Robinhood Trading Error Code Order Cannot Be Submitted - Insufficient Buying Power: How to Fix It

Q: Why does Robinhood say I have insufficient buying power when I have cash in my account?

Your cash might be tied up in pending orders, unsettled trades from recent sales, or your account may have trading restrictions. Check for pending orders and wait for recent sales to settle (2 business days for stocks).

Q: How long does it take for deposited funds to become available for trading?

Robinhood typically provides up to $1,000 in instant buying power for bank transfers, available immediately. Larger amounts usually take 4-5 business days to fully clear and become available.

Q: Can I trade with unsettled funds from stock sales?

You can use unsettled funds to buy stocks, but selling those new positions before the original sale settles may result in a good faith violation. It's generally safer to wait for funds to settle before trading.

Q: What's the difference between buying power and account value?

Account value includes the total worth of your cash and investments. Buying power is specifically the amount available to purchase new securities, which includes cash plus any margin credit minus pending orders.

Q: How do I increase my buying power on Robinhood?

You can increase buying power by depositing more cash, selling existing positions (and waiting for settlement), canceling pending orders, or qualifying for Robinhood Gold margin trading for additional purchasing power.

Abstract

The 'Order Cannot Be Submitted - Insufficient Buying Power' error occurs when your Robinhood account doesn't have enough cash plus available margin to complete your trade order. This is a protective measure to prevent you from spending more money than you have available in your account.