Key takeaways
- WhatsApp's verified badge for businesses is blue, not green, in Meta's current documentation (checked November 2026).
- API numbers request Official Business Account status in WhatsApp Manager. Meta lists no fee, and there are five eligibility rules.
- WhatsApp Business app numbers get a badge through a paid Meta subscription (Meta Verified, now part of Meta One business plans).
- A badge doesn't raise your messaging limit or replace opt-in. You can send official broadcasts from day one without it.
- Social Intents doesn't sell verification. We connect you to the official API that makes you eligible to apply.
On this page
Is there still a WhatsApp green tick?
For years, a WhatsApp green tick next to a company name meant the account belonged to a verified brand. People still search for it, and plenty of agencies still sell "green tick applications". The design has moved on. As of November 2026, Meta's developer documentation says Official Business Account numbers have a blue checkmark beside their name, and the paid Meta Verified program also uses a blue badge.[1]
So when someone asks how to get the green tick on WhatsApp Business, the honest answer is: you are looking for the WhatsApp verified badge, it is blue, and the way you get it depends on whether your number runs on the WhatsApp Business app or on the WhatsApp Business Platform (the API).
Getting the route right matters. Business owners regularly spend weeks collecting documents for a badge their type of number can't receive, or pay a third party for an "application" they could have submitted themselves in a few clicks.
Two routes to a verified badge, side by side
Meta runs two separate programs. They both end in a blue checkmark, but they are built for different kinds of numbers and they work differently.
| Feature | Official Business Account | Meta Verified / Meta One |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Numbers on the WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API) | Numbers on the WhatsApp Business app |
| What it costs | Meta's documentation lists no fee | Paid monthly subscription; Meta One Essential starts at $14.99/month in Meta's announcement |
| How you get it | Submit a request in WhatsApp Manager or by API; Meta reviews it | Subscribe in the app, then pass Meta's identity and business checks |
| Key requirements | Verified business portfolio, 30+ days on the platform, two-step verification, approved display name, policy compliance | Eligibility and document checks set by Meta; varies by country |
| Where customers see it | Next to your name in the contacts view; OBA numbers also appear in WhatsApp search | Business profile, chats, Calls tab, context cards and incoming calls, per Meta |
| If you're denied | Request again after 30 days | Follow the in-app guidance and resubmit |
Requirements and prices as published by Meta and checked in November 2026. Meta can change them at any time.
WhatsApp business verification: getting the badge on the API
An Official Business Account (OBA) is a business phone number that Meta has verified as belonging to an authentic business. Meta grants it to numbers that meet all of its criteria: the business follows the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy, has been registered on the platform for at least 30 days, owns the number through a verified business portfolio, has two-step verification switched on and has an approved display name.[1] Here is the order we recommend.
- 1
Move your number to the WhatsApp Business Platform
OBA status is only for API numbers. Meta does not grant it to WhatsApp Business app numbers, employee accounts or test numbers. If you want to keep using the app on the same number, coexistence lets you run both.
- 2
Verify your business portfolio
Complete Business Verification in Meta Business Suite with your legal business name, address and supporting documents. Verification is also one of Meta's scaling paths for lifting your messaging limit from 250 to 2,000 unique customers per rolling 24 hours.
- 3
Turn on two-step verification
Set a six-digit PIN on the business phone number in WhatsApp Manager. Meta requires it before you can request the badge.
- 4
Get your display name approved
Use a name that matches your brand exactly as it appears on your website and signage. Meta reviews it against its display name guidelines.
- 5
Build 30 days of clean history
The number must be registered on the platform for at least 30 days. Send messages people asked for, honor opt-outs and keep your quality rating healthy.
- 6
Submit the request
In WhatsApp Manager, open the phone number, go to Profile and choose Submit Request under Official business account. Meta notifies you of the decision.
Meta notes that if you meet the criteria but don't see the request option in WhatsApp Manager, you can ask your Meta contact, your solution provider's support or Meta Support to check eligibility. OBA numbers also show up when people search WhatsApp for a business they haven't saved, which ordinary API numbers don't.[1]
Display name approval: the step that comes first
Every number on the WhatsApp Business Platform has a display name, the business name customers see on your profile. On the API, Meta verifies that name automatically when your number reaches a higher messaging limit. Once it's approved, the name can also appear at the top of chat threads and in the chat list.[2]
This is where the API and the badge connect. An approved display name is a requirement for OBA, and the fastest path to a higher messaging limit is completing business verification and sending messages people want. In other words, the same habits that get your campaigns delivered also get you ready to apply.
