How do I get the blue check, formerly green, on WhatsApp Business?

First, so the terminology does not confuse you: the WhatsApp verification badge that used to be green became blue in mid-2024, bringing it in line with Facebook and Instagram under the Meta Verified umbrella. It means the same thing it always did, that Meta has confirmed your business is real.

Prerequisites for either route

• The number is connected to the WhatsApp Business Platform (API), not just the ordinary WhatsApp Business app, through a provider such as WACO.
• Meta business verification is complete, meaning your legal registration documents have been accepted.
• The display name matches your registered business name exactly. A name that does not match is the single most common cause of rejection.

Route 1: Official Business Account, free but selective

Meta assesses notability. Your business has to be recognisable enough, evidenced among other things by three to five pieces of organic press coverage. Paid advertorials and wire-service press releases do not count. Realistically this route is for brands that already have a public profile. A rejection is not final, and you can reapply as coverage accumulates.

Route 2: Meta Verified, paid and open to anyone

Since 2024 Meta has offered a Meta Verified for Business subscription: the verified badge plus some supporting features, for a monthly fee, with no press coverage requirement. For a small or mid-sized business that wants the badge for customer confidence, this is the route that is actually available to you.