WhatsApp Blue Tick: How to Get Meta Verified or an Official Business Account

The WhatsApp blue tick is a verified badge that appears next to a business name. You get it in one of two ways: by subscribing to Meta Verified for Business in the WhatsApp Business app, or by requesting Official Business Account (OBA) status for a number on the WhatsApp Business API. Meta Verified is a paid subscription that Meta offers to eligible businesses; OBA status is a request you make in WhatsApp Manager after meeting a short list of requirements.

Neither route is guaranteed. Meta decides who is eligible for Meta Verified and which OBA requests to approve. This guide explains both routes, what each one requires, and how to prepare so your application has the best chance.

What does the blue tick on WhatsApp mean?

The badge tells customers that WhatsApp has verified the account behind the chat. According to WhatsApp’s Help Center, verified badges mean an account has been verified based on its activity on WhatsApp and the information or documents the business has provided. A business without the badge shows as a regular Business account, which is the default for any business that signs up.

For your customers, the badge answers one question: “Is this really the company, or someone pretending to be it?” That matters most when you:

• Send payment links, order updates or account notices
• Are a brand that scammers like to impersonate
• Run campaigns where people receive your first message before they have saved your number

The badge does not change your messaging limits, template approval or pricing. It is a trust signal, not a feature unlock.

Blue tick vs green tick

If you have read older guides, you have seen the “WhatsApp green tick.” That was the previous look of the verified business badge. Meta’s current developer documentation says Official Business Account numbers have a blue checkmark beside their name. When people search for the green tick today, the blue tick is what they will get.

Meta Verified vs Official Business Account: which route is yours?

Your route depends on how your number is connected to WhatsApp. If you are not sure, read our comparison of the WhatsApp Business app vs API first.

	Meta Verified for Business	Official Business Account (OBA)
Works with	WhatsApp Business app	WhatsApp Business API (Business Platform)
How you get it	Subscribe in the app, if offered to you	Submit a request in WhatsApp Manager or through the API
Cost	Paid monthly subscription, price shown in the app	No request fee mentioned in Meta’s documentation
Who decides	Meta, based on your activity and interactions on WhatsApp	Meta reviews each request
Extras	Impersonation protection, account support, multi-device features, a business web page	Badge only
If refused	Option not shown; join the waitlist where offered	Wait 30 days, then request again

How to get Meta Verified on the WhatsApp Business app

Meta Verified for Business on WhatsApp is a paid subscription. Meta’s Help Center lists four plans, Business Standard, Business Plus, Business Premium and Business Max. Every plan includes impersonation protection and in-app support, with prioritized support on the higher tiers. The subscription also now includes assignable multi-device access, so staff can answer from linked devices, and a business web page.

Step 1: Check whether you are eligible

Open the WhatsApp Business app and look in Settings or Business tools for Meta Verified. If you don’t see it, the subscription isn’t available to you yet. Meta says plans may be limited to certain businesses or locations, and that eligibility depends on your business activity and how many interactions you have with customers on WhatsApp. The plan Meta recommends to you reflects how much support it thinks your business needs.

Step 2: Clean up your business profile first

This is the step most businesses skip and regret. After you are verified, WhatsApp locks your business name, category, address, email and website. Your profile picture is locked for 20 days, and after that you can apply to change it twice every 60 days. If you change the locked business information later, your verification is cancelled and you have to subscribe again.

Before you subscribe, check that:

1. The business name matches your real, public brand name.
2. The category, address, email and website are current.
3. Your profile picture is the logo you plan to keep.

Step 3: Subscribe and complete verification

Tap Meta Verified, pick the plan offered to you and follow the in-app steps to confirm your business details. The price is shown in the app before you pay, and it varies by plan and location, so we don’t quote a figure here.

What happens if you cancel

Cancelling removes the badge and the paid features. Meta’s Help Center notes that cancelling also unlinks all but your four most recently used linked devices and takes your business web page offline, releasing its address for others to claim. If your team relies on several linked phones, plan for that before you cancel.

How to get Official Business Account status on the WhatsApp API

If your number runs on the WhatsApp Business API (also called the WhatsApp Business Platform), the badge comes from Official Business Account status. This is the route for businesses that use a shared team inbox, chatbots or campaigns through a platform. If you haven’t connected a number yet, start with how to get the WhatsApp Business API.

