Blog · WhatsApp API · 7 min read
WhatsApp green tick is now a blue tick: how business verification really works
The WhatsApp green tick is now a blue tick. Who qualifies for an Official Business Account, how to apply, how Meta Verified differs, and what it won't do.
By the ConvoBox team · ConvoBox Inc, Official Meta Tech Partner
Key takeaways
- The WhatsApp green tick for businesses is now a blue checkmark beside the business name.
- On the WhatsApp Business API, the badge comes with an Official Business Account, which you request in WhatsApp Manager.
- You need a verified business portfolio, a number registered on the platform for at least 30 days, two-step verification, an approved display name and policy compliance.
- Meta Verified is a separate paid subscription for the WhatsApp Business app, and Meta limits who can get it.
- The badge builds customer trust but doesn't raise your messaging limit, improve delivery or protect your quality rating.
- Nobody can guarantee the blue tick; if a request is denied, you must wait 30 days before trying again.
On this page
- Is the WhatsApp green tick now a blue tick?
- What's the difference between an Official Business Account and Meta Verified?
- Who qualifies for the blue tick on the WhatsApp Business API?
- How do you apply for the blue tick?
- What does the blue tick change, and what doesn't it?
- What should you do if your request is rejected?
- Do you really need the blue tick?
- How does ConvoBox help with verification?
The WhatsApp "green tick" for businesses is now a blue tick. On the WhatsApp Business API it comes with an Official Business Account (OBA), which you request in WhatsApp Manager once your number has been on the platform for at least 30 days, your business is verified, two-step verification is on and your display name is approved. On the free WhatsApp Business app, the badge comes from Meta Verified, a separate paid subscription. In both cases Meta decides, and approval is never guaranteed.
The badge tells customers your account really belongs to your business. It doesn't raise your messaging limit or make your messages deliver better, and anyone selling a "guaranteed green tick" is selling something they can't deliver. The rest of this post covers who qualifies, how to apply and what to do if Meta says no.
Is the WhatsApp green tick now a blue tick?
Yes. Meta's documentation for Official Business Accounts now describes a blue checkmark beside the business name. People still search for "WhatsApp green tick" because that's what it looked like for years, but it's the same idea: a mark that shows WhatsApp has confirmed this is the official account of a real business.
Customers see it next to your business name. That's helpful when your brand is copied by fake accounts, or when customers are about to share payment or personal details and want to be sure who they're talking to.
What's the difference between an Official Business Account and Meta Verified?
They're two different routes to a badge, for two different versions of WhatsApp. The Official Business Account is for numbers on the WhatsApp Business API. Meta Verified for business is a paid subscription inside the WhatsApp Business app.
| Official Business Account (OBA) | Meta Verified for business | |
|---|---|---|
| Works with | WhatsApp Business API numbers | The WhatsApp Business app |
| How you get it | Submit a request in WhatsApp Manager | Subscribe inside the app |
| Is it paid? | It's a request, not a subscription | Yes, a paid subscription |
| What you get | Blue checkmark beside your name | Badge, impersonation protection and access to support |
| Availability | Any API number that meets the requirements can apply | Limited by Meta; it may not show up for every account |
| Guaranteed? | No | No |
The OBA is not granted to WhatsApp Business app numbers, employees' accounts or test accounts. So if you're on the app, Meta Verified is the only badge route available to you, if Meta offers it to your account.
Which version of WhatsApp does your business use?
Look for Meta Verified in the app's settings. If it's offered to you, it's a paid subscription. If you later move the number to the API for a team inbox or automation, the badge route there is the Official Business Account, which is a separate process.
You apply for an Official Business Account in WhatsApp Manager. Check the readiness list below first. The most common thing missing is time: the number must have been registered on the platform for at least 30 days.
If you reply to customers from the WhatsApp Business app on your own phone, you're on the app. If you reply from a web dashboard that a company set up for you, or several staff reply from one number on their own logins, you're on the API.
Who qualifies for the blue tick on the WhatsApp Business API?
Meta's documentation lists five requirements, and you need all of them before you apply. Use this list to check where you stand. Your ticks are saved, so you can come back to it.
