552 5.2.2 The email account that you tried to reach is over quota

The recipient's Google storage is full, so Gmail cannot accept new mail for them. The 552 reply is permanent for this attempt, but the mailbox comes back the moment the person frees space. The link in the reply varies: OverQuotaTemp means Gmail expects it to clear soon, OverQuotaPerm that the account has been full for a while.

What the server replies

552-5.2.2 The email account that you tried to reach is over quota. Please direct 552-5.2.2 the recipient to 552 5.2.2 https://support.google.com/mail/?p=OverQuotaPerm

Sent by
Gmail
Type
PermanentRetry fails
About
Recipient problems
Enhanced code
5.2.2

Who sends it

Gmail inbound servers at the end of DATA, for personal accounts whose 15 GB shared storage (Gmail, Drive, Photos) is used up, or Workspace users who hit their plan's pooled limit.

Why it happens

  • Google Drive or Photos has consumed the shared storage, which many people do not realise counts against email.
  • The account is abandoned and has been filling with mail for months.
  • A Workspace admin reduced the storage allotment or the organisation's pooled storage ran out.

How to fix it

  1. Tell the recipient

    Nothing on your side fixes this. Reach the person another way and point them at Google One storage management; deleting large Drive files or emptying Trash is usually enough.

  2. Retry later, not immediately

    If the message matters, queue a retry in a day or two rather than hammering the address. Treat repeated 552 5.2.2 over a few weeks as a dead address.

  3. Keep the message small

    A large attachment can be the thing that tips a nearly full mailbox over. Send a link to the file instead.

Related codes

Sources

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