WhatsApp business verification and multiple numbers
Why Meta verifies your business, how to get verified, and what to expect when you connect more than one WhatsApp number.
Meta checks every business that uses the WhatsApp Business Platform. This page explains what that check is, why it matters when you connect more than one number, and how to complete it. These are Meta's rules, so they apply to every WhatsApp business, not only NexusBot users.
What business verification is
Business verification is Meta's check that your company is a real, identifiable organisation. You do it in Meta Business Settings, on the business portfolio that owns your WhatsApp Business account. NexusBot can't do it for you, because it depends on your company documents.
You can connect WhatsApp and reply to customers without it. But it decides how far you can grow:
| Not verified | Verified | |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp numbers in the portfolio | 2 | Up to 20 |
| Different customers you can start a chat with, per 24 hours | 250 | 2,000, then higher as Meta approves |
| Message templates per WhatsApp Business account | 250 | Up to 6,000 |
| Replying to customers who message you first | Works | Works |
Meta also raises the number cap to 20 if your portfolio reaches the 2,000 limit by sending, but verification is the faster way. See WhatsApp messaging limits for how limits grow.
Verification belongs to the portfolio, not the number
If you have six numbers, you don't verify six times. Meta looks at the portfolio:
- Numbers in the same portfolio share one verification status, one messaging limit and one number cap.
- Numbers in different portfolios are separate. Each portfolio needs its own verification and has its own limit.
Plan your numbers before you connect them
Moving a number later means removing it and registering it again, so decide the structure first.
| Your situation | Best setup |
|---|---|
| One company, several numbers (sales, support, branches) | One portfolio and one WhatsApp Business account. Numbers share verification, templates and the payment method. |
| Separate brands or subsidiaries | One portfolio if you want one verification and one shared limit. Use a separate WhatsApp Business account per brand, so each has its own templates and payment method. |
| Numbers already spread over several portfolios | Each portfolio must be verified on its own. Where you can, move them into one portfolio first. |
Good to know:
- Templates belong to a WhatsApp Business account, not to a number. Numbers in different accounts have different template lists.
- Messaging limits are shared. Six numbers don't give you six times the capacity. One busy number can use the whole portfolio limit.
- Your NexusBot plan also limits how many channels you can connect. Check Settings → Channels before you add more. See Step 2: Choose your plan.
What each number needs
Every number you connect must:
- Belong to your business and include a country code and area code. Short codes aren't supported.
- Be able to receive a 6-digit code by text message or phone call. A mobile number works best. A landline or VoIP number can only receive the code by call. A number behind an automatic phone menu can't be registered unless the call can be passed to a real person.
- Not be in use on the normal WhatsApp app. To use it as a Cloud API number, delete the number from normal WhatsApp first. If it is in the WhatsApp Business App, use the Business App option and keep your phone app. See How to connect WhatsApp Business.
- Not be banned by WhatsApp.
After registering, the number can still make normal calls and receive text messages.
Connect several numbers
- Check the portfolio. In Meta Business Settings, open Security Center and look at Business verification. If it isn't verified and you plan more than 2 numbers, verify first (see below).
- Connect your first number. Follow How to connect WhatsApp Business.
- Add the next number. Go to Settings → Channels → WhatsApp and connect again. In the Facebook window, pick the same portfolio and WhatsApp Business account.
- Check each display name. Use your real business name, following the rules below.
- Test each number. Send a message to it from another phone and check it arrives in the Inbox.
If you try to add a third number to a portfolio that isn't verified, Meta refuses. Complete business verification first, then connect it again.
Display names
Each number has its own display name, chosen when you register it. Meta reviews it automatically when your messaging limit goes up. Until it is approved, customers may see your phone number instead of your business name.
Meta approves names that:
- Represent your business, and match how your name appears on your website and marketing.
- Have at least 3 characters and correct capitalisation.
- Are not a web address, and not only a person's full name.
Organisations linked to a government need extra approval from WhatsApp.
If a name is rejected, edit it in WhatsApp Manager → Account tools → Phone numbers → Profile tab, or appeal to Meta. You can change a display name up to 10 times in 30 days. The old name stays until Meta approves the new one.
How to verify your business
- Open Security Center. In Meta Business Settings, pick your portfolio and open Security Center.
- Start verification. Under Business verification, click Start verification and enter your legal name, address, phone number and website as they appear on your documents.
- Confirm your contact. Choose how Meta checks you: email at your company domain, phone call, text message or domain verification. Enter the code you receive.
- Upload documents. Upload your company registration certificate (in Malaysia, your SSM documents). If it doesn't show a phone number, add a recent utility bill or bank statement that shows your name, address and phone number. Documents you made yourself aren't accepted.
- Wait for the result. Meta usually replies within a few working days, but it can take longer. Meta emails the portfolio admins and shows the status in Security Center.
If verification is rejected
The most common reasons are details that don't match the documents, unreadable or out-of-date documents, a phone number that isn't proven, or a website that shows a different company name. Fix the problem and submit again. Meta limits how many times you can apply, so check everything before you resubmit.
After you're verified
- Your messaging limit rises to 2,000 for the whole portfolio. Nothing to change in NexusBot. Meta then raises it automatically as your messages prove to be good quality.
- Your number cap rises to 20, and Meta sends a notification in Meta Business Suite. If it hasn't changed a week after verification, check each number's quality rating in WhatsApp Manager.
- Display names are reviewed as your limit rises.
Meta changes these rules from time to time. Your current limits are shown in WhatsApp Manager → Account tools.