- Your business follows WhatsApp's Business Messaging Policy (opt-in, respecting opt-outs)
- Your phone number has been registered on the WhatsApp Business Platform for at least 30 days
- Your business portfolio is verified through Meta's Business Verification
- Two-step verification is turned on for the phone number
- Your display name has been approved
- Your WhatsApp profile is complete: logo, description, address, email and website
- Your website and documents show the same business name customers see on WhatsApp
The first five come from Meta. The last two aren't listed as formal requirements, but a complete, consistent profile makes your business easier to recognise and is worth doing either way.
A word on what's not on the list. You'll find plenty of articles claiming you need press coverage or a famous brand to qualify. Meta's current Official Business Account documentation doesn't list a notability requirement, so don't spend money on paid articles hoping they'll help.
How do you apply for the blue tick?
You apply from WhatsApp Manager, inside your Meta business portfolio. A provider can check that you're ready, but the decision is Meta's alone.
- Open WhatsApp Manager
Go to your Meta business portfolio and open WhatsApp Manager for your WhatsApp Business Account.
- Go to Phone numbers
Pick the number you want the badge on and open its Profile.
- Find Official business account
Choose Official business account and click Submit Request.
- Be ready for follow-up questions
Meta may ask for more information. Keep your website and official pages consistent with the name on your profile.
- Wait for Meta's decision
If the request is denied, you have to wait 30 days before you can apply again.
If you haven't connected the number to the API yet, start with our guide on how to get the WhatsApp Business API. Business verification happens during that process.
What does the blue tick change, and what doesn't it?
The blue tick changes how much customers trust that it's really you. It doesn't change how WhatsApp treats your messages.
What it helps with
- Customers can tell your real account from copies using your name and logo.
- People may feel more comfortable sharing an address or paying a link from a verified account.
- It signals that you went through Meta's checks, which can matter for high-value purchases.
What it doesn't change
- Your messaging limit. Meta's limit rules are based on business verification, sending history and quality. The badge isn't one of the criteria. Verifying your business, which you need anyway for the badge, is what can lift you from 250 to 2,000 unique customers in a moving 24 hours.
- Delivery or read rates. Meta doesn't list better delivery as a benefit of the badge.
- Template approval. Nothing in Meta's badge documentation says templates get reviewed or categorised differently.
- Your quality rating. Quality reflects how people receive your messages, so blocks and reports still count against you. See our guide to messaging limits and quality rating.
What should you do if your request is rejected?
Wait the 30 days, then fix what you can before applying again. Go back through the readiness list and check each item properly:
- Is the business portfolio actually verified, or still pending?
- Does the display name match the name on your documents and website exactly?
- Has the number been on the platform for at least 30 days?
- Is two-step verification on?
- Have you had policy problems, like messaging people who didn't opt in? Clean that up first.
While you wait, you can still build trust without the badge. Use one business number everywhere, from your website and Google listing to your invoices and shop counter. Keep your profile complete. Send messages that are clearly from you, using the customer's name and real order details, so nobody wonders who's writing.
Do you really need the blue tick?
Honestly, many small businesses do fine without it. Customers who bought from you, saved your number and get useful messages from it already trust you. The badge matters more in a few situations:
- Your brand gets copied, and fake accounts message your customers asking for payment.
- You sell high-value items where trust decides the sale, like jewellery, electronics or travel packages.
- Customers share sensitive details with you, like medical reports or financial documents.
If you're a jeweller, our page on WhatsApp for jewellery stores covers what else helps customers trust your messages. And if you're worried about the opposite problem, an account getting restricted, read how to avoid a WhatsApp business account ban.
How does ConvoBox help with verification?
ConvoBox connects your number through Meta's embedded signup and guides you through Meta business verification and your WhatsApp profile: display name, logo, description, address and website. It also shows your number's messaging tier and quality rating, which are worth watching before you apply. On the Grow and Scale plans, a specialist helps with onboarding. See the features page for details.
ConvoBox can't get you a blue tick that Meta wouldn't give you. The request goes through WhatsApp Manager, and the decision is Meta's.
Sources
7-day free trial, no credit card, hand-held onboarding.
