How to Get Verified on Instagram (Both Ways, 2026)

There are two ways to get the blue check on Instagram: pay for a Meta Verified subscription, which verifies your identity with a government ID, or request the badge without a subscription if you are a public figure, celebrity or brand covered in the news. Most creators and small businesses will get it through Meta Verified, which starts at $14.99 a month in the app (prices vary by region). The notable route needs press coverage and has no guarantee.

Pick your route: subscription or notability

Both routes give you the same blue checkmark next to your name. What they ask of you is very different.

	Meta Verified (subscription)	Request verification (notable accounts)
Who it's for	Creators and individuals 18 or older with a government ID	Public figures, celebrities and brands
Cost	From $14.99 a month in the app ($11.99 on the web)	No subscription
What you prove	Your identity	Your identity plus notability in multiple news sources
Review time	Up to 3 business days	Up to 30 days
Keeps the badge if	You keep paying and follow the rules	You follow the rules

Instagram's help center describes the badge itself the same way for both: it means Instagram has confirmed the account is the authentic presence of that person or brand. It used to also mean "notable and unique."

Meta Verified for creators is a paid subscription that includes the verified badge, impersonation protection and enhanced support by chat and email.

Who can subscribe. You need to be at least 18 (or the age of majority where you live), live in a country where Meta Verified is offered, and have a government-issued photo ID. The Instagram profile must be a personal or creator profile, have Advanced Protection turned on, and meet minimum activity requirements. Going over Meta's limits on recent profile changes can also make you ineligible.

What it costs. Meta's own pricing page lists four creator plans, per profile, per month:

Plan	Price	Extras on top of the badge, protection and support
Standard	$14.99 in the app, $11.99 on the web	Search optimization, images on links, exclusive stickers
Plus	$49.99 (app only)	Adds a featured profile and 2 links in Reels a month
Premium	$149.99 (app only)	4 links in Reels a month, custom chat themes
Max	$499.99 (app only)	6 links in Reels a month, personalized content strategy advice

Prices vary by region, so start the sign up in the app to see yours. You can verify one Instagram profile and one Facebook profile on the same Meta Account, and bundling the two gets a discounted price.

How it works.

Choose the profile you want to verify and set up your recurring payment.
Confirm your identity by uploading photos of your government-issued photo ID. Some people are verified from their activity across Meta instead.
Submit for review. Meta sends a decision within 3 business days.

If you don't finish the verification steps within 3 days, the subscription is canceled and you're eligible for a refund.

Get your name right first. Your verified profile name must match the legal name on your ID. Abbreviations like Sid for Siddharth and initials are accepted; symbols, numbers, unusual capitalization and religious titles are not. A one-word name may not be accepted. After you're verified, Instagram lets you change the profile name twice every 14 days, and each change is reviewed.

Keep in mind. Advanced Protection can't be switched off while you're subscribed. The subscription renews automatically. If you cancel, it stays active to the end of the billing cycle, then the badge and benefits go. Cancel at least 24 hours before your next payment to avoid another charge.

Where Meta One fits in

On September 15, 2026, Meta launched Meta One, a subscription across Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Meta AI. Its creator and business plans are Essential (from $14.99 a month), Advanced (from $49.99), Expert (from $149) and Max (from $499). All four include a verified badge once your identity is verified, and Essential adds a verified WhatsApp Business channel and impersonation protection.

Meta's Meta Verified page now says that Meta Verified features are available in Meta One, a new subscription that builds on Meta Verified. Meta Verified is still listed and sold on that page. Meta One is in limited testing and not yet available everywhere, so which one you can buy depends on your country and account. If you see Meta One when you go to subscribe, the badge works the same way: you're verified when your identity passes, and the badge goes away if you cancel.