OBA requirements

Meta’s current documentation lists five criteria. Your business must:

1. Comply with the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.
2. Have been registered on the WhatsApp Business Platform for at least 30 days.
3. Have a business portfolio verified through Business Verification in Meta Business Suite.
4. Have two-step verification turned on for the phone number.
5. Have an approved display name.

Meta does not grant OBA status to numbers belonging to business employees, to test accounts, or to WhatsApp Business app numbers. Meeting the criteria makes you eligible to apply; it does not guarantee approval.

How to request the blue tick in WhatsApp Manager

1. Open WhatsApp Manager and go to Overview.
2. Click the business phone number you want verified.
3. Turn on two-step verification if it isn’t on already.
4. Under Phone numbers > Profile > Official business account, click Submit Request.

You can also submit the request through the API. Meta sends a notification with the decision. If the request is denied, you can’t appeal, but you can submit a new request after 30 days. A denial doesn’t stop you from using the API, and you can still edit your profile picture, email, website and description at any time.

Get your display name approved first

Your display name is the name customers see on your WhatsApp profile. Meta’s documentation explains that it only appears at the top of chats and in the chat list once it has been approved through display name verification. Before that, customers who haven’t saved your number see the number instead.

Meta reviews names against its display name guidelines. As a rule of thumb:

• Use the name customers know you by, the same one on your website and signage.
• Avoid generic phrases (“Best Deals”, “Customer Support”) on their own.
• Keep capitalization normal, without all caps unless your brand is written that way.

Meta lets you change a display name up to 10 times in 30 days, but numbers with OBA status have to contact Meta’s direct support to change it. Settle the name before you apply.

Why the blue tick helps API numbers in particular

Meta’s documentation notes that numbers without OBA status do not appear in WhatsApp search results, although your display name still shows for people who have saved your number. For a brand that wants customers to find and trust its number, OBA status closes that gap.

Common reasons a WhatsApp verification request fails

Most rejections come down to preparation. Before you apply on either route, check this list:

• Unverified business portfolio. Business Verification in Meta Business Suite has to be complete before an OBA request.
• New number. OBA needs at least 30 days on the platform.
• Mismatched names. The display name, your legal or trading name and your website should clearly belong to the same business.
• Policy issues. Quality warnings, template rejections or restrictions suggest a policy problem. Fix the cause before applying. Our guide to a banned or restricted WhatsApp Business account covers how.
• Outdated profile. An empty description, a broken website link or a placeholder logo makes the account look unfinished.

Older articles often say you need press coverage or “notability” for the blue tick. Meta’s current OBA documentation lists the five criteria above instead. Strong public signals about your brand still help, but they are no longer the published bar.

Verify your WhatsApp number with MonoChat

MonoChat is an official Meta Business Partner and connects your number through the official WhatsApp Business API. That puts you on the Official Business Account route, and the setup work happens in the same place:

1. Create or connect your WhatsApp Business account. MonoChat guides you through connecting your Meta business account, registering the number and setting up your profile.
2. Complete Business Verification. Onboarding time depends on your Meta account status and business verification, and MonoChat helps you through the steps so you can go live as fast as possible.
3. Build a clean profile. Add the display name, description, website and logo you plan to keep.
4. Use the number for 30 days. Run real conversations from the shared inbox while you wait out the 30-day minimum.
5. Submit the OBA request in WhatsApp Manager once the criteria are met.

Already using the WhatsApp Business app on that number? With WhatsApp Coexistence you can keep the app on your phone and add the API on the same number. Meta’s OBA documentation excludes WhatsApp Business app numbers, so check in WhatsApp Manager which verification route Meta shows for your number before you apply.

What you gain while you wait

The badge is only one part of trust. Customers also judge you by how fast and consistently you answer. In MonoChat, your team answers WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and web chat from one unified team inbox, with assignment and a shared customer history. An AI assistant can reply around the clock and hand over to a person when needed.

You can start on the free Basic plan (1 agent, 1 channel) at app.monochat.ai, and compare paid plans on the pricing page.

Sources

• About Meta Verified for Business on WhatsApp (WhatsApp Help Center)
• About connecting with businesses (WhatsApp Help Center)
• Official Business Accounts (Meta for Developers)
• Display names (Meta for Developers)
• Onboard WhatsApp Business app users / Coexistence (Meta for Developers)