BBB accreditation defined in plain terms
BBB accreditation is a voluntary status a business earns by meeting the BBB’s standards and paying dues. An accredited business has agreed to follow a written code of conduct. The Better Business Bureau can take the status away if the business stops meeting it.
The Better Business Bureau is a private nonprofit founded in 1912. It publishes business profiles, letter-grade ratings and complaints. It is not a government agency.
Accreditation is one layer added to that public profile. Every business can have a profile, whether or not it applies. Accreditation adds a status to the profile that shows the business opted in.
Who runs the BBB
The Better Business Bureau is a 501(c)(6) organization. It has 92 independently incorporated local BBBs in the US and Canada, coordinated by the IABBB. A business deals with the local BBB that covers its area.
The Better Business Bureau has no regulatory power. It is funded by dues from Accredited Businesses. That funding model is why accreditation and its rules draw close attention.
How a business becomes accredited and stays that way
A business becomes accredited by meeting eligibility rules, submitting an application, passing a review and then keeping its dues and conduct in good standing. Each stage has a gate. The status lasts only as long as the business keeps passing them.
Eligibility comes first
To be eligible, a business needs at least six months in business and a B rating or better. It also needs any required licensing. Its website needs a privacy policy and a secure connection.
The application and review
Applicants have 24 days to edit and submit after starting the form. Review takes a few days to a few weeks. The outcome is approved, on hold or denied.
Keeping the status
Accreditation stays active while dues are current and the standards are upheld. The Better Business Bureau can revoke it. Dues amounts are not published and vary by local BBB.
The code behind the status
The conduct an accredited business agrees to is written into the Standards for Trust. Each one is short, but together they describe how the business must treat customers.
The detail of the accreditation standards has its own part of this series. The table in the next section lists them in brief.
The parts that make up accreditation, with the eight standards
Accreditation is made of three parts: eligibility rules, the Standards for Trust and ongoing upkeep. The Standards for Trust are the core, because they describe what an accredited business promises to do. The table groups the eight standards by the kind of promise each one makes.
| Standard | Kind of promise | What it asks of the business |
|---|---|---|
| Build trust and embody integrity | Character | Act in a way customers can rely on |
| Advertise honestly and tell the truth | Honesty | Make accurate claims in ads and in sales talk |
| Be transparent | Openness | Share clear information about the business |
| Honor promises | Reliability | Keep the commitments made to customers |
| Be responsive | Service | Answer concerns and disputes |
| Safeguard privacy | Data care | Protect the information customers share |
The standards in full
The eight Standards for Trust are: build trust, advertise honestly, tell the truth, be transparent, honor promises, be responsive, safeguard privacy and embody integrity. The table pairs some of them because they make related promises. Each still counts as its own standard.
The eligibility rules
The eligibility rules are the entry gate. They cover time in business, a minimum rating, licensing and a website privacy policy with a secure connection. A business that misses any of them cannot apply yet.
How long the process takes overall
The full path from first form to decision can be short or slow. Applicants have 24 days to edit and submit after starting the form, and review then takes a few days to a few weeks. The step-by-step application has its own part of this series.
The upkeep
Upkeep is the ongoing part. The business pays dues and keeps meeting the standards. The Better Business Bureau can revoke accreditation if either lapses.
What accreditation means for a local business owner
For a local business owner, accreditation is a public signal of commitment to a set of conduct rules, paid for through dues. It does not change how the BBB grades the business, by its own account. Whether it is worth having depends on how much local customers look at BBB profiles.
The rating stays separate
Accreditation is voluntary and is not the same thing as the rating. An A+ grade is possible with no accreditation at all. Readers who want to see how grades are set can turn to the BBB rating system, which has its own guide on this hub.
The Better Business Bureau says dues do not buy a rating or remove a complaint. It also says it is neutral. Its stated policy is not to endorse specific businesses, products or services.
History explains the caution
Letter grades started in 2009. After a 2010 ABC 20/20 investigation, the BBB stopped giving higher grades to paying members. That episode is why many people still ask whether dues influence grades.
The current BBB pages do not confirm whether accreditation itself still affects rating points. An owner should treat the separation as the BBB’s stated position. The detail is worth checking with the local BBB.
The profile exists either way
The Better Business Bureau publishes profiles for both accredited and non-accredited businesses. A business that never applies can still have a profile, a rating and complaints on record. Accreditation changes the status shown, not whether the profile exists.
The standards shape daily habits
Being responsive and honoring promises are not paperwork. They affect how staff answer a dispute or a refund request. An owner who applies is agreeing to run the business that way.
Complaints still appear
Accreditation does not hide complaints. The BBB says dues do not remove a complaint. An accredited business answers complaints through the same process as any other business.
Weighing the cost
Dues are the main cost of accreditation. Dues amounts are not published and vary by local BBB. An owner who wants a figure has to ask the local BBB directly.
The value side is harder to measure. It depends on whether local customers check BBB profiles before they call. Asking new customers how they found the business is a simple way to judge that.
Common misconceptions about BBB accreditation
Most misconceptions about BBB accreditation come from mixing up accreditation, the rating and government oversight. Each mix-up leads owners or customers to read more into the status than it holds. Five come up often.
“The Better Business Bureau is a government agency.” It is a private nonprofit with no regulatory power. Accreditation is not a license or a government approval.
“An unaccredited business has something to hide.” Accreditation is voluntary, so many sound businesses never apply. Their profiles still show a rating and any complaints.
“Only accredited businesses get ratings.” That is wrong. The Better Business Bureau rates and profiles non-accredited businesses too.
“Paying dues raises the grade.” The Better Business Bureau says dues do not buy a rating. They also do not remove a complaint.
“Accreditation means an automatic A+.” It does not. Eligibility requires a B rating or better, and the grade can move after approval.
“Accreditation means the BBB endorses the business.” Its stated policy is not to endorse specific businesses, products or services. Accreditation shows the business agreed to the standards.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean if a business is BBB accredited?
It means the business applied, met the BBB’s eligibility rules and agreed to follow the Standards for Trust. It also pays dues to keep the status. The Better Business Bureau can revoke accreditation if the business stops meeting those terms.
Can the BBB take accreditation away?
Yes. Accreditation stays active only while dues are current and the standards are upheld. The BBB can revoke it when either condition fails.
Is it okay if a business is not BBB accredited?
Yes, a business can be trustworthy without accreditation, because accreditation is voluntary. A business can even have an A+ rating without being accredited. The profile, rating and complaint record still give useful information.
How long does the accreditation review take?
Review takes a few days to a few weeks after the application is submitted. Applicants have 24 days to edit and submit once they start the form. The outcome is approved, on hold or denied.
Where the BBB hub goes next
The hub for the Better Business Bureau collects every guide on BBB profiles. It covers what accreditation involves, how the letter rating is set and how complaints move from filing to closure. Each guide opens its own short series for readers who want to go further.