OpenAI’s Codex has become an essential tool for software developers of all levels. Its agentic capabilities shine brightest during sustained, deep work sessions—large refactors, complex debugging, multi-step implementations, and long-running tasks that naturally span hours rather than minutes.

We respectfully ask OpenAI, and specifically the Codex team led by Thibault Sottiaux, to reverse or substantially revise the decision to reinstate the strict 5-hour rolling usage limit for ChatGPT Plus subscribers on Codex and ChatGPT Work.

While we understand the need to manage compute resources and prevent accidental full weekly-quota burn by some users, the current 5-hour window creates serious friction for the many Plus users who treat Codex as a serious professional tool rather than a casual one. In practice, the limit often exhausts after only 10–20 minutes of intensive work with current models, even when the majority of the weekly allowance remains unused. This interrupts flow, forces artificial work schedules around reset times, and undermines one of Codex’s greatest strengths: the ability to stay focused on hard problems for extended periods.

During the temporary period when the 5-hour limit was disabled, many of us experienced a markedly better workflow: we could allocate our weekly allowance according to real project needs and personal schedules. Restoring the short window has reduced the practical value of the Plus plan and risks driving productive users toward competitors or more expensive tiers they may not need.

We propose one or more of the following constructive alternatives:

•  Permanently remove the 5-hour limit for Plus while retaining the weekly allowance and existing fair-use protections.

•  Make the 5-hour limit optional or configurable.

•  Improve real-time transparency and warnings so users can better manage consumption.

Codex has enormous potential to amplify the productivity of solo developers and small teams. A more flexible usage model for Plus would better serve that mission, strengthen user trust, and keep OpenAI competitive in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI coding tools.

We thank the Codex team for the frequent resets, efficiency improvements, and engagement with the community. We hope this feedback will help shape a more sustainable and developer-friendly policy going forward.

Sign this petition to urge OpenAI to prioritize flexible, productive access for Plus users on Codex.