# Avoid pattern day trading protection?

**URL:** <https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/avoid-pattern-day-trading-protection/1569>\
**Category:** Alpaca Trading\
**Created:** [May 24, 2020, 9:23am UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/avoid-pattern-day-trading-protection/1569 "2020-05-24T09:23:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tjoignant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@tjoignant](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/tjoignant)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 9:23am UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/avoid-pattern-day-trading-protection/1569/1 "2020-05-24T09:23:32Z")

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Hi !

I recently started to code a trading algorithm bot using alpaca to send bracket orders (on a paper tradings account for now since I am currently in Europe).

My strategy is based on a 30 minutes timeframe and results in multiple orders being placed every day (each one with a with stop loss and take profit).  
Therefore I quickly was stopped due to pattern day trading protection.

I know that if you have more than 25,000 dollars on your account this is not an issue, but I want to simulate my strategy with my future portfolio amount (which is much less…).

Is there a way to avoid this “protection” without having 25,000$ ? Is there a type of market where it doesn’t apply ? Should I avoid using bracket orders ?

Any help with this matter will be greatly appreciated.  
I’ll also be more than happy to discuss trading strategies.

Thanks !  
Theo

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**Author:** ![RiSaMa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dfb087/32.png) [@RiSaMa](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/RiSaMa)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 9:47pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/avoid-pattern-day-trading-protection/1569/2 "2020-06-25T21:47:33Z")

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Hi tjoignant,

I am starting in this world and I have more questions than answers. However, [here](https://www.warriortrading.com/how-to-get-around-the-pdt-rule/) you can find some well-described insights that might help you find out your doubts.

I would like to add one more question for the community that is in relation to yours. **As European, living in Europe (i.e., UK), can we use Alpaca and avoid PDT?**

Thank you

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**Author:** ![tjoignant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@tjoignant](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/tjoignant)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/avoid-pattern-day-trading-protection/1569/3 "2020-06-29T21:03:42Z")

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Hi RiSaMa

Appreciate your answer. I figured out that there is no way to avoid the PDT rule (without funding the account with more than 25,000$) because “all Alpaca Accounts are Margin accounts and that we currently do not support cash accounts” : [https://alpaca.markets/learn/pattern-day-trader/](https://alpaca.markets/learn/pattern-day-trader/)

Hopefully in a near future …