Glossary
What is Meta business verification?
Business verification is Meta’s process for confirming that a business is a real, registered organisation. It matters most to companies building on Meta’s APIs: since 1 February 2023, an app needs a verified business behind it to get Advanced Access, the level that lets it serve accounts outside its own team. It doesn’t give anyone a blue check.
Updated 6 October 2026
Business verification is Meta’s check that a business is a real, registered company. Apps need a verified business behind them to get Advanced Access.
Who has to verify
- Developers whose apps serve other businesses. Meta requires an app that lets other businesses access their own data, such as an inbox or scheduling tool, to be connected to a verified business.
- Any app requesting Advanced Access to a permission or feature, a rule Meta introduced on 1 February 2023.
Two groups can skip it. An app used only by people with a role on it needs no verification, by Meta’s own rule. And a business that simply connects its Instagram account or Facebook Page to someone else’s tool doesn’t have to verify itself, because the requirement sits with the tool’s developer.
Where it starts
- Open the app in Meta’s App Dashboard and go to Settings, then Basic, then Verification.
- Click Start Verification, which opens the business that owns the app in Business Manager.
- Complete the process there, as an admin of that business: enter its details and supply the documents Meta asks for.
Meta’s developer documentation sends people to the Business Help Center article About business verification for “an explanation of the process and a list of documents you will need”. Today that article explains the process, and the accepted documents are listed in a separate article, Upload official documents to verify your business, so read both before you begin. Meta’s newer business tools call the same kind of account a business portfolio, so screens and guides may use either name.
Getting the details to match
The check comes down to whether the business in Meta’s system is the one on paper, so what you type should agree with your official documents.
- Use the registered legal name, not a trading name, a brand or an Instagram handle.
- Enter the address and phone number exactly as they appear on your documents, and keep your website consistent with them.
- Where you can, use an email address on the business’s own domain; a free webmail address says less about who you work for.
- Check that whoever does the work is an admin of the business before starting.
What it isn’t
| Name | What it is | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Business verification | A behind-the-scenes check that a business is real and registered | Mostly developers whose apps need Advanced Access |
| Blue check | A badge on a profile showing the account is verified | Accounts Meta verifies, or ones subscribed to Meta Verified |
| Meta Verified | A paid subscription that includes the verified badge | Creators and businesses that sign up and meet its requirements |
| App Review | A check of how an app uses each permission | Developers, alongside business verification |
Passing business verification changes nothing on your public profile or Page. It shows up in the business’s own settings and in what its apps are allowed to do.
An example
A software studio builds a booking bot for Messenger. It runs on the studio’s own Page with no paperwork, but before clinics can connect their Pages, the studio verifies its business with its registration certificate and applies for Advanced Access.
Questions people ask
Does business verification give me a blue check?
No. It’s a check on the company behind a business account and adds no badge to an Instagram profile or Facebook Page. The blue check comes from Meta verifying a notable account or from a Meta Verified subscription.
Do I need business verification to use a DM automation tool?
No. Verification is the developer’s job, since their app serves accounts they don’t own. Linking your Instagram account or Page to their tool doesn’t require you to verify your own business.
What documents does Meta accept?
Meta’s Business Help Centre article “Upload official documents to verify your business” lists them: a certificate or articles of incorporation, a business registration or licence document, a government-issued business tax document (self-filed ones aren’t accepted), a business bank statement, or a utility bill, which counts only for the address and phone number. The documents should show the legal business name and its official postal address or phone number.
Who can complete business verification?
It starts from the app’s settings in the App Dashboard, but the steps in Business Manager are done by an admin of the business that owns the app. Sort out who holds admin access before you begin.
Can an app get Advanced Access without business verification?
No. A verified business has been a condition of Advanced Access since 1 February 2023. Without one, an app stays on Standard Access and works only for people with a role on it.
Sources
Related terms
- Meta App ReviewMeta App Review is the check an app must pass, permission by permission, before it can use Meta’s APIs for people outside its own team.
- Advanced AccessAdvanced Access lets a Meta app request a permission from any user, not just its own team. Each permission or feature is approved separately in App Review.
- Meta Business SuiteMeta Business Suite is Meta’s free tool for managing a Facebook Page and an Instagram account together: posts, Stories, messages, comments, insights and ads.
- Meta VerifiedMeta Verified is Meta’s paid subscription for Instagram and Facebook profiles: a verified badge, impersonation protection, support access and some profile extras.
- Blue check (verified badge)The blue check is Instagram’s verified badge: a sign that Instagram has confirmed the account really belongs to the person or brand it names.
- Business accountA business account is Instagram’s professional account type for shops, brands, organisations and service providers, with insights, ads and contact options.
More terms
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