WhatsApp Business Accounts
Learn the role of WhatsApp Business Accounts (WABA) in the WhatsApp Business Platform, how policy is enforced by Meta, and how to manage possible account violations
A WhatsApp Business account (also known as WABA) stores the phone numbers registered in the WhatsApp Business Platform. There are two different WABA types:
WhatsApp Business app: This account can be created directly in the Meta Business Manager, and allows connecting a phone number to both the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business API using Coexistence. This type of account can only have one phone number, and cannot be migrated to another Meta Business Manager account.
WhatsApp Business API: This account can be created through a BSP like 360Dialog, and is used exclusively for the WhatsApp Business API. This type of account can have many phone numbers and can be migrated to another Meta Business Manager account.
Phone numbers' messaging limits are shared on the WABA level, meaning that if a WABA has a messaging limit of 2,000 business-initiated conversations per day (or higher), all phone numbers under the WABA are held to the same limit. Read more about messaging limits and quality ratings here.
Limitations
A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) can have a maximum of 250 message templates.
Meta Business Manager accounts are initially limited to 2 registered business phone numbers, but this limit can be increased to up to 20 by increasing the WABA's messaging limit. See Capacity, Quality Rating, and Messaging Limits.
Meta Business Manager accounts are initially limited to 20 WABAs.
A WABA must belong to only one Business Manager. You cannot have two or more Business Managers owning one WABA.
When a phone number is registered in the WhatsApp Business API, it cannot be used in the WhatsApp app or the WhatsApp Business app.
On the other hand, phone numbers registered on the WhatsApp Business app can be later onboarded to WhatsApp Business API using Coexistence.
Policy Enforcement
Policies and platform rules may change at any time without prior notice. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to WhatsApp’s official documentation.
How It Works
The WhatsApp Business account receives a warning about the violated policy if Meta identifies activities against WhatsApp Policies. If the warning is repeated and high-risk, such as adult content, sale of alcohol and tobacco, drugs, gambling, and Unsafe supplements, it may get message restrictions that gradually increase in duration, like:
1 or 3-day block on sending business-initiated messages, and adding additional phone numbers to the account
5 or 7-day block on sending business-initiated messages and responding to customer-initiated messages, and adding additional phone numbers to the account
Eventually be permanently disabled from the WhatsApp Business Platform, if the business does not make changes after multiple warnings and feature limits
When there is evidence of a severe policy violation, such as child exploitation, terrorism, or the sale of illegal drugs, WhatsApp immediately disables the Business account from the Business Platform.
All violations can be appealed within 90 days of being received.
Receive Violation Warnings
In the API
You will receive webhook events for account violations and restrictions.
Use the account_update webhook to monitor notifications whenever a Business Account has violated a policy, and when applicable, messaging restriction type and duration. Thus, businesses can quickly adjust behavior to avoid additional warnings and/or enforcement actions.
In the 360Dialog Hub
Violations will be shown in the 360Dialog Hub under the WABA. You will also receive Hub notifications whenever a warning is triggered.
Violation Updates
Summary of policy violated and link to the policy itself.
Examples of which content is allowed or disallowed based on that policy.
Whether there are any active restrictions on the account and what happens if the violation happens again.
How to avoid future policy violations and links to helpful resources.
How to appeal.
Notifications about violations are also:
Surfaced in the Business Manager Notifications Center and as a banner in WhatsApp Manager.
Sent as an email to all admins set in Business Manager.
Sent as a webhook notification to those subscribed.
Enforcement Actions
An account can become restricted or disabled depending on the number and severity of issues. Specific restrictions can be viewed in Account Quality along with information on the next steps and requesting a review for a particular policy issue.
Restricted or disabled accounts can still appeal issues. If issues are reversed following the appeal, the account returns to its previous status.
Preventing Future Violations
Read the Commerce and Business Policies and review this article that answers Frequently Asked Questions about these policies.
Integrate with webhooks and receive real-time notifications. See how here.
Adjust behavior on the platform quickly.
Compliance Checklist
Regulated Verticals
Historically, the use of WhatsApp Business Services for the buying, selling, promoting, or facilitating the exchange of some regulated or restricted goods and services has been prohibited, as outlined in WhatsApp Commerce and Business Policies. As of August 27, 2024, Meta has expanded the WhatsApp Business Platform to include certain regulated business verticals (“Verticals”).
