# Verb :: limits
Reads current rate-limit utilization for an account by making a lightweight HTTP request to the Claude API and inspecting `anthropic-ratelimit-unified-*` response headers. Returns the current usage and ceiling for the rate-limited quota window. No local state is written.
### Nouns
| 1 | [account](../command_noun/001_account.md) | `.account.limits` | Yes | No |
### Behavioral Contract
**Pre-conditions:**
- Named account (or active account if `name::` omitted) credentials accessible in credential store
- Network reachable; Claude API endpoint accessible
- `$HOME` environment variable set
**Post-conditions:**
- Rate-limit utilization reported from live API headers
- No local files written or modified
**Side effects:**
- Makes one HTTP request to Claude API; does not consume meaningful quota (lightweight probe)
- Response headers parsed for `anthropic-ratelimit-unified-*` fields
### Idempotency
**Yes.** Pure read — fetches live API response headers. Repeated calls return the current limit state at call time; no side effects accumulate.
### Common Parameters
| `name::` | Account to check; defaults to active account | No |
| `format::` | Output format (`text` or `json`) | No |
| `trace::` | Emit diagnostic trace output | No |
### State Transition Pattern
**Reads state.** Makes HTTP request to Claude API; reads `anthropic-ratelimit-unified-*` response headers. No local writes. The account lifecycle state is unchanged.
```
[saved/active] --account.limits--> [saved/active] (state unchanged; read only)
```
### Cross-References
| [feature/013_account_limits.md](../../feature/013_account_limits.md) | Rate-limit header parsing and utilization display |
### Referenced Commands
| 1 | [`.account.limits`](../command/001_account.md#command--11-accountlimits) | Show rate-limit utilization for named account |