the Azure portal → Azure OpenAI resource → Fine-tuned models.

  Select the fine-tuned model you want to transfer.
  
     Use the **Export** option to download the model archive.
     
     **Import the model into the new Azure account**:
     
        Sign in to your second Azure account.
        
           Ensure you have an Azure OpenAI resource set up with access to the same base model (e.g., `gpt-35-turbo` or `gpt-4`).
           
              Go to the Azure portal → Azure OpenAI resource → Fine-tuned models → Import, and upload the exported model archive.
              
              **Update your application configuration**:
              
                 Point your applications or API clients to the new resource endpoint and use the API key from the second Azure account.
                 
                 **Continue fine-tuning or evaluation in the new account**:
                 
                    Any further fine-tuning, evaluation, or inference done under the new resource will be billed to the second account.

The model transfer itself does not generate significant additional cost on the old account beyond the export operation. Note that simply sharing API keys or using service principals between accounts will not change where the costs are billed — the billing always follows the resource’s subscription.

I hope this information helps.

starfriend 0 Reputation points

2025-05-10T01:43:14.2133333+00:00

Hi Pavankumar,

Thanks for your answer. However, I don't find "export" and "import" in the interface. For example, see a screenshot below:
Pavankumar Purilla 7,110 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-12T19:44:28.2566667+00:00

Hi starfriend,

We sincerely apologize for the earlier guidance stating that fine-tuned Azure OpenAI models can be exported and imported across Azure accounts. Upon further review and validation, we’d like to clarify that the Azure OpenAI service does not currently support exporting or transferring fine-tuned models between different subscriptions or Azure OpenAI resources. Fine-tuned models are strictly tied to the Azure resource and subscription where they were created, and there are no available options in the portal or API to export and import these models. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Pavankumar Purilla 7,110 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-13T16:45:28.9866667+00:00

Hi starfriend,
Did you get any chance to check the response. Thank you!

Your answer

Pavankumar Purilla 7,110 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-09T22:01:31.5466667+00:00

Hi starfriend,

You can move your fine-tuned Azure OpenAI models to another Azure account to ensure that all future usage and fine-tuning costs are billed to the second account. To do this, follow these steps:

Export the fine-tuned model from the original Azure OpenAI resource:

Go to the Azure portal → Azure OpenAI resource → Fine-tuned models.

Select the fine-tuned model you want to transfer. Use the **Export** option to download the model archive. **Import the model into the new Azure account**: Sign in to your second Azure account. Ensure you have an Azure OpenAI resource set up with access to the same base model (e.g., `gpt-35-turbo` or `gpt-4`). Go to the Azure portal → Azure OpenAI resource → Fine-tuned models → Import, and upload the exported model archive. **Update your application configuration**: Point your applications or API clients to the new resource endpoint and use the API key from the second Azure account. **Continue fine-tuning or evaluation in the new account**: Any further fine-tuning, evaluation, or inference done under the new resource will be billed to the second account.

The model transfer itself does not generate significant additional cost on the old account beyond the export operation. Note that simply sharing API keys or using service principals between accounts will not change where the costs are billed — the billing always follows the resource’s subscription.

I hope this information helps.
starfriend 0 Reputation points

2025-05-10T01:43:14.2133333+00:00

Hi Pavankumar,

Thanks for your answer. However, I don't find "export" and "import" in the interface. For example, see a screenshot below:
Pavankumar Purilla 7,110 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-12T19:44:28.2566667+00:00

Hi starfriend,

We sincerely apologize for the earlier guidance stating that fine-tuned Azure OpenAI models can be exported and imported across Azure accounts. Upon further review and validation, we’d like to clarify that the Azure OpenAI service does not currently support exporting or transferring fine-tuned models between different subscriptions or Azure OpenAI resources. Fine-tuned models are strictly tied to the Azure resource and subscription where they were created, and there are no available options in the portal or API to export and import these models. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Pavankumar Purilla 7,110 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-13T16:45:28.9866667+00:00

Hi starfriend,
Did you get any chance to check the response. Thank you!

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How to use fine-tuned LLMs from an account but billing for another account

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