# "trade denied due to pattern day trading protection" - not sure why I get this error

**URL:** <https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/trade-denied-due-to-pattern-day-trading-protection-not-sure-why-i-get-this-error/2318>\
**Category:** Alpaca Trading\
**Created:** [August 10, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/trade-denied-due-to-pattern-day-trading-protection-not-sure-why-i-get-this-error/2318 "2020-08-10T16:07:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sks2020](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@sks2020](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/sks2020)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/trade-denied-due-to-pattern-day-trading-protection-not-sure-why-i-get-this-error/2318/1 "2020-08-10T16:07:51Z")

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I am using the REST API for paper trading (setup with $2,000 account balance) and I see the following error response :-

ALPACA order request (BUY):  
`{'symbol': 'NIO', 'qty': 10, 'side': 'buy', 'type': 'limit', 'limit_price': 13.92, 'time_in_force': 'day', 'order_class': 'bracket', 'take_profit': {'limit_price': 13.959861396981603}, 'stop_loss': {'stop_price': 13.880138603018397}}`

ALPACA order response (BUY):  
`{'code': 40310100, 'message': 'trade denied due to pattern day trading protection'}`

Can someone help me understand what is going on here ?

This is not the first time I am seeing this since morning and I am losing a lot of trades because of this.

TIA.

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**Author:** ![Jason\_Bohne\_Alpaca](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.alpaca.markets/jason_bohne_alpaca/32/1104_2.png) [@Jason\_Bohne\_Alpaca](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/Jason_Bohne_Alpaca)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/trade-denied-due-to-pattern-day-trading-protection-not-sure-why-i-get-this-error/2318/2 "2020-08-10T17:56:30Z")

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Hey @sks2020

I know accounts can get flagged for PDT if they make 4 or more day trades over the last 5 trading days. Since your account is below the $25,000 limit for PDT perhaps this is the case for you.

Here is a link to more information concerning PDT  
[https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/patterndaytrader.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/patterndaytrader.asp)

Jason