This means that licensed and lawful businesses in specific regions of India, APAC, and LATAM* can now onboard the platform if they fall within the following verticals:
Alcoholic Beverages
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medication (Prescription drugs and medical devices remain prohibited)
Real-Money Gambling and Gaming (including Online Gambling & Gaming)
The WhatsApp Business Policy is globally applicable, with additional restrictions based on local laws. Businesses must refer to the Official Policy for the exact list of permitted countries for each vertical.
Important
While businesses in these verticals can use the platform for marketing, any messaging related to buying, selling, or facilitating payments for goods/services in these verticals remains prohibited.
Messaging related to these verticals through the WhatsApp Business App continues to be disallowed.
Exceptions may apply under specific conditions, as detailed in Section 5: Further Guidance on Regulated Verticals.
Applying for Regulated Verticals
To message users to promote online gambling and gaming (a subset of real money gambling and gaming), businesses must:
Request Permission: Submit an application form to Meta Platforms, Inc. Note that permission will only be granted for messaging people in certain countries.
Provide Licensing Evidence: Provide evidence that the online gambling and gaming activities are appropriately licensed by a regulator, or otherwise established as lawful in the countries listed in the Policy Section 5 that the business wants to send messages to.
Please note that Meta has the authority to approve or deny access to Regulated Verticals. If you need assistance with your application, contact our Support Team.
Usage Restrictions
Prohibited activities include buying, selling, or facilitating payments for goods/services within these verticals on WhatsApp.
The use of Commerce Catalogs, Payments, or other commerce experiences related to these verticals is not allowed.
Any messaging related to these verticals through the WhatsApp Business App is prohibited.
Within Real Money Gambling and Gaming, if your country/region prohibits certain activities such as gambling, games of chance, and/ or any other related activities (i.e. India), then your use of business messaging should not include such prohibited activities and should only include those activities which are lawful.
Examples:
Alcohol: Businesses using WhatsApp to promote alcoholic products or brands, Grocery businesses using WhatsApp to promote alcoholic product.
OTC Medication: Pharmacies or drugstores that also offer convenience and/or grocery items, Pharmacies or drugstores that also offer over-the-counter drugs Pharmacies or drug stores using WA commerce tools for convenience or grocery items, not over-the-counter drugs subject to the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy
Real Money Gambling and Gaming: Online gambling and gaming businesses (requires permission from Meta), Physical, real money gambling and gaming activity or establishments, or State or government lotteries.
Direct transactions (sales) or commerce involving alcohol or OTC medication.
Messaging about prescription drugs or recreational drugs.
Online gambling and gaming businesses that have not been approved by Meta
Managing WhatsApp Policy Violations
Check Account Violations
When a business account violates a policy, all relevant details are available in the Account Quality section of Business Manager. Use this process to identify the specific policy that was violated and review the associated information:
Log in to Meta Business Manager.
Click More > Account Quality > Facebook Business Accounts.
In the WhatsApp Accounts section, click the WhatsApp Business Account that shows “Account Issues” in its Status column:
For any individual issue, click See Details to view the policy that was violated and how to avoid this type of violation in the future:
Appeal Account Violation
The business can challenge a violation by submitting a review request. Once submitted, the WhatsApp team evaluates the case and determines whether the violation should be reconsidered. If the review is successful, the violation may be reversed. Use this process whenever the business wants to dispute a violation applied to the account:
From the Account Quality page, click on the relevant WhatsApp Business Account.
Choose from the list of violations and click Request Review.
A new dialog opens in Business Manager. Enter supporting details and click Submit.
After submission, the request and the issue are moved to the In Review tab.
The appeal review decision will be sent via the Business Manager and typically takes 24 to 48 hours. The appealed violation will either remain Unchanged, or be set as Reversed.
Appeal Rejected Template
The business can also appeal rejected message templates directly from the Account Quality section. This process is specifically designed for cases where a WhatsApp message template has been denied:
From the Account Quality page, click on Rejected Message Templates.
Choose from the list of rejected templates and click Request Review.
Enter Appeal Reason and click Submit.
After submission, the request and the issue are moved to the In Review tab.
The appeal review decision will be sent via the Business Manager and typically takes 24 to 48 hours. The appealed violation will either remain Unchanged, or be set as Reversed.
How to Find WABA ID
The WhatsApp Business Account ID (or WABA ID) is shown in the WhatsApp Accounts page:
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