Rehab advertising is closed by default. Google and Meta won't show ads for drug and alcohol addiction treatment until a program is certified by LegitScript and approved by the platform, and federal and state law punish the deceptive tactics this category is known for. This guide explains the rules as published on October 22, 2026, what keywords cost once you're approved, and how to build demand while you wait.
Why addiction treatment ads are restricted
The people who click are often in crisis, and each admission is valuable to whoever answers the phone. That combination attracts lead sellers, call centers presenting themselves as neutral helplines and unlicensed operators, which is why Google and Meta hand the gatekeeping to a certifier.
The law covers the rest. The FTC can seek civil penalties for unfair or deceptive acts involving SUD treatment services, including referral services and recovery housing, under the Opioid Addiction Recovery Fraud Prevention Act of 2018 (opens in a new tab). The federal Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act, or EKRA (18 U.S.C. § 220 (opens in a new tab)), criminalizes paying or receiving remuneration for referrals to treatment facilities, recovery homes and labs. States add their own rules; Florida's § 397.55 (opens in a new tab) bans false information about a provider's services or location, misleading links or coding, and undisclosed call-center lead generation.
For the full map of rules across channels, see our addiction treatment marketing hub.
Google's addiction services policy and LegitScript certification
Google's Healthcare and medicines policy (opens in a new tab) "restricts the promotion of recovery-oriented drug and alcohol addiction services." What that means by country:
| Location | Requirement (as of October 22, 2026) |
|---|---|
| United States | Certified as an addiction services provider through LegitScript, plus Google approval |
| Canada | LegitScript's Addiction Treatment Certification, plus Google approval |
| Australia, France, Ireland, New Zealand | Government entities only |
The addiction services page (opens in a new tab) lists who is covered: clinical treatment providers, recovery support services such as sober living and mutual help organizations, "lead generators or referral agencies for addiction services" and crisis hotlines. Services for behavioral addictions, impulse control disorders or nicotine are outside the policy. You need a separate application for each location or group of locations, and Google notes that "not all drug and alcohol addiction services are eligible."
LegitScript's addiction treatment certification (opens in a new tab) is the gate. As checked on October 22, 2026:
- Likely eligible: licensed providers in the US or Canada offering detox, residential or outpatient treatment, counseling or medication-assisted treatment.
- Not eligible: lead generators, call centers and marketers paid to refer patients, and sober living homes without licensed clinical services.
- Reviewed: licensing and prescribing authority, staff qualifications, facility ownership or lease, ten years of violations and litigation, privacy compliance, website accuracy, no affiliation with lead generators, and patient incentives (paying for travel disqualifies an applicant).
- Fees: $1,595 to apply and $3,095 a year per facility for one to nine facilities; $535 and $1,070 for individual practitioners (one to three providers, one location). Expedited review adds $2,500.
- After approval: ongoing monitoring and annual renewal.
Our LegitScript certification guide covers the document checklist, and the Google healthcare ad policy guide covers the rest of Google's health rules.
Meta's rules for addiction treatment ads
Meta's addiction treatment policy (opens in a new tab) applies to ads targeting people in the United States. Advertisers must be "certified with LegitScript" and "have written permission from Meta", requested through Meta's contact form. It covers in-person treatment, addiction hotlines, mutual support groups and online treatment such as recovery apps. Physical rehabilitation is excluded.
Approval doesn't loosen Meta's other rules. Its personal attributes policy (opens in a new tab) bans ads that assert or imply a reader's health condition. Meta's own examples: "Depression counseling" passes; "Depression getting you down? Get help now." does not. The same logic applies to addiction.
Illustrative example (fictional Cedar Lane Outpatient): Non-compliant: "Can't stop drinking? We can help you quit for good." Compliant: "Outpatient alcohol treatment in Spokane, with evening groups. Most insurance accepted."
See our Meta health ad policy guide for targeting limits and creative rules.
