New AWS Free Tier account cannot create tutorial instances or applications, due to vcpu limit of 1

Question

I am trying to create an AWS setup for school to create a simple Elastic Beanstalk app using Python and Flask for a simple class assignment. When I try to create a simple environment using my free tier options for a t3.micro (2 vcpu) instance the instance creation fails with a vcpu limit of 1 error. If I try to create the application directly and then create the environment, it also fails with a vcpu limit 1 error.

I then tried the EC2 tutorial to create an instance and it also failed with a vcpu limit 1 error. Amazon Q directed me to ask for an increased quota for "Running On-Demand Standard (A, C, D, H, I M, R, T, Z) instances. My case was denied by AWS support saying I don't need the increase as it doesn't need to ramp up that much.

I'm at a loss as to what to do. I can't even create a tutorial instance or application.  I feel like I'm missing something as it shouldn't be this difficult to get something so basic started.

![Vcpu Limit Error](/media/postImages/original/IMpuICwf_US9iHS54Nj-nICA)

re:Post Agent · Answer

The issue you're experiencing is related to your AWS account's vCPU limit, which is currently set to 1. This limit is in place to protect Free Tier users from unintentionally incurring costs by running multiple instances.

There seems to be a misunderstanding about the instance type you're trying to use. A t3.micro actually has 2 vCPUs, which exceeds your current limit of 1 vCPU. This is why you're encountering the error when trying to create your Elastic Beanstalk environment or EC2 instance.

Here are some steps to resolve this issue:

1. Request a quota increase: Go to the AWS Service Quotas console, navigate to the Amazon EC2 section, and look for "Running On-Demand Standard (A, C, D, H, I, M, R, T, Z) instances". Request an increase for that specific quota. Since your previous request was denied, provide more specific details about your educational use case.

2. Try a different instance type: Consider using a t2.micro instance instead, which has 1 vCPU and is also Free Tier eligible. This should work within your current vCPU limit.

3. Check for running instances: Ensure you don't have any other instances running or in a stopping state that might be consuming your vCPU quota.

4. Consider region-specific limits: Try creating your resources in a different AWS region, as vCPU limits can vary by region.

5. Wait and retry: If you've recently terminated instances, there might be a delay in freeing up resources. Wait a short while and try again.

For Elastic Beanstalk specifically, you might need to specify an instance type that fits within your vCPU limit when creating your environment.

If you continue to face issues after trying these steps, it would be worth contacting AWS Support again with a more detailed explanation of your educational requirements.  
**Sources**  
[Unable to create more than one EC 2 instance | AWS re:Post](https://repost.aws/questions/QUMjfyszsyRIuCAoAa6O9zgg/unable-to-create-more-than-one-ec-2-instance)  
[problem in creating Amazon EC2 instance | AWS re:Post](https://repost.aws/questions/QU21Q69g5gSC-AutE6kiH3iw/problem-in-creating-amazon-ec2-instance)

New AWS Free Tier account cannot create tutorial instances or applications, due to vcpu limit of 1

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