OrderSend Error 134 in MT4/MQL4: Not Enough Money Fix

OrderSend Error 134 in MT4/MQL4 means that the account does not have enough free margin to open the requested trade. The MQL4 error name is ERR_NOT_ENOUGH_MONEY.

The lot size itself may be valid, but the account cannot support that position size under the current margin conditions. This commonly happens when the EA requests a large lot size, existing positions already use margin, or the tested symbol requires more margin than expected.

What Does OrderSend Error 134 Mean?

• Error code: 134
• Error name: ERR_NOT_ENOUGH_MONEY
• Meaning: Not enough money

Error 134 means that MT4 or the trade server rejected the order because there was not enough available margin to support the requested position.

int ticket = OrderSend(
    Symbol(),
    OP_BUY,
    Lots,
    Ask,
    Slippage,
    StopLoss,
    TakeProfit,
    "buy order",
    Magic,
    0,
    clrBlue
);

Even when Lots satisfies the symbol’s minimum lot, lot step, and maximum lot rules, the order can still fail if the account does not have enough free margin.

Common Causes of OrderSend Error 134

Check Account Free Margin

You can inspect the current account margin status with the standard MQL4 account functions.

Print("Balance=", AccountBalance());
Print("Equity=", AccountEquity());
Print("Margin=", AccountMargin());
Print("FreeMargin=", AccountFreeMargin());
Print("Leverage=", AccountLeverage());

The most important value for a new trade is AccountFreeMargin(), which shows the currently available free margin.

However, checking the current free-margin value alone does not tell you exactly whether a specific new order can be opened. For that, AccountFreeMarginCheck() is more useful.

Use AccountFreeMarginCheck Before OrderSend

AccountFreeMarginCheck() estimates the free margin that would remain after opening a specified trade.

double freeMarginAfterTrade =
    AccountFreeMarginCheck(
        Symbol(),
        OP_BUY,
        Lots
    );

If the requested trade cannot be supported, the function can indicate insufficient margin and Error 134 can be generated.

MQL4 Code Example: Check Margin Before Trading

The following helper function checks margin before the EA calls OrderSend().

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Check whether the account can support a new market order         |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
bool HasEnoughMargin(string symbol,
                     int orderType,
                     double lots)
{
    if(lots <= 0)
    {
        Print("HasEnoughMargin: invalid lot size: ", lots);
        return false;
    }

    if(orderType != OP_BUY &&
       orderType != OP_SELL)
    {
        Print("HasEnoughMargin: unsupported order type: ",
              orderType);
        return false;
    }

    ResetLastError();

    double freeMarginAfterTrade =
        AccountFreeMarginCheck(
            symbol,
            orderType,
            lots
        );

    int err = GetLastError();

    if(err == 134)
    {
        Print("Not enough money.",
              " Lots=", lots,
              " FreeMargin=", AccountFreeMargin(),
              " FreeMarginAfterTrade=", freeMarginAfterTrade);

        return false;
    }

    if(freeMarginAfterTrade <= 0)
    {
        Print("Insufficient free margin.",
              " Lots=", lots,
              " FreeMarginAfterTrade=", freeMarginAfterTrade);

        return false;
    }

    return true;
}

Usage example:

double lots = 0.10;

if(!HasEnoughMargin(
       Symbol(),
       OP_BUY,
       lots))
{
    Print("Trade skipped because margin is insufficient.");
    return;
}

RefreshRates();

double price =
    NormalizeDouble(Ask, Digits);

ResetLastError();

int ticket = OrderSend(
    Symbol(),
    OP_BUY,
    lots,
    price,
    Slippage,
    0,
    0,
    "buy order",
    Magic,
    0,
    clrBlue
);

if(ticket < 0)
{
    int err = GetLastError();

    Print("OrderSend failed. Error=", err,
          " Lots=", lots,
          " FreeMargin=", AccountFreeMargin());
}

Validate the Lot Size Before Checking Margin

Before checking margin, first make sure that the requested trade volume itself is valid.

Check:

• MODE_MINLOT
• MODE_LOTSTEP
• MODE_MAXLOT

For example, a lot size of 0.015 may already be invalid if the symbol accepts only 0.01 steps. That is an Error 131 problem, not an Error 134 problem.

A practical order-validation sequence is:

1. Calculate the intended lot size.
2. Validate MINLOT, LOTSTEP, and MAXLOT.
3. Check available margin with AccountFreeMarginCheck().
4. Refresh the market price.
5. Send the order.

Error 131 and Error 134 Are Different

Both errors can appear when an EA uses an inappropriate position size, but they mean different things.

For example:

Broker lot step = 0.01
Requested lot   = 0.015

This is primarily a volume-rule problem and may result in Error 131.

On the other hand:

Broker lot step = 0.01
Requested lot   = 5.00
Lot itself      = valid
Free margin     = insufficient

This is an Error 134 situation.