Tactics that get programs banned or sued
Each of these has ended campaigns or created legal exposure. None is worth the clicks.
| Tactic | The rule it breaks |
|---|---|
| Running treatment ads uncertified under "wellness retreat" wording | Google's addiction services certification; Google's misrepresentation policy (opens in a new tab) bans obscuring material information about your business |
| Bidding on a competitor's name with ads or landing pages that imply you are them | Misrepresentation bans "impersonating other brands or businesses" and implying affiliations you don't have; Florida § 397.55 bans false information and links that secretly send readers elsewhere |
| A "national addiction helpline" page or call-tracking number that routes to one paying program | Florida § 397.55 requires call-center lead generators to disclose the providers that pay them; the FTC can penalize deceptive referral services |
| Sobriety guarantees or unverifiable success rates | Google bans claims that entice "with an improbable result"; FTC deception authority applies |
| Free flights, travel or gift cards for admission | LegitScript disqualifies paid travel; inducements raise patient-brokering risk |
| Paying a marketer per admission or per qualified call | EKRA and state laws such as Florida's Patient Brokering Act |
| Remarketing to people who viewed treatment pages | Google's personalized advertising policy (opens in a new tab) treats health as a sensitive category, and treatment-page data may be protected under 42 CFR Part 2 |
Per-admission pay deserves its own warning: it's the arrangement most likely to turn a marketing contract into a criminal referral. Our guide to patient brokering explains why.
This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm how it applies to your practice with a qualified advisor.
What treatment keywords cost
Once you're certified, expect some of the highest clicks in healthcare:
| Search (US, monthly) | Volume | Avg. CPC |
|---|---|---|
| detox near me | 14,800 | $107.39 |
| iop near me | 14,800 | $55.21 |
| suboxone doctor near me | 9,900 | $60.81 |
| rehab advertising (practice-side) | 320 | $27.42 |
Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, US, 12-month average to Sep 2026.
Keyword Planner returns no data for many rehab terms, including "rehab near me", because the category is restricted. Be wary of any vendor that quotes precise volumes for those searches without naming a source.
Three budgeting rules follow:
- Bid only on services you provide. An outpatient program buying "detox near me" pays $100-plus for callers it must refer elsewhere.
- Staff the phone before you raise the budget. An unanswered call at these prices is the most expensive line in your marketing.
- Exclude job and research searches. Add negative keywords such as "jobs", "careers", "salary" and "certification course", plus "free" if you don't offer free care, and review the search terms report weekly.
Ethical alternatives when you can't advertise yet
Certification takes preparation, and some programs aren't eligible. These channels need no ad approval:
- Your website. A page per level of care, written for the person and for their family, with insurance, costs, schedule and what happens on the first call.
- Your Google Business Profile. Use your real-world name, a real location and one profile per location, as Google's guidelines (opens in a new tab) require. Keyword-stuffed names get suspended.
- FindTreatment.gov. SAMHSA's locator (opens in a new tab) lists substance use and mental health facilities; designated state agency representatives update facility information, so check yours.
- Referral relationships. Primary care, emergency departments, hospital social workers, employee assistance programs and courts refer patients. Give them fast admissions and consented updates, and nothing of value in return for referrals.
- Community education. Talks for employers, schools and faith groups build recognition without a click price.
- Start the application. Gather licenses, staff credentials and facility documents now so certification isn't the bottleneck later.
Where Medfy fits. Medfy does not provide LegitScript certification and cannot get a program certified or approved for treatment ads. Medfy's commitments cover HIPAA-protected data under a BAA; its handling of 42 CFR Part 2 records is not confirmed, so substance-use intake should stay in your program's own Part 2-compliant systems. The free marketing audit is a safe first look: it reads public information only and flags privacy risks such as ad pixels on patient forms.
Frequently asked questions
Can rehabs advertise on Google without LegitScript?
Not for treatment services in the US or Canada. Google's addiction services policy requires US advertisers to be certified as an addiction services provider through LegitScript and approved