In this article9
  1. What business verification is and why you need it
  2. Before you start: the basic requirements
  3. The documents required (in Saudi Arabia)
  4. Business verification step by step (with illustrations)
  5. What if it says “Ineligible for verification”?
  6. After you apply: review time and status
  7. Common reasons for refusal and their fixes
  8. Tips for getting verified first time
  9. Frequently asked questions

The steps below are built on Meta’s official documentation in its Business Help Centre, adapted for the Saudi market so you can finish verification on the first attempt without a refusal.

What business verification is and why you need it

Verification ties your business portfolio on Meta to a real legal entity through official details and documents. It is required to reach certain features, the most notable for WhatsApp owners being:

  • Raising WhatsApp messaging limits to the higher tiers (up to 100,000 conversations a day).
  • Access to the advanced developer, billing and ad-spend features.
  • More trust and fewer restrictions on the account.

Before you start: the basic requirements

  • Full control of the business portfolio — the highest permission level, which allows managing settings and verification.
  • A business portfolio that is eligible for verification (if it says “Ineligible”, you do not need it from the Security Centre right now).
  • A working website whose URL starts with https:// (a secure connection).
  • Official documents in the company’s name and address, matching exactly what you will enter in the form.

The documents required (in Saudi Arabia)

Meta accepts a government document showing the company’s legal name and address. The most widely accepted locally:

DocumentNotes
Commercial registrationThe main one and the most widely accepted — it shows the legal name and the registration number.
VAT / Zakat certificate (ZATCA)A supporting document proving the entity’s tax registration.
Municipal licence / trade licenceShows the activity and the address.
A utility bill (electricity or water)In the company’s name and address, and recent (the last 90 days).
A company bank statementShows the entity’s name — accepted as supporting evidence.

Business verification step by step (with illustrations)

We will go through the whole process inside Meta’s business settings, with an illustration of each step mirroring the screen you will see. The data in the examples is fictional, and the elements outlined in green are the ones you press:

Open Business Settings

Sign in to your Meta business account, then open Business Settings.
Business settings → Meta Business
These are the people with access to the Example Trading business account.
NameLast activeStatus
Account ownerTodayActive
From your Meta account open Business Settings; this is the screen you arrive at.

Go to Business Info

From the side menu press Business info to see your business’s state and details.
Business settings → Meta Business
In the side menu choose Business info to see your business’s state and details.
From the side menu choose “Business info” — highlighted in green.

Start the verification process

Beside Business verification press Start verification (or “Continue” to resume an earlier request), then press Start in the introductory window to move on to entering your details. If it says “Ineligible for verification”, see the section below.
Business settings → Meta Business
Security Centre
Verify Example Trading
Pick up where you left off verifying your business.
Pending submissionContinue
In the Security Centre press “Continue” beside the card for verifying your business.

Choose your business’s country

Choose the country your business is registered in — for Saudi Arabia, choose “Saudi Arabia”.
Select your business’s country
Choose the country your business is officially registered in.
Saudi Arabia
BackNext
Choose “Saudi Arabia” as the country your business is registered in.

Enter your business details

Enter the legal name, address, phone number and website — matching your official documents word for word, and make sure your site works and its URL starts with https://.
Add your business details
We will use these details to look for an official record of your business to confirm it is real. If we cannot find a match, you can upload documents to verify this information.
Business name
Example Trading
Add your organisation’s name as it appears on the accepted documents.
Street address
King Fahd Road
Street address 2 / district
Al Olaya district
City
Riyadh
Region / province
Riyadh Province
Postcode
12211
Phone number
+966 55 000 0000
You must be able to receive the confirmation code on this number.
Website
https://example.com
BackNext
The legal name, address, city, postcode, phone number and website — the data here is illustrative.

Choose a contact method for verification

Choose how you receive the verification code: email, a phone call, a text message, or domain verification.
Choose a contact method
Because we could not find a matching record, you will need to upload documents to confirm the details you entered.
Email (recommended)We will send a confirmation code to the email address @example.com
Phone callWe will call +966 55 000 0000 with a confirmation code.
Text message (SMS)We will text a confirmation code to +966 55 000 0000.
Domain verificationUse your existing domain to verify your business.
BackNext
Email, a phone call, a text message, or domain verification.

Upload your official documents

If no matching record is found, upload an official document proving your business — in Saudi Arabia the commercial registration is the best fit (see the document list above).
Add supporting documents
We could not find a matching record, so you will need to upload documents to verify the details you entered. Accepted file types: .jpg, .png and .pdf.
Commercial registration or trade licence
commercial-registration.pdf — commercial registration
Does your document include the business’s phone number or address? — Yes
BackNext
Upload an official document showing the company’s name and address — in Saudi Arabia, the commercial registration.

Enter the confirmation code and submit

A confirmation code will arrive by the method you chose — enter it to submit the request. Meta usually reviews it within minutes to a few business days.
Enter the confirmation code
Enter the six-digit code we sent to the contact method you chose.
284915
Code not arrived? You can ask for it to be sent again.
BackNext
Enter the code sent to the contact method you chose to complete the request.

What if it says “Ineligible for verification”?

If you see “Ineligible for verification”, it does not mean something is wrong — it usually means you do not need verification by this route right now, or that you do not have full control of the business portfolio. Watch for any email or notification from Meta pointing you at the right step.

Business settings → Meta Business
Not eligible for verificationThis business cannot be verified right now. Watch your notifications and your inbox from Meta for the next step.
The “Ineligible for verification” message as it appears in the Security Centre.

After you apply: review time and status

Most requests are reviewed within minutes to a few business days. You will see the status (under review / verified / documents required) inside the Security Centre, and Meta will send you notifications. Do not submit repeated requests while it is under review.

Common reasons for refusal and their fixes

  • The name or address does not match between the form and the document → make them match word for word, as on the commercial registration.
  • An unclear or out-of-date document → upload a recent, high-quality, complete copy (nothing cropped).
  • A site that does not work, or has no https → turn on an SSL certificate and make sure the URL starts with https and loads.
  • Representing a business you have no authority over → verify only the entity you hold official authorisation to represent.

Tips for getting verified first time

  • Settle the company’s name and address across the commercial registration, the website and your invoices before you apply.
  • Use an email address and domain in the company’s name (it strengthens domain verification).
  • Have the documents ready in a clear format (PDF or a high-quality image) before you start.
  • Complete verification early — it is the condition for raising WhatsApp messaging limits later.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between business verification and the Meta Verified badge?

Business verification proves your company’s identity in order to open features such as higher WhatsApp messaging limits and access to the developer APIs, and it does not give you a blue badge. Meta Verified is a separate subscription that grants a verification badge for the account.

What documents are required to verify a Saudi business?

The most widely accepted is the commercial registration, which can be supported by a VAT/Zakat certificate (ZATCA), a municipal licence, or a utility bill or bank statement in the company’s name and address — provided the name and address match exactly.

How long does the verification review take?

Usually anywhere from minutes to a few business days. If additional documents are requested it can take longer, until you upload the right ones.

Why am I seeing “Ineligible for verification”?

It means you do not currently need verification from the Security Centre, or that you do not have full control of the business portfolio. Watch for any email or notification from Meta pointing you at the right step.

What do I do if verification is refused?

Check that the legal name and address match the document, and that your website works and starts with https, then reapply with a clear, recent, official document. The most common mistakes are a mismatch and an unreadable document.

Is verification required to raise WhatsApp messaging limits?

Yes, business verification opens the higher messaging-limit tiers (up to 100,000 conversations a day) once the rest of the conditions are met.