diff --git a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/litellm_logging.py b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/litellm_logging.py
index c73d914e6cc..7c1542a204b 100644
--- a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/litellm_logging.py
+++ b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/litellm_logging.py
@@ -5159,12 +5159,23 @@ class StandardLoggingPayloadSetup:
         # Get additional error details
         error_message = str(original_exception)
 
+        # For rate-limit errors (litellm.RateLimitError + the proxy-side
+        # ProxyRateLimitError subclass), surface the unified `category` field
+        # so callbacks can distinguish vendor vs. litellm rate limits without
+        # reaching for the raw exception object.
+        rate_limit_category: Optional[str] = (
+            getattr(original_exception, "category", None)
+            if original_exception is not None
+            else None
+        )
+
         return StandardLoggingPayloadErrorInformation(
             error_code=error_status,
             error_class=error_class,
             llm_provider=_llm_provider_in_exception,
             traceback=traceback_info,
             error_message=error_message if original_exception else "",
+            error_rate_limit_category=rate_limit_category,
         )
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/litellm/types/utils.py b/litellm/types/utils.py
index 400edcac889..832ed12236c 100644
--- a/litellm/types/utils.py
+++ b/litellm/types/utils.py
@@ -2697,6 +2697,16 @@ class StandardLoggingPayloadErrorInformation(TypedDict, total=False):
     llm_provider: Optional[str]
     traceback: Optional[str]
     error_message: Optional[str]
+    error_rate_limit_category: Optional[str]
+    """
+    For 429 / rate-limit errors, the source of the rate limit. One of the
+    string values defined by :class:`litellm.exceptions.RateLimitErrorCategory`
+    (``vendor_rate_limit``, ``vendor_batch_rate_limit``, ``litellm_rate_limit``,
+    ``litellm_batch_rate_limit``). ``None`` for non-rate-limit exceptions.
+
+    Surfaced here so custom callbacks / metrics consumers can switch on the
+    rate-limit source without reaching for the raw exception.
+    """
 
 
 class GuardrailMode(TypedDict, total=False):