Error Code 133016 occurs when you’ve exceeded the limit of registration or deregistration attempts for a specific business phone number in a short period. This error, with a 400 Bad Request status, is accompanied by the message, “Registration or Deregistration failed because there were too many attempts for this phone number in a short period of time.” Here's what you need to know about this error and how to handle it.

Why Does Error Code 133016 Happen?

This error happens when too many registration or deregistration requests are made for the same phone number in a short time. WhatsApp Business API imposes a limit of 10 requests per business number within a 72-hour moving window. If this limit is reached, the system blocks further registration attempts for the next 72 hours.

This measure is in place to prevent abuse and ensure that phone numbers are not repeatedly registered or deregistered in rapid succession, which could cause system instability or misuse.

What Happens When You Hit the Registration/Deregistration Rate Limit?

When you exceed the allowed number of registration attempts (10 in a 72-hour period), WhatsApp’s API will block further attempts to register or deregister the business phone number. This block will last for 72 hours, meaning you won’t be able to make any new registration or deregistration requests for that number during this time.

How to Resolve Error Code 133016

  1. The most straightforward solution is to wait until the 72-hour window resets. After this period, you can try the registration or deregistration request again.

  2. Before making multiple attempts, ensure that you actually need to register or deregister the phone number. If you're unsure, double-check the number's status and consider avoiding unnecessary requests to prevent hitting the rate limit in the future.

  3. If your previous attempts have failed or encountered issues, try to fix the root cause before reattempting the registration. Constantly retrying without addressing the issue may only extend the block.

For more troubleshooting tips or insights on how to optimize your business using WhatsApp Business API check out our other blogs at heltar.com/blogs.