Eligibility criteria for blue badge
Learn the full set of eligibility conditions your business must meet before applying for an Official Business Account (OBA) on WhatsApp.
Before you apply for an Official Business Account (OBA), your business needs to meet every one of Meta's eligibility conditions. This guide walks through each requirement so you know exactly where you stand.
What's covered
What does "eligible for OBA" mean?
Being eligible for an Official Business Account (OBA) means your business meets WhatsApp's requirements to apply for the blue checkmark, which identifies your account as official and notable. OBA is not granted automatically. Your business must meet all eligibility conditions set by Meta before you can even apply.
Mandatory eligibility requirements for OBA
To be eligible for OBA, every condition below must be met.
Compliance with WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy Your business must follow WhatsApp's messaging rules, including:
Sending messages only to users who have opted in
Avoiding spam or misleading content
Using approved message templates correctly
If your account violates policy rules, it will not be eligible for OBA.
At least 30 days on the WhatsApp Business Platform Your business must be registered on the WhatsApp Business Platform for a minimum of 30 days. Newly onboarded numbers cannot apply immediately. This waiting period allows WhatsApp to review:
Account activity
Policy compliance
Stability of the business setup
Brand must be notable and well-known This is the most important requirement. Your business must represent a brand that is Well-known, Frequently searched online, Recognized by the public. WhatsApp checks brand notability, not just business legitimacy. Notability means having independent recognition through major news publications, reputable media coverage, or independent editorial articles about your business.
Paid promotions, ads, PR listings, or app directories do not count toward notability.
Business Portfolio must be verified The Business Portfolio that owns the WhatsApp number must be fully verified through Business Verification. Without business verification, OBA cannot be granted, even if the brand is well-known.
Two-step verification must be enabled The WhatsApp business phone number must have two-step verification enabled. This is mandatory for security and authenticity.
If two-step verification is disabled, the OBA option will not appear.
Display name must be approved Before applying for OBA:
Your phone number's display name must already be approved
The display name must follow WhatsApp naming guidelines
Important eligibility notes
Before applying (see how to apply), keep these points in mind:
OBA is reviewed per phone number
Approval for one number does not guarantee approval for others
Approval for one brand does not guarantee approval for sub-brands
Each display name is reviewed individually
For sub-brands, WhatsApp recommends using the format: {Sub-brand name} by {Notable parent brand}
Eligibility for OBA depends on brand notability and compliance, not business size or API usage. If your brand is well-known, publicly recognized, verified and compliant, you may be eligible. If not, that's completely normal, and your WhatsApp account will continue to work without any limitations.
Key takeaways
All six eligibility conditions must be met before you can apply
Notability (media coverage, editorial mentions) matters more than business size
Business Portfolio verification and two-step verification are mandatory technical prerequisites
Sub-brands should be framed as "{Sub-brand} by {Notable parent brand}"
Not being eligible today doesn't affect your WhatsApp functionality
FAQs
Can I apply for OBA immediately after onboarding a new number? No. Your number needs at least 30 days of activity on the WhatsApp Business Platform before it's eligible to apply.
Does paid advertising or PR coverage count toward brand notability? No. Only organic, editorial coverage from reputable media outlets counts. Paid promotions, ads, PR listings, and app directory listings are not accepted.
What happens if two-step verification is disabled on my number? The Official Business Account option won't even appear in WhatsApp Manager until two-step verification is enabled.
If my main brand gets OBA, will my sub-brand automatically get it too? No. Each display name and each phone number is reviewed individually, so sub-brands need their own application.
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