Meta Political Ad Authorization Rules, Explained

Meta treats an ad as political by its content, not by who runs it. A brand, a charity or a campaign all face the same checks once an ad names a candidate, urges people to vote, or argues one side of a social issue. Those ads need extra paperwork before they can run, carry a public label naming who paid, and stay in the Ad Library for years after they end.

Which ads count as social issue, election or political?

Meta puts an ad in this group when it is:

• made by, on behalf of, or about a candidate for public office, a political figure, a political party or a political action committee, or advocates for the outcome of an election;
• about any election, referendum or ballot initiative, including “go out and vote” campaigns;
• about social issues in the place where the ad runs; or
• regulated as political advertising.

Meta’s review guide gives examples. Ads that advocate for a change to law or policy, name a political figure, or call people to contact an elected official need authorization. Social issue ads, such as ads debating tax reform, need it in the countries where Meta requires it; in Meta’s examples, “Come to our job fair tomorrow!” does not. Ads whose primary purpose is selling a product or promoting a service may not count, unless the product is about politicians, parties, elections or legislation.

How do you get authorized?

Meta says the authorization process is available to advertisers who reside and are located in the country they target at the time the ads run. Identity documents must be issued by your local country or state and must not be expired; some countries also accept a notarized form. Requirements vary by country.

1. Complete Meta’s identity confirmation process yourself.
2. Ask every ad account admin or advertiser who will create these ads to confirm their identity too.
3. Link the ad accounts to the Page and create a disclaimer, which only a Page admin can do.
4. Wait until the linked ad accounts and disclaimer are approved before creating ads.

Meta notes that a Page admin who is not also an admin or advertiser on the linked ad account cannot create these ads.

What must the ad carry once it runs?

Every one of these ads needs a verified “Paid for by” disclaimer naming the person or entity responsible. If an ad runs without one, Meta pauses it, disapproves it and adds it to the Ad Library until the advertiser completes authorization. The Ad Library keeps these ads for 7 years, whether active or inactive, with spend and impression ranges. Meta’s policy also requires you to disclose when one of these ads contains a photorealistic image or video, or realistic-sounding audio, created or edited with third-party generative AI tools to show a real person saying or doing something they did not, a realistic person or event that does not exist, or altered footage of a real event.

Where are these ads limited or banned?

Location	Meta’s rule
European Union	In response to the EU regulation on the transparency and targeting of political advertising, advertisers cannot create or edit these ads for the EU. Meta’s policy page makes an exception for ads with information about the time, place and manner of voting or voter registration, when placed by election authorities in the EU
United States, Brazil, India, Israel, Mexico, United Kingdom	Ads must not discourage voting, question the legitimacy of an upcoming or ongoing election, or claim victory prematurely
Washington State, US	Ads about state or local candidates, elected officials, elections or ballot measures are not accepted

Some placements are also unsupported, including Messenger, WhatsApp, Marketplace, search, Audience Network and the right-hand column.

FAQ

My product ad was flagged as political. What can I do?

You can appeal. Meta’s review guide says to go to Ads Manager, select the campaign, ad set and ad you want reviewed, click Request review and follow the instructions, or use Meta’s appeal form. Meta notes that ads primarily selling a product may not need authorization.

Can I run political ads in one country from another?

Generally no. Meta says the authorization process is available to advertisers who reside and are located in the targeted country when the ads run. Meta does let select advertisers and intergovernmental organizations run social issue ads across multiple countries, unless otherwise prohibited.

Does the EU ban affect ads outside the EU?

The EU rule covers delivery in the European Union. Elsewhere, Meta’s policy says advertisers located in or targeting people in its designated countries must complete authorization and carry a disclaimer. Ads delivered to the United Kingdom, which is outside the EU, also have their own Ad Library archive rules.