BigQuery: How to Enable Billing (Error 403)

Symptoms

When trying to run a pipeline with a BigQuery destination, the pipeline fails with the following error message:

403 Billing has not been enabled for this project

Or variations such as:

Access Denied: BigQuery BigQuery: Billing is not enabled for this project
Billing has not been enabled for this project. Enable billing at https://console.cloud.google.com/billing

This error occurs when the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) project does not have billing enabled, which prevents BigQuery from processing data.

Cause

BigQuery offers a Sandbox mode that lets you use the service without setting up billing. However, the Sandbox has important limitations:

Tables automatically expire after 60 days
Limit of 10 GB of storage
Limit of 1 TB of query processing per month
API write operations (INSERT, LOAD) may be blocked

Kondado needs to perform write operations to load data into BigQuery, which is why billing must be enabled on the GCP project.

Solution

Step 1: Access the Google Cloud Console

Go to console.cloud.google.com
Sign in with the same Google account you used to create the BigQuery project
Select the correct project from the project selector (top menu)

Step 2: Enable billing

In the side menu, click Billing
If no billing account is linked, click "Link a billing account"
If you don't have a billing account yet:
- Click "Create billing account"
- Fill in the payment details (credit or debit card)
- Confirm the creation
Select the billing account and link it to the project

Step 3: Verify activation

After linking, go back to the BigQuery Console
Check that the project appears without billing warnings
In Kondado, click Test Connection on the BigQuery destination to confirm

Step 4: Re-run the pipeline in Kondado

Go to app.kondado.com.br
Navigate to the pipeline that had the error
Wait for the next automatic execution, or trigger it manually

BigQuery costs

Enabling billing does not mean you will be charged immediately. Google Cloud offers:

Monthly free tier: 10 GB of storage + 1 TB of query processing for free
Initial credits: New customers receive $300 in credits to use within 90 days
On-demand billing: You are only charged when you exceed the free limits

For most Kondado customers, using BigQuery as a destination stays within the free tier or generates very low costs (less than $5/month).

FAQ

Do I need to pay to use BigQuery with Kondado?

You need to enable billing (register a card), but Google Cloud's free tier is usually sufficient for most use cases. Enabling billing does not automatically generate charges.

What if I use BigQuery with a Service Account?

Billing must be enabled on the project, regardless of the authentication method (OAuth or Service Account). See our article on BigQuery Service Account for setup details.

The error appeared suddenly — it was working before!

Possible causes:

The payment method expired or was removed from the billing account
The billing account was unlinked from the project
The project was moved to an organization with different billing policies

Check your GCP billing dashboard to confirm the project is linked to an active account.

Still having issues? Open a support chat with your pipeline ID and a screenshot of the error.

Enable BigQuery Billing to Fix Error 403

Step-by-step guide to resolve the 403 Billing error when using BigQuery as a destination in Kondado by enabling billing on your Google Cloud project.

Access the Google Cloud Console

Go to console.cloud.google.com and sign in with the same Google account used for your BigQuery project. Select the correct project from the top menu project selector.

Enable billing for the project

In the side menu, click Billing. If no billing account exists, create one by clicking "Create billing account" and filling in your payment details. Then link the billing account to your project.

Verify billing activation

Return to the BigQuery Console and confirm the project shows no billing warnings. In Kondado, click Test Connection on your BigQuery destination to confirm the fix worked.

Re-run your pipeline in Kondado

Navigate to app.kondado.com.br, find the pipeline that failed with error 403, and trigger a manual run or wait for the next automatic execution. For more on connecting data to analytics tools, see data to dashboards.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to pay to use BigQuery with Kondado?▼

You need to enable billing (register a card), but Google Cloud's free tier is usually sufficient for most use cases. The monthly free tier includes 10 GB of storage and 1 TB of query processing, and new customers receive $300 in credits for 90 days. For most Kondado customers, costs stay within the free tier or remain very low.

Why does Kondado require billing enabled when BigQuery has a Sandbox mode?▼

BigQuery Sandbox has limitations including 60-day table expiration, 10 GB storage limit, and blocked API write operations like INSERT and LOAD. Kondado needs to perform write operations to load your data into BigQuery, which is why billing must be enabled on the GCP project.

What if I use BigQuery with a Service Account instead of OAuth?▼

Billing must be enabled on the project regardless of the authentication method—whether OAuth or Service Account. The billing requirement applies at the project level, not the user level.

The error appeared suddenly even though it was working before. What happened?▼

Common causes include: an expired or removed payment method on the billing account, the billing account being unlinked from the project, or the project being moved to an organization with different billing policies. Check your GCP billing dashboard to confirm the project is linked to an active account.

How much will BigQuery cost with Kondado?▼

For most Kondado customers, using BigQuery as a destination stays within the free tier or generates very low costs—typically less than $5/month. You are only charged when you exceed the free limits, and on-demand billing means no charges until then.

Written by

Thassyo Pereira·Published 2026-04-13·Updated 2026-04-25