# Eligibility Criteria for Official Business Accounts

#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**What Does “Eligible for OBA” Mean?**</mark>

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 apply.

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#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**Mandatory Eligibility Requirements for OBA**</mark>

To be eligible for OBA, every condition below must be met.

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#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**1. Compliance with WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy**</mark>

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.

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#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**2. At Least 30 Days on the WhatsApp Business Platform**</mark>

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

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#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**3. Brand Must Be Notable and Well-Known**</mark>

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.

**What counts as notability?**

* Presence in major news publications
* Coverage by reputable media outlets
* Independent editorial articles

Paid promotions, ads, PR listings, or app directories do not count.

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#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**4. Business Portfolio Must Be Verified**</mark>

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.

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#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**5. Two-Step Verification Must Be Enabled**</mark>

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.

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#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**6. Display Name Must Be Approved**</mark>

Before applying for OBA:

* Your phone number’s display name must already be approved
* The display name must follow WhatsApp naming guidelines

If the display name changes after OBA approval, WhatsApp will re-evaluate notability again.

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#### <mark style="color:$primary;">**Important Eligibility Notes**</mark>

Before applying, 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:

**{{Sub-brand name}} by {{Notable parent brand}}**

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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.