MODE_MARGINREQUIRED Can Be Used as a Reference

MQL4 also provides MODE_MARGINREQUIRED through MarketInfo().

double marginPerLot =
    MarketInfo(
        Symbol(),
        MODE_MARGINREQUIRED
    );

double estimatedMargin =
    marginPerLot * Lots;

Print("MarginRequiredPerLot=", marginPerLot);
Print("EstimatedMargin=", estimatedMargin);

This can be useful when inspecting the symbol’s margin conditions.

Should the EA Automatically Reduce the Lot Size?

One possible response to insufficient margin is to reduce the lot size until the order becomes affordable. However, that behavior changes the position size selected by the original strategy.

For example, if a risk-management rule calculated:

Requested lot = 0.50

and the EA silently changes it to:

Actual lot = 0.17

the trade no longer follows the original sizing decision.

If automatic reduction is intentionally part of the strategy, validate the final lot again against:

• MODE_MINLOT
• MODE_LOTSTEP
• MODE_MAXLOT
• AccountFreeMarginCheck()

Automatic Lot Calculations Can Cause Error 134

Risk-based lot sizing is one of the most common places where Error 134 appears.

For example:

double riskMoney =
    AccountBalance() * RiskPercent / 100.0;

double lots =
    riskMoney / lossPerLot;

The mathematical result may be valid, but the resulting lot size can still require more margin than the account currently has available.

Therefore, a risk-based position-sizing process should normally perform two separate validations:

1. Volume validation — is the lot valid for the symbol?
2. Margin validation — can the account support that lot right now?

Existing Positions Can Reduce Available Margin

An EA may successfully open one trade and then receive Error 134 on the next entry even though the lot calculation has not changed.

This can happen because existing positions already consume account margin.

Print("Margin=", AccountMargin());
Print("FreeMargin=", AccountFreeMargin());
Print("OpenOrders=", OrdersTotal());

This is especially important for strategies that can hold multiple positions, including:

• Grid EAs
• Martingale or position-increase strategies
• Multi-symbol EAs
• Strategies that allow simultaneous Buy and Sell positions

For these EAs, perform the margin check immediately before every new order instead of checking only when the EA starts.

Error 134 in MT4 Strategy Tester

OrderSend Error 134 can also occur during an MT4 Strategy Tester backtest.

The EA logic may be functioning correctly while the simulated account no longer has enough free margin for the requested trade.

Check:

• Initial deposit
• Account currency
• Leverage used by the test environment
• Fixed lot setting
• Automatic lot calculation
• Number of simultaneous positions
• Margin conditions of the tested symbol

How to Debug OrderSend Error 134

When Error 134 occurs, print the actual lot size and the account margin state immediately before the trade request.

double lots = Lots;

double freeMargin =
    AccountFreeMargin();

double marginPerLot =
    MarketInfo(
        Symbol(),
        MODE_MARGINREQUIRED
    );

ResetLastError();

double freeMarginAfterTrade =
    AccountFreeMarginCheck(
        Symbol(),
        OP_BUY,
        lots
    );

int marginCheckError =
    GetLastError();

Print("Lots=", lots);
Print("Balance=", AccountBalance());
Print("Equity=", AccountEquity());
Print("Margin=", AccountMargin());
Print("FreeMargin=", freeMargin);
Print("Leverage=", AccountLeverage());
Print("MarginRequiredPerLot=", marginPerLot);
Print("FreeMarginAfterTrade=", freeMarginAfterTrade);
Print("MarginCheckError=", marginCheckError);

A practical troubleshooting order is:

1. Confirm that the actual error is 134.
2. Print the lot size passed to OrderSend().
3. Confirm that the volume itself is valid.
4. Print AccountFreeMargin().
5. Run AccountFreeMarginCheck() with the exact order type and lot size.
6. Check whether existing positions are already using margin.
7. Review any automatic position-sizing calculation.
8. In Strategy Tester, review deposit and account conditions.

Error 129 vs 130 vs 131 vs 134

Related MQL4 OrderSend Guides

FAQ About OrderSend Error 134

Summary

OrderSend Error 134 in MT4/MQL4 is ERR_NOT_ENOUGH_MONEY. It means that the account cannot support the requested trade under the current margin conditions.

• Error 134 means Not Enough Money.
• Validate the lot size before performing the margin check.
• Use AccountFreeMargin() to inspect the current account state.
• Use AccountFreeMarginCheck() before a specific trade request.
• MODE_MARGINREQUIRED can be useful as a margin reference.
• Existing positions can reduce the free margin available for new entries.
• Automatic position sizing should be checked for both valid volume and sufficient margin.
• Do not silently reduce the intended lot unless that behavior is part of the strategy.
• Error 131 concerns volume rules; Error 134 concerns margin availability.

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