Limit open pull requests for users without write access

Maintainers of open source repositories are dealing with an ever-growing volume of pull requests, including repeated low-quality or drive-by contributions that can slow triage and overwhelm review queues. To help manage this, you can now set a maximum number of open pull requests that users without write access may have open in your repository at one time, giving you a more proactive way to manage contribution volume.

If a user without write access reaches the limit, they’ll need to close or merge an existing pull request before opening another one. You can also add trusted contributors to a bypass list, allowing them to exceed the limit without being granted full collaborator access. Draft pull requests do not count towards a user’s limit.

(image: The repository settings UI for configuring a maximum number of concurrent open pull requests for users without write access)

This update can help reduce noise in busy repositories, lower unnecessary review and CI overhead, and make it easier for maintainers to focus on high-signal contributions from their community.

Leave a comment in our Community discussion with any questions or feedback.