unexpected OpenAI API Resource Block – PermissionDeniedError 403

Question

unexpected OpenAI API Resource Block – PermissionDeniedError 403

Julian Alvarez 0

hello! i'm getting this error when hitting the OpenAI API service:

PermissionDeniedError: Error code: 403 - {'error': {'code': 'Forbidden', 'message': 'Your resource has been temporarily blocked because we detected behavior that may violate our content policy. For more details on Azure OpenAI service content policy, please visit <https://aka.ms/aoaicodeofconduct>'}}

we’re confident that our requests did not violate Azure's content policy.

there are however some medical students on our platform that may upload study material containing explicit medical terminology, but if something is truly problematic, we expect the API to deny just that request rather than block our entire resource.

i tried creating a support request via Azure portal proved impossible, seems like the portal just points me in the direction to post here. would appreciate help with this!

Sridhar M 2,675 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-11T00:54:41.8133333+00:00

Hi Julian Alvarez

Thank you for contacting the Microsoft Q&A portal. I am looking into your question and will get back to you with an answer as soon as possible.
Anshika Varshney 3,870 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-11T08:44:53.2533333+00:00
Hi **Julian Alvarez,
**Thanks for sharing the details. The PermissionDeniedError: 403 usually means the request was blocked due to behavior that might violate Azure OpenAI content policy. Even if your data seems safe, certain terms or patterns can trigger automated checks.

Here are some steps to help:

Test Requests Individually Break down your API calls and test smaller chunks. If one specific request triggers the error, adjust or remove sensitive wording.

Verify API Key and Permissions Confirm your API key is valid and has the correct permissions in the Azure Portal.

Try the Chat Playground Use the Azure OpenAI Studio Playground to replicate the request. If it fails there too, it’s likely related to the content rather than your code.

Sometimes, adding context or clarifying the purpose of medical or sensitive terms in the prompt can reduce false positives.

I hope this has been helpful!
Thankyou!
Sridhar M 2,675 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-11T20:41:17+00:00

Hi Julian Alvarez

Did you get any chance to review the above response.

Thank you!
Julian Alvarez 0 Reputation points

2025-11-12T05:18:00.7066667+00:00

thanks for the help here guys @Sridhar M @Anshika Varshney ! all my requests are failing so i can't test individual requests. i think my whole account was blocked.

as mentioned, we're a learning platform where students can upload study material and its possible there might be some explicit learning related content. we have all different types of students on the platform that upload all types of study content so it wouldn't really make senes to explicitly mention medical content in the context of the prompt. the content uploaded on our platform has always been the same so i dont understand why this just recently became an issue.

can you please look specifically into my account to see what is going on or to unblock me? i'm not sure if its safe to share account details here or if there's a private communication channel i can reach out through.
Sridhar M 2,675 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-17T17:00:44.05+00:00

Hi Julian Alvarez

please provide the details requested in private message
Sridhar M 2,675 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-18T17:23:01.94+00:00

Hi Julian Alvarez

please provide the Resource id details

1 answer

Your answer

Sridhar M 2,675 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-11T00:54:41.8133333+00:00

Hi Julian Alvarez

Thank you for contacting the Microsoft Q&A portal. I am looking into your question and will get back to you with an answer as soon as possible.
Anshika Varshney 3,870 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-11T08:44:53.2533333+00:00

Hi **Julian Alvarez,
**Thanks for sharing the details. The PermissionDeniedError: 403 usually means the request was blocked due to behavior that might violate Azure OpenAI content policy. Even if your data seems safe, certain terms or patterns can trigger automated checks.

Here are some steps to help:

Test Requests Individually Break down your API calls and test smaller chunks. If one specific request triggers the error, adjust or remove sensitive wording.

Verify API Key and Permissions Confirm your API key is valid and has the correct permissions in the Azure Portal.

Try the Chat Playground Use the Azure OpenAI Studio Playground to replicate the request. If it fails there too, it’s likely related to the content rather than your code.

Sometimes, adding context or clarifying the purpose of medical or sensitive terms in the prompt can reduce false positives.

I hope this has been helpful!
Thankyou!
Sridhar M 2,675 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-11T20:41:17+00:00

Hi Julian Alvarez

Did you get any chance to review the above response.

Thank you!
Julian Alvarez 0 Reputation points

2025-11-12T05:18:00.7066667+00:00

thanks for the help here guys @Sridhar M @Anshika Varshney ! all my requests are failing so i can't test individual requests. i think my whole account was blocked.

as mentioned, we're a learning platform where students can upload study material and its possible there might be some explicit learning related content. we have all different types of students on the platform that upload all types of study content so it wouldn't really make senes to explicitly mention medical content in the context of the prompt. the content uploaded on our platform has always been the same so i dont understand why this just recently became an issue.

can you please look specifically into my account to see what is going on or to unblock me? i'm not sure if its safe to share account details here or if there's a private communication channel i can reach out through.
Sridhar M 2,675 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-17T17:00:44.05+00:00

Hi Julian Alvarez

please provide the details requested in private message
Sridhar M 2,675 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-18T17:23:01.94+00:00

Hi Julian Alvarez

please provide the Resource id details

Answer 1

The PermissionDeniedError 403 you are encountering indicates that your resource has been temporarily blocked due to detected behavior that may violate Azure's content policy. This can occur even if you believe that your requests do not violate the policy, especially if the content being processed includes explicit terminology or sensitive subjects, such as medical terms.

In such cases, it is advisable to review the Azure OpenAI service content policy to ensure compliance. If you believe that the block is unwarranted, you can try the following steps:

Review Content: Ensure that the study material or any content being uploaded does not contain elements that could be interpreted as violating the content policy.
Contact Support: Since you mentioned difficulties in creating a support request via the Azure portal, consider reaching out through other channels such as Azure support forums or community support. Providing detailed information about your situation may help in resolving the issue.
Iterative Testing: If possible, conduct tests with different types of content to identify if specific inputs trigger the block. This may help in understanding what content is causing the issue.

If the problem persists, it may be necessary to wait for the block to be lifted or to escalate the issue through appropriate support channels.

References:

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unexpected OpenAI API Resource Block – PermissionDeniedError 403

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