Search Atlas applies a **deep freeze** policy to sites that reach certain quota thresholds. When triggered, a **14-day hold** is placed on the affected site, and in some cases an **exemption** may be available. This article explains what each term means and how to get support if your site is affected.



## 📋 What Is the Deep Freeze Quota?

The deep freeze quota is a usage or resource limit applied to a site in your Search Atlas account. When a site's activity reaches or exceeds this threshold, Search Atlas places the site in a restricted state — referred to as a **deep freeze** — to protect system stability and fair usage across all accounts.

- The freeze affects the specific site, not your entire account.
- Other sites in your workspace continue operating normally while one site is frozen.
- The exact quota threshold varies by plan and site configuration.
- Each site in your account occupies a **plan slot**. A deep-frozen site continues to hold its slot for the duration of the 14-day hold — the freeze itself does *not* immediately free that slot for a new site to be added.

## ⏱️ The 14-Day Hold Period

Once a deep freeze is triggered, a **14-day hold** is applied to the site. During this period, certain features or data refresh cycles for that site may be paused or limited. The hold is a standard cooling-off window designed to reset usage before normal activity resumes automatically.

- The hold period begins on the date the freeze is triggered.
- You will still have access to your account and all other sites during this time.
- At the end of the 14-day period, the site's quota resets and normal operations resume, unless the exemption process applies.
- Once the hold expires, the frozen site's plan slot is released — this is the point at which adding a new site to your account becomes possible if you were waiting for that slot.

## 🔓 Requesting an Exemption

An exemption may allow a site to bypass or shorten the standard 14-day hold under qualifying circumstances. Exemptions are not automatic — they require review by the Search Atlas support team.

- Exemption eligibility depends on your account plan and the reason for the freeze.
- To request an exemption, contact our team via live chat with your site URL and a brief description of your situation.
- Our team will review the request and respond with next steps, typically within one business day.
- **Note:** deleting a deep-frozen project to immediately free its plan slot is not currently supported. If you need to release a slot before the hold period expires, please reach out to support to discuss your options.

## 💬 Need More Help?

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate** to be connected with a member of our team.