403 permission_denied

Gemini API
1

Hello Google AI / Firebase AI Logic support team,

I am receiving a persistent Gemini API permission error in both Firebase AI Logic and Google AI Studio.

Project ID: instructiveapp-f20d3
Firebase project name: InstructiveAPP
Provider: Firebase AI Logic with Gemini Developer API
Model tested in Firebase app: gemini-2.5-flash-lite
Models tested in Google AI Studio: gemini-flash-lite-latest and gemini-flash-latest

Firebase AI Logic browser Network response:
403 PERMISSION_DENIED
“Your project has been denied access. Please contact support.”

Google AI Studio error:
“Failed to generate content: permission denied.”

Verified configuration:

  • Gemini Developer API is enabled.
  • Firebase AI Logic API is enabled.
  • Browser key matches Firebase web apiKey.
  • Browser key allows Firebase AI Logic API.
  • Gemini Developer API key auto-created by Firebase exists and allows Gemini API.
  • Firebase AI Logic is configured with Gemini Developer API, not Vertex AI.
  • Template-only mode is not applied.
  • App Check initializes correctly.

Please review and unlock Gemini API access for this project/account.

2

Hello @Evan_Somnium ,

Getting a 403 API error response and / or seeing “Unavailable” next to your project in AI audio indicates a flag has been placed on your account. To proceed:

  1. Check for banners / error callouts in the AI Studio Projects page & the Billing page.

  2. If the issue isn’t clear from the above, contact Cloud Billing Support.

3

Hello,

I checked both pages as suggested.

On the AI Studio Projects page, my project shows:

Project: InstructiveAPP
Project ID: instructiveapp-f20d3
Billing level: Configure billing
Status: Not available

On the Billing page, it shows:

“There is no billing account.”

I do not see any red banner, error callout, or clear explanation saying the project/account is flagged.

Could you please clarify whether:

  1. This 403 permission_denied is caused only by missing billing, or by an account/project flag?
  2. Is billing mandatory to use the Gemini API Free Tier?
  3. Is there a way to unblock or review the account/project without adding a personal credit card?
  4. Where exactly should the warning/banner appear in AI Studio if the account/project is flagged?

I prefer not to add a personal credit card just to test Free Tier access.

Project ID: instructiveapp-f20d3

Firebase AI Logic error:
403 PERMISSION_DENIED
“Your project has been denied access. Please contact support.”

Google AI Studio error:
“Failed to generate content: permission denied.”

Thank you.

unifi
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