What is Cloudflare error 1015 and how do you fix it?

Error 1015 (“You are being rate limited”) appears on Cloudflare-protected sites when your IP sends too many requests within a short window. The site owner sets the threshold and the duration. The block is temporary by default, usually 15 to 60 minutes, but repeated retries during the block can extend it or escalate to a longer ban. The fastest fix is to stop sending requests, wait, and switch IP if waiting is not an option. The same error appears across many services that run behind Cloudflare, visa appointment portals like VFS Global included, and the cause and fix are identical regardless of the site.

How to fix error 1015

1. Wait it out. Stop sending requests and let the block expire. Most clear within 15 to 60 minutes. Retrying during the block window resets the timer and can extend the ban, so do not keep refreshing.
2. Switch to a different network. Mobile data gives you a different IP than your home connection and usually clears the block immediately.
3. Disconnect your VPN or proxy. Shared VPN IPs are often already rate-limited by other users on the same exit node.
4. Clear browser cache and cookies. Secondary measure. It does not change your IP, but some sites factor cookies into rate-limit counts.

If you own the site, the fix is in the Cloudflare dashboard under WAF rate-limiting rules. Raise the request threshold or extend the time window to reduce false positives.