# Amazon EMR cluster error: EC2 QUOTA EXCEEDED If you get an `EC2 QUOTA EXCEEDED` message, there may be several causes. Depending on configuration differences, it may take up to 5-20 minutes for previous clusters to terminate and release allocated resources. If you are getting an `EC2 QUOTA EXCEEDED` error when you attempt to launch a cluster, it may be because resources from a recently terminated cluster have not yet been released. This message can also be caused by the resizing of an instance group or instance fleet to a target size that is greater than the current instance quota for the account. This can happen manually or automatically through automatic scaling. Consider the following options to resolve the issue: + Follow the instructions in [AWS service quotas](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/general/latest/gr/aws_service_limits.html) in the *Amazon Web Services General Reference* to request a service limit increase. For some APIs, setting up a CloudWatch event might be a better option than increasing limits. For more details, see [When to set up EMR events in CloudWatch](emr-service-limits-cloudwatch-events.md). + If one or more running clusters are not at capacity, resize instance groups or reduce target capacities on instance fleets for running clusters. + Create clusters with fewer EC2 instances or reduced target capacity.