Eligibility Criteria for Official Business Accounts

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 apply.

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Mandatory Eligibility Requirements for OBA

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

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1. 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.

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2. 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

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3. 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.

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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4. 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.

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5. 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.

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6. 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

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

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Important Eligibility Notes

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.