Display name rules worth knowing
- Match the brand name customers already know from your website and storefront. Meta's display name guidelines expect the name to clearly represent your business.
- If a name is declined, edit it to fit the guidelines or appeal through Meta's developer support.
- You can change a display name up to 10 times in 30 days. After approval you have 14 days to re-register the number.
- Once you hold OBA status, name changes go through Meta's direct support, so settle on the final name before you apply.
Meta Verified for WhatsApp Business (the app route)
If your number lives on the free WhatsApp Business app, OBA isn't available to you. Your route is Meta Verified for Business, a paid subscription. Meta says the badge confirms it has verified that you are who you say you are, and it can appear on your business profile, in chats, in the Calls tab, on context cards and on incoming calls. The subscription also includes impersonation protection, enhanced support and extra tools such as more linked devices and a verified channel.[3]
On September 15, 2026, Meta introduced Meta One subscription plans. The business Essential plan, listed as starting at $14.99 per month, includes a verified badge, a verified WhatsApp channel and impersonation protection, pending successful verification. Higher plans (Advanced from $49.99, Expert from $149 and Max from $499 per month) add more tools, including more linked devices and business broadcast credits on WhatsApp. Meta says plans, prices and availability vary by region, app and account.[4]
A paid app badge is a reasonable choice for a small shop that only chats from a phone. Once you need several agents, automation or broadcasts to more than a few hundred people, the API is usually the better foundation, and it's the route that leads to OBA.
Which WhatsApp badge can your business get?
Answer two quick questions to see the route that fits your number today.
What the verified badge will and won't do
A badge helps a stranger trust you on first contact. That's valuable, especially in markets where impersonation scams are common. It is not a growth lever on its own, and four misconceptions cost businesses money.
It doesn't raise your messaging limit
Limits start at 250 unique customers per rolling 24 hours and grow through business verification and message quality, not badges.
It doesn't replace opt-in
Meta's policy still requires permission before you message anyone. A verified business that spams will still be blocked and reported.
It doesn't stop every impersonator
Scammers can still message from other numbers. Tell customers which number is yours and where to check it.
It can't be bought from an agency
Meta decides. Third parties who promise a guaranteed green tick are selling something Meta does not offer.
Our own position is simple: Social Intents does not sell WhatsApp verification, and we won't tell you a badge is guaranteed. We get your number onto the official WhatsApp Business Platform, help you send compliant, opted-in messages and route replies to your team. Those are the conditions Meta looks at; the decision stays with Meta. Being a Meta Tech Provider means we connect your number through Meta's Embedded Signup; it gives us no say over who gets a badge.
WhatsApp blue tick for business vs blue read receipts
"WhatsApp blue tick" means two different things, which is why search results are so confusing:
Verified business badge
One blue checkmark next to a business name in the chat header, profile or contacts view. It tells customers Meta has verified the account.
Read receipts
Two small blue checks under a message mean it was read. Every account has them, verified or not, unless the reader turns them off.
If your goal is knowing whether customers read your campaigns, you don't need a badge at all. API broadcasts report delivered, read and replied counts per message; see WhatsApp Broadcasts for how that looks in Social Intents.
How to build trust while you wait for the badge
Most businesses spend at least a month between connecting the API and becoming eligible to apply. Use that time to make your number look and behave like the real thing:
- Complete the business profile. Add your logo, description, website, email and address so the profile looks like your storefront.
- Publish your number. List your WhatsApp number on your website footer, contact page and receipts. Our free link generator and QR code generator make it one tap.
- Say who you are in every template. Open templates with your brand name and a reason for the message, like an order number.
- Reply fast, from where your team works. A quick human answer builds more trust than a badge. Social Intents routes replies to Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat or the web inbox.
Pair that with clear consent. Our WhatsApp opt-in guide has copy-paste wording that names your business, which is exactly what Meta's policy asks for. If you're coming from the app and worried about message caps, read the WhatsApp broadcast list limit next.
Sources
All sources checked on November 2, 2026. Meta updates its programs often; confirm details in WhatsApp Manager before you apply.
- Meta for Developers: Official Business Accounts — eligibility, blue checkmark, 30-day re-request rule
- Meta for Developers: Display names — display name verification and change limits
- WhatsApp Business: Protect your business's brand with Meta Verified — where the badge appears and subscription features
- Meta Newsroom: Introducing Meta One (September 15, 2026) — business plan tiers and starting prices
- Meta for Developers: Messaging limits — 250 starting limit and scaling paths
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy