TikTok Business Account: How to Verify, Switch and Switch Back

A TikTok business account is now called a Verified Business Account, and the only way to get one is business verification: Profile, Menu (☰), Settings and privacy, Account, Business verification. You need to be 18 or older and have a valid business license, and approval usually takes 1 to 5 business days.

Before you switch, know the big trade-off: business accounts can't use TikTok's general music library. They get a website link on their profile without needing 1,000 followers.

TikTok's three account types

TikTok has three account types:

Creators who post as themselves usually belong on a General account. That's the type with monetization programs, analytics in TikTok Studio and the full music library. TikTok's own advice is that anyone whose main goal on TikTok is promoting a business should use a Verified Business Account.

Organization Accounts can be run by several people. Administrators control login permissions. They aren't available everywhere, and you can only create one from certain business platforms, such as TikTok Shop Seller Center.

There's also a middle step called a TikTok Account with Advanced Access. You get it by linking your account to a TikTok for Business account or an unverified Business Center. One detail trips people up: Advanced Access lets you edit a bio link and business information without showing them on your profile. Only a Verified Business Account displays them.

Verify your business account step by step

Before you start, make sure you're 18 or older and have a valid business license that matches the region where your business operates. Some countries ask for extra documents, and the process can vary by location. Then:

1. On your profile, tap the Menu icon in the top right corner.
2. Tap Settings and privacy.
3. Tap Account, then Business verification.
4. Review the terms, agree, and tap Get started.
5. Select your business's country or region. Phone, website and industry are optional.
6. Tap Next.
7. Upload your business verification document.
8. Enter your Legal business name and Business license ID exactly as they appear on the document.
9. Tap Next.
10. Choose SMS or Voice Call to verify your identity, then tap Submit.

You'll get an in-app notification and a confirmation email once you're approved, typically within 1 to 5 business days. You can check progress on the Business verification page. After approval, your company name and category are added to your business profile.

Business verification is not the same as the blue checkmark. The checkmark is for high-profile accounts such as celebrities and major brands, and verifying your business doesn't give you one.

Copy your legal name and license ID character for character from the document, since TikTok asks for them exactly as they appear.

What changes when you become a Verified Business Account

Your music options shrink. Verified Business Accounts can't use the general music library, because those songs aren't cleared for commercial use. You use the Commercial Music Library instead, a collection of songs and sounds pre-cleared for commercial use. If your content leans on trending songs, this matters more than anything else on the list.

Your profile stays public. Verified Business Accounts are public profiles. General accounts have a private account option.

You can show business details. Your address, email or phone number can appear on your public profile.

You get the Business Suite. It holds your analytics dashboard, leads manager and Creative Hub, and works in the app or on the web. Analytics need at least one public post.

You can add conversion links. Organic conversion anchors, which attach a link to a post or to your profile, need a Verified Business Account or Advanced Access.

You're held to the verification. TikTok may ask you to verify again to keep business features. A Verified Business Account that breaks the Community Guidelines can go into a re-verification period and lose its business features in the meantime. If you skip a verification request, your account can be converted back to General.

The link rule: 1,000 followers or a Verified Business Account

TikTok lets two kinds of accounts put a website link on their profile: General accounts with at least 1,000 followers, and Verified Business Accounts. For a new shop with a small following, verification is the fastest way to a clickable link.

Once you qualify, add it in the app:

1. Tap Profile.
2. Tap Edit profile.
3. Next to Links, tap Add, then follow the steps.

Two rules apply to every account type. Links that open or log people into other social media apps aren't supported, but links to those platforms' websites work. And Advanced Access alone won't make your link visible, as covered above. Our guide to adding a link to your TikTok bio covers the rest, including what visitors see when they tap it.

Switching back to a personal account

You use the same route to go from Verified Business back to General: Profile, Menu (☰), Settings and privacy, Account, Business verification, then follow the steps.

Before you go back and forth, know this: TikTok advises against it. Your verification isn't saved, so returning to business means verifying all over again. If you want to promote a business and also post personal content, TikTok recommends two separate accounts.

If your business account was converted to General because you didn't verify when asked, go to Profile, tap Verify on the business verification prompt or banner, and submit your business information and documents.

Give your profile link more to do with Olaa

It helps when your profile link leads to everything. With Olaa, you put olaa.im/yourname in that field. It opens a page with all your links, plus TikTok, YouTube and Spotify players that play right on the page. The free plan includes one page, unlimited links and 7 days of analytics. Olaa Pro, $8 a month or $72 a year, adds products with photo and price from Stripe, Etsy, Shopify or Gumroad (checkout happens in your own shop, and Olaa takes no cut), email signups sent to Mailchimp, scheduled links and 30 and 90 day analytics. Setup takes a few minutes and needs no code. You can see the plans side by side.

Once the link is live, check who's visiting your profile and keep your TikTok bio pointing people to it.

FAQ

What do I need to verify a TikTok business account?

You need to be 18 or older and have a valid business license that matches the region where your business operates. Some countries ask for extra documents. You'll also confirm your identity by SMS or voice call at the end.

Can a TikTok business account use popular songs?

Not from the general music library. Verified Business Accounts are limited to the Commercial Music Library, which is pre-cleared for commercial use. General accounts can use both libraries.

How long does TikTok business verification take?

Typically 1 to 5 business days. You'll get an in-app notification and an email when you're approved, and you can check status anytime on the Business verification page.

Do I need 1,000 followers for a link on a TikTok business account?

No. The 1,000-follower requirement applies to General accounts. A Verified Business Account can post a website link on its profile without it.

Can I switch my TikTok business account back to personal?

Yes, through Settings and privacy, Account, Business verification. Your verification isn't saved, though, so switching back to business later means verifying again. TikTok suggests keeping two separate accounts if you need both.

Does business verification give me a blue check?

No. Business verification is a separate process from the blue checkmark, which TikTok reserves for high-profile accounts such as celebrities and major brands.