How to get the green tick on WhatsApp — and what it actually takes
The badge is a blue checkmark now, it's free, and it isn't automatic. Here are the five boxes you have to tick — and the one most businesses fail without realising it.
Two different things, constantly confused
Meta Business Verification
Required, free and document-based. You cannot send at scale without it.
Meta's own stated turnaround: up to 14 business days.
Official Business Account — the green tick
Optional, free to apply, and shown as a blue checkmark next to your name.
A different product from Meta Verified for Business, which is a paid subscription for the WhatsApp Business app.
The five requirements Meta actually publishes
- You comply with the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.
- The number has been registered on the WhatsApp Business Platform for at least 30 days.
- The business portfolio that owns the number has passed Business Verification.
- Two-step verification is enabled on the business phone number.
- The display name on the number has been approved.
Those five are the published list. Meta's help-centre material also mentions brand notability, which the developer documentation does not list among them.
Should you even bother?
- If customers find you by searching your name inside WhatsApp, the badge is the whole game. Meta states that a number without OBA status does not appear in WhatsApp search results at all — only in the contacts of people who saved it.
- If you are under 30 days on the platform, you cannot apply yet. Build the pipeline and the templates while the clock runs.
- If a vendor is selling you a "green tick package", walk away. The application is free, and a competitor's free plan will file it for you.
- Notability appears in Meta's help-centre material but is not one of the five published criteria. Build an outside presence anyway; don't conclude you're disqualified without one.
What it does and does not change
It changes discoverability and trust. It does not gate sending, campaigns, ads or automation — you can launch today and apply later.
| Changes | Does not change |
|---|---|
| Your business name appears for unsaved contacts | Whether you can send messages at all |
| Lower block rates in high-trust categories | Meta's per-message pricing |
| A visible trust signal in the chat list | Your sending limits, which follow your quality rating |
How to apply
WhatsApp Manager → Overview → select the number → confirm two-step verification → Phone numbers → Profile → Official business account → Submit Request. If the button is not visible, the route is your provider's support channel or Meta Support.
If you apply and get declined
You can submit a new request after 30 days. A denial is a review outcome, not a ban, and your profile details stay live either way.
How LetSend handles it
We file it at no charge and chase the follow-ups. We don't sell it as a reason to choose us — anybody can submit the same form. What we add is the paperwork: display name matching your legal entity, documents right first time, and an honest answer on day one about whether you clear the five requirements yet.
Based on Meta's published documentation, checked 27 October 2026. Meta changes these rules; verify before you plan around them.