The short answer
The badge people still call the “green tick” is now a blue checkmark, given to verified business numbers on the WhatsApp Business Platform (Meta calls them Official Business Accounts). To request it, your business must be verified, the number must have been on the platform for 30 days with an approved display name, and you apply in WhatsApp Manager. If Meta says no, you can try again after 30 days.
The checkmark next to a business name tells customers that Meta has confirmed the number belongs to a real business. It is worth having, it is free, and it is widely misunderstood, partly because its colour changed and partly because people sell “guaranteed” ticks they cannot deliver.
What is the WhatsApp verified badge?
Meta’s term is Official Business Account (OBA): a business phone number owned by a business that Meta has verified as authentic. These numbers show a blue checkmark beside their name. The older green tick was replaced by the blue one, which is why both names are still in use.
The badge does not change your prices or your messaging limit. What it changes is trust: a message from an unfamiliar number reads very differently when the name next to it carries Meta’s mark. Verified numbers can also be found through search inside WhatsApp; a number without the badge only shows up there for people who have saved it.
Who can get the blue tick?
Meta lists five conditions:
- Your business follows the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.
- The number has been on the WhatsApp Business Platform for at least 30 days.
- The business portfolio that owns the number has passed Meta Business Verification.
- Two-step verification is turned on for the number, where your number still uses a PIN.
- The number’s display name has been approved.
Meta does not give the badge to numbers that belong to employees, test numbers, or numbers used only on the WhatsApp Business app. If you meet the conditions but do not see the option to apply, Meta suggests asking your WhatsApp platform or Meta Support to check eligibility.
How do you apply for the blue tick?
- Verify your business in Meta Business Suite, using documents such as your GST certificate or certificate of incorporation. This is the step that takes longest, often a few days.
- Check your display name is approved, matches your business, and follows Meta’s naming rules.
- Open WhatsApp Manager, go to Overview, and select your business phone number.
- Under Profile, find Official business account and click Submit request.
- Wait for Meta’s notification. It tells you whether the number has been granted the badge.
What if your request is declined?
A declined request means Meta decided the number does not meet its requirements yet. You can submit a new request after 30 days. In the meantime nothing else changes: you can still message customers, and your business profile (picture, description, email and website) is yours to edit at any time.
Can someone guarantee you a green tick?
No. Meta grants the badge on its own review, and no agency, platform or consultant controls the outcome. Help with preparing verification documents and the request is reasonable to pay for; a guarantee is not, and paying for one usually means paying for nothing.
What builds trust while you wait?
The badge helps, but it is not what makes people reply. These do:
- A display name customers recognise, and your logo as the profile photo.
- A complete business profile: address, hours, website, a one-line description.
- A first line that says who you are and why you are writing, for example “Hi Priya, this is Skyline Residency about your enquiry on 99acres.”
- Messaging only people who asked. A message someone expected gets read, badge or no badge, and keeps your quality rating healthy.
How NudgeBolt helps
We help you prepare and submit the request on every plan, including Free. Because you connect your own Meta business portfolio, the badge belongs to your number, and stays with it if you ever change platform. See how we keep that number healthy in number health.
Quick answers
Is the WhatsApp green tick free?
Yes. Meta does not charge for the Official Business Account badge. You only need to meet the conditions and request it.
How long does the blue tick take?
Business verification usually takes the longest, often a few days. After you submit the badge request, Meta notifies you when it decides.
Can I get the blue tick on the WhatsApp Business app?
No. Meta grants it to numbers on the WhatsApp Business Platform (API), not to numbers used only on the app.
Does the blue tick increase my messaging limit?
No. Your limit grows with business verification and good-quality messages, whether or not you have the badge.
Sources: Meta for Developers, Official Business Accounts (the blue checkmark, eligibility, requests, the 30-day wait) and Messaging limits, checked 31 October 2026.
