Maps Static API returns errors above 25,000 requests per day

To prevent unauthorized usage, in addition to your API Key, Google recommends you add a signature to each of your Maps Static API URLs. Once the URL signing secret is defined (for use with signed requests), there is a limit to the number of unsigned requests you can make each day to Maps Static API. That limit is 25,000 requests, and you may be hitting that daily quota. Note: these instructions also apply to Street View Static API.

To make more than 25,000 requests per day, you have 2 options:

1. ⚠️ Remove the signing secret from Maps Static API in your project. This will instantly restore service and allow you to make unlimited unsigned requests each day, but is less secure.
   To remove the signing secret, go to the Maps Platform Credentials page, select "Maps Static API" in the API selector (top of page) and click the “Allow unsigned usage” button.
   
   
   
   
2. 🔒 Add a signature to your requests. This is the recommended approach and will require a code change. Adding a signature to your requests can be tricky to get right, but is more secure. Use the Maps Static API signing secret for your project to generate a cryptographic signature for each request and append that to the URLs. Here are instructions and sample code for this process in the Maps Static API documentation. Note: It is recommended to sign dynamically generated URLs with server side code.
   
   
   

Our recommendation is to remove the signing secret for the short term, to restore service quickly. Then make the necessary code changes to add signatures in your next release.

References

Maps Static API - Get an API Key and Signature