Request the badge as a notable account

This route is for accounts that represent a well-known, highly searched for person, brand or entity. Instagram checks four things, on top of following its Terms of Use and Community Standards:

Authentic: the account represents a real person, registered business or entity.
Unique: only one account per person or business is verified, except for language-specific accounts. General interest accounts such as @puppymemes aren't verified.
Complete: the account is public, has a bio and profile photo, and is active when you apply.
Notable: you're featured in multiple news sources. Paid or sponsored media doesn't count.

Set your username before you apply. Once you're verified for notability, you can't change it, and the badge can't be moved to another account.

The request is made in the Instagram app on iPhone or Android, not on a computer:

Log in to the account you want verified.
Tap Profile or your profile picture in the bottom right.
Tap Menu in the top right.
Below Your insights and tools, tap Professional dashboard, then tap Settings in the top right.
Tap Request verification.
Enter your full name and provide identification, such as a government-issued photo ID or official business documents.
Follow the on-screen instructions, then tap Submit.

Instagram sends its decision to your Activity notifications within 30 days. If you're turned down, you can apply again after 30 days. Don't send repeat requests while you wait: applying more than once before a decision cancels your application. You can find the full criteria on Instagram's requirements page.

What the blue check does and doesn't do

The badge tells people they've found the real you. Instagram is clear that it isn't a sign of importance, authority or expertise, and it isn't an endorsement.

What it doesn't do:

It doesn't carry over to Facebook. Verifying on Instagram doesn't verify your Facebook account, and a verified Facebook Page still has to apply separately on Instagram.
It isn't permanent. Instagram can remove a badge, or disable the account, if you advertise, sell or transfer the badge, try to get verified through a third party, use your profile to promote things that break the rules, or flip between public and private too often. Giving false information during verification also gets the badge removed.
It can't be bought secondhand. Selling, transferring or advertising a badge breaks Instagram's rules, and trying to get verified through a third party can cost you the badge.

If you don't qualify yet, Instagram suggests linking to your Instagram account from your official website, Facebook Page or YouTube channel so people can tell which account is really yours. Running a business account with a complete profile also helps visitors trust they're in the right place.

Make the profile worth visiting with Olaa

A badge brings more people to your profile who already trust it's you. What they can do next still comes down to your bio. Instagram lets you add up to 5 links under Edit profile, then Links, and caption links have their own limits (see how to add a link to an Instagram post).

Olaa gives you one short link, olaa.im/yourname, that opens a page with everything you want people to find: your links, music and video players that play on the page, bookings, a QR code and more. The free plan covers one page with unlimited links, and Olaa Pro ($8 a month) adds things like product cards from Stripe, Etsy, Shopify or Gumroad and email signups to Mailchimp. Setup takes a few minutes with no code. See what's included or read our guide to Instagram bio links.

FAQ

How much does it cost to get verified on Instagram?

Meta Verified Standard costs $14.99 a month per profile in the app, or $11.99 when you subscribe on the web. Higher plans cost $49.99, $149.99 and $499.99 a month and are app only. Requesting the badge as a notable account doesn't require a subscription.

How many followers do you need to get verified on Instagram?

Instagram doesn't list a follower count for either route. Meta Verified asks for ID, age, location and minimum activity. The notable route asks for coverage in multiple news sources, not a number of followers.

How long does Instagram verification take?

Meta Verified reviews take up to 3 business days. A notability request takes up to 30 days, and the answer arrives in your Activity notifications.

Can a business account get Meta Verified?

The creator subscription covers Instagram personal and creator profiles. Meta runs a separate Meta Verified for businesses, with its own help center. A business or brand can also request the badge through the notable route if it meets the criteria.

Will I lose my blue check if I cancel Meta Verified?

Yes. The subscription stays active until the end of the billing cycle you've paid for, then the badge and other benefits are removed. A badge earned through notability isn't tied to a subscription.

Can I change my username after getting verified?

Not if you were verified as a notable account: Instagram doesn't allow username changes after that. Meta Verified subscribers can change their verified profile name on Instagram twice every 14 days, and the new name has to match their ID and pass review.