Order rejected for margin in Tradovate

What is causing it

Futures margin is set per contract and changes between the intraday session and the overnight session. The overnight requirement is typically far higher than the day-trading requirement.

Why this happens

Brokers offer reduced intraday margin on the understanding that positions are closed before the session ends. Once the overnight requirement takes effect, the same position needs considerably more capital, so orders that would add to it are rejected.

Requirements are also set per account, not just per product. Your broker or funding firm can set them above the exchange minimum, and often does.

The fix, step by step

1. Check the margin requirement for that specific contract, and note both the day and the overnight figures, since they are very different numbers.
2. Check the time. As the session moves towards the close, the higher overnight requirement applies, and a size that was fine an hour earlier will be refused.
3. Reduce the contract quantity to fit the requirement that currently applies.
4. Check whether any of your available balance is already committed to other positions or to working orders.
5. If the account is funded or under evaluation, check the firm's own maximum position size, which may be lower than what the margin alone would allow.
6. If the numbers still do not add up, ask your broker or firm to explain the requirement applied to your account, as it can be set higher than the exchange minimum.

How to confirm it is fixed

A correctly sized order is accepted, and you can state the day and overnight margin figures for the contract you trade.

Stopping it happening again

Know both margin figures for your products and the time at which the higher one starts to apply, then size so that a session boundary never forces a decision.