If you’re unable to place a trade or receive a rejection message in Tradovate, there is usually a specific reason behind it. Most trade rejections are related to account permissions, contract limits, trading hours, or account restrictions.
This guide covers the most common causes and how to resolve them.
1. Market Data Agreement Not Completed
One of the most common reasons traders cannot place trades is an incomplete market data setup.
To trade futures contracts, you must complete all required Tradovate market data agreements.
Possible Causes
Agreement Not Signed
If the required agreements have not been completed, market data and trading access may not be available.
Incorrect User Classification
When completing the agreements, you must select the correct account type.
If the wrong classification is selected, market data access may not be activated correctly.
Solution
Review your Tradovate agreements.
Ensure all required forms have been completed.
Contact Tradovate Support if any agreement information needs to be corrected.
2. Contract Limit Reached
Each AquaFutures account has a maximum number of contracts that can be traded at one time.
If you attempt to exceed the allowed contract limit, your order will be rejected.
Common Rejection Message
“Maximum order quantity has been reached.”
Example
If your account allows:
2 Mini Contracts
or
20 Micro Contracts
and you already have the maximum position open, any additional contracts will be rejected.
Solution
Review your currently open positions.
Reduce or close existing positions before placing additional orders.
Ensure your order size remains within your account’s contract limit.
3. Account in Liquidation Mode
If your account has breached a trading rule, trading permissions may be disabled automatically.
Common Rejection Message
“Account is set to liquidation only.”
What This Means
Your account may have triggered one of the following:
Maximum Loss Limit breach
Daily Loss Limit breach
Account liquidation event
Once liquidation mode is activated, new positions cannot be opened.
Solution
Check your AquaFutures Dashboard.
Review your account status and risk metrics.
Contact the Support Team if you believe the restriction was applied incorrectly.
4. Market Holiday or Exchange Closure
Futures markets occasionally close for public holidays or scheduled exchange maintenance.
During these periods, order placement may be unavailable.
Possible Symptoms
Orders fail to submit.
Connection timeout messages appear.
Certain instruments become unavailable.
Solution
Before trading, check:
Recent emails from AquaFutures
Official exchange holiday schedules
Community announcements and platform updates
5. Trading Outside Market Hours
Every futures contract has its own trading schedule.
If you attempt to place an order when a market is closed, the order may be rejected automatically.
Examples
Certain contracts may:
Open later than others
Close for daily maintenance periods
Have reduced trading hours on holidays
Solution
Verify that your selected instrument is currently open for trading before submitting an order.
6. Platform Connection Issues
In some cases, orders may be rejected because the platform is not fully connected.
Things to Check
Stable internet connection
Tradovate connection status
Platform updates
Account login status
A temporary connection issue can prevent orders from reaching the exchange.
How to Find the Exact Rejection Reason
Tradovate normally displays the reason for the rejection directly inside the platform.
When an order is rejected:
Open the rejection notification.
Read the displayed message carefully.
Identify the specific cause.
Follow the recommended solution.
In most cases, the rejection message provides the exact reason the order could not be processed.
Need Assistance?
If you’re still unsure why your trade was rejected, please contact the AquaFutures Support Team and provide:
Your account number
The instrument traded
A screenshot of the rejection message
Our team will review the issue and help you get back to trading as quickly as possible.