# Hold an organization's unpaid-plan escalation

> The platform_billing.holds.set operation: PUT /api/v1/platform/organizations/{orgId}/billing_hold in the REST API and the platform_billing_holds_set tool in the MCP server.

Holds the escalation of an organization whose Ownrecord subscription is unpaid (spec §37.5): while the hold
applies, the organization is at most at `stage`. Hold it where it is to stop it getting worse, hold it at
`active` to lift a restriction or suspension, or give `until` to extend the current stage to a date. The status
changes at once. The hold ends at `until`, when it is lifted (`platform_billing.holds.lift`), or when the
subscription is paid. Platform admins only; the reason is recorded in the organization's audit log.

## At a glance

- **REST:** `PUT /api/v1/platform/organizations/{orgId}/billing_hold`
- **MCP tool:** `platform_billing_holds_set`
- **Operation ID:** `platform_billing.holds.set`
- **Scope:** Platform
- **Permission:** `platform:admin`
- **Risk tier:** `write`
- **Dry run:** Supported (send `Ownrecord-Dry-Run: true`)
- **Idempotency:** `Idempotency-Key` optional
- **Modes:** Test and live
- **Authentication:** API key with the `platform:admin` scope
- **Fresh sign-in:** In the console, a sign-in within the last 15 minutes
- **Since:** M12

## Request

### Path parameters

| Field   | Type       | Description                 |
| ------- | ---------- | --------------------------- |
| `orgId` | `org_…` ID | The organization (`org_…`). |

### Body

A JSON object (`Content-Type: application/json`):

| Field    | Type                                       | Required | Description                                                                    |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `stage`  | one of `active`, `restricted`, `suspended` | Yes      | The most severe stage while the hold applies.                                  |
| `until`  | date-time                                  | No       | When the hold ends (ISO 8601, in the future); left out, it lasts until lifted. |
| `reason` | string                                     | Yes      | Why, for the audit log and the support team.                                   |

## Response

`200 OK` with a JSON object:

| Field               | Type                                                            | Description |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- |
| `object`            | `"platform_billing_hold"`                                       |             |
| `orgId`             | string                                                          |             |
| `status`            | one of `active`, `restricted`, `suspended`, `closing`, `closed` |             |
| `hold`              | object or null                                                  |             |
| `unpaidSince`       | date-time or null                                               |             |
| `stage`             | one of `active`, `restricted`, `suspended` or null              |             |
| `next`              | object or null                                                  |             |
| `billingOwnsStatus` | boolean                                                         |             |

## Examples

### Keep an organization restricted, not suspended, until a bank transfer arrives

```http
PUT /api/v1/platform/organizations/org_01jbz3m4k5n6p7q8r9s0t1v2w3/billing_hold
Authorization: Bearer or_test_…
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "stage": "restricted",
  "until": "2026-11-15T00:00:00.000Z",
  "reason": "Paying by bank transfer; payment confirmed for 10 November"
}
```

Response (`200`):

```json
{
  "object": "platform_billing_hold",
  "orgId": "org_01jbz3m4k5n6p7q8r9s0t1v2w3",
  "status": "restricted",
  "hold": {
    "stage": "restricted",
    "until": "2026-11-15T00:00:00.000Z",
    "reason": "Paying by bank transfer; payment confirmed for 10 November",
    "setBy": "usr_01jbz3m4k5n6p7q8r9s0t1v2w7"
  },
  "unpaidSince": "2026-10-05T09:12:00.000Z",
  "stage": "restricted",
  "next": {
    "stage": "suspended",
    "at": "2026-11-15T00:00:00.000Z"
  },
  "billingOwnsStatus": true
}
```

## Errors

| Code                                                                                                           | HTTP status | When                                                                        | What to do                                                                                                                                       |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| [`validation_failed`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#validation_failed)                         | 400         | The organization ID, stage, reason or date is missing or malformed.         | Fix the fields listed in `details.issues` and send the request again.                                                                            |
| [`platform_billing_hold_invalid`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#platform_billing_hold_invalid) | 400         | The hold ends in the past, or the organization's subscription isn't unpaid. | Give a reason, a stage (`active`, `restricted` or `suspended`) and, to end it automatically, an `until` in the future.                           |
| [`platform_billing_unavailable`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#platform_billing_unavailable)   | 409         | Ownrecord's plans aren't set up on this installation yet.                   | A platform admin runs `pnpm platform:bootstrap`, which creates the plans, prices and features of data/platform/plans.yaml. Try again afterwards. |
| [`resource_not_found`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#resource_not_found)                       | 404         | There is no such organization.                                              | Check the ID and that your credentials are scoped to the right organization, entity, brand and mode.                                             |
| [`permission_denied`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#permission_denied)                         | 403         | Only a platform_admin holds an organization's escalation.                   | Ask an organization owner or admin for a role or scope that allows this action.                                                                  |
| [`fresh_auth_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#fresh_auth_required)                     | 403         | Your last sign-in is older than 15 minutes: sign in again first.            | Sign in again, then repeat the action within 15 minutes.                                                                                         |

It can also return these [common errors](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference.md#common-errors): [`api_version_unsupported`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#api_version_unsupported), [`invalid_json`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#invalid_json), [`unsupported_media_type`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#unsupported_media_type), [`authentication_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#authentication_required), [`api_key_invalid`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#api_key_invalid), [`idempotency_key_reused`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#idempotency_key_reused), [`idempotency_in_progress`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#idempotency_in_progress), [`rate_limited`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#rate_limited), [`internal_error`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#internal_error).