How to Get Verified on Instagram

There are two ways to get verified on Instagram. You can subscribe to Meta Verified, a paid plan that gives eligible personal and creator profiles the badge after an ID check. Or, if you are a public figure, celebrity or brand, you can apply for free from the Instagram app. The free route is only approved for accounts that are authentic, unique, complete and notable, which in practice means you have been covered by several news sources. Neither route has a published follower minimum.

Both routes give you the same blue badge. The difference is what you have to prove. Meta Verified checks that you are who you say you are. The free application also checks that you are well known.

Meta Verified vs free verification at a glance

Instagram says the badge confirms an account is the real presence of the person or brand it represents. It does not mean the account is important or endorsed by Instagram.

Route 1: Pay for Meta Verified

Meta Verified is a monthly subscription for creators and businesses on Instagram and Facebook. On Meta's own page, the Standard plan costs $14.99 a month per profile. Meta lists higher tiers (Plus at $49.99, Premium at $149.99 and Max at $499.99 a month) that add things like links in Reels and faster support. Meta also says Standard is cheaper when you sign up on the web. Meta says features, availability and pricing vary by region and app, so check the price shown in your app before you subscribe.

How much is Instagram verification in the UK?

Meta announced that Meta Verified was available in the United Kingdom in May 2023. Meta does not publish a separate UK price list on its pricing page, and it says prices can vary by region and by app. The price in pounds is shown when you start the sign-up in the Instagram app or on the web. As with other countries, compare the two before you pay, because Meta says Standard costs less on the web. Applying for free as a notable account costs nothing in the UK or anywhere else.

Who is eligible

• You are 18 or older, or the age of majority where you live.
• You live in a country where Meta Verified is available.
• You have a government-issued photo ID.
• Your Instagram account is a personal or creator profile. Business profiles go through Meta Verified for businesses, which has its own plans.
• Your profile meets Meta's minimum activity requirements. Meta does not publish the exact numbers.
• Your name and profile picture meet Meta Verified naming standards.
• Advanced Protection is turned on, and it stays on while you subscribe.
• You have not changed your name, photo, username or similar details too many times in the period before you apply.

How to subscribe

1. 1Pick a plan. Choose a Meta Verified plan. Standard can be bought on the web or in the app; the higher tiers are app only.
2. 2Choose your profiles. Select the profile you want to verify. If you verify two eligible profiles, such as one Instagram and one Facebook profile, Meta says you may get a discounted price. Both profiles may need to use the same name and photo.
3. 3Set up payment. The plan is billed monthly and renews automatically until you cancel.
4. 4Verify your identity. Upload your government-issued photo ID. Meta says some people may be verified using their activity on Meta products instead.
5. 5Wait for review. Meta says the review can take up to 3 business days, and you will be notified of the result.

Route 2: Apply for free as a notable account

Instagram still lets public figures, celebrities and brands request the badge without paying. On top of following the Terms of Use and Community Standards, your account has to meet four tests:

• Authentic: it represents a real person, registered business or entity.
• Unique: it is the one main account for that person or business. Only one account each can be verified, except for language-specific accounts. General-interest accounts, such as meme pages, are not verified.
• Complete: the account is public, has a bio and profile photo, and is active when you apply.
• Notable: it represents a well-known, highly searched-for person, brand or entity. Instagram looks for coverage in multiple news sources, and paid or sponsored content does not count.

How to apply

1. 1Check your username. Make sure it is the one you want to keep. Once you are verified, you cannot change it.
2. 2Open the form. In the Instagram app, go to your profile, tap the menu in the top right and look for Request verification. On professional accounts it sits under Account type and tools. Menu names can differ between app versions.
3. 3Fill it in. Enter your full name and upload a government ID, or official business documents if you are applying for a brand.
4. 4Have your coverage ready. Instagram judges notability on independent news coverage. If the form lets you add links, use real articles about you or your brand, not press releases or paid features.
5. 5Submit once and wait. You get a notification in Activity with the decision. Applying again before you hear back cancels your pending request.

Common reasons requests get denied

• Not enough independent press. Instagram judges notability on coverage in multiple news sources, and paid or sponsored articles do not count.
• Incomplete or private profile. No bio, no profile photo, or the account is set to private.
• Not the main account. Only one account per person or business can be verified, and general-interest accounts are not.
• Missing or unclear ID. The form asks for your full name and a valid form of ID, such as a government-issued photo ID or official business documents.
• Applying more than once. A second request before a decision cancels the first.
• Breaking the rules. Accounts that break the Terms of Use or Community Standards are not verified.

If you are denied, Instagram says you can apply again after 30 days. Use that time to build real coverage, not just to resubmit the same form.

Keeping your badge

Instagram can remove a badge at any time. Besides the points above, it lists using your name, bio or photo to promote services that break its rules, and switching between public and private too often. A verified badge also cannot be moved to a different account.

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

There is no published number. Meta Verified asks for minimum account activity but no follower count, and the free route is judged on press coverage, not follower numbers. A larger audience can still help indirectly. Journalists and brands are more likely to notice an account people already follow and talk about. Some creators give a new account a starting push with Instagram followers, but bought followers will not get you verified, do not replace good content, and Instagram's rules prohibit artificially boosting follower counts. If you go that way, read our honest take on whether it is safe to buy Instagram followers first.

Steady posting and real engagement matter more. Our guides on the best time to post on Instagram and what a good engagement rate looks like are good places to start.

Getting verified on TikTok and X

Each platform has its own rules, so an Instagram badge does not carry over. If you also post on TikTok, see how to get verified on TikTok. If X is part of your plan, our guide on how many followers on X you need to get paid covers what X asks for before it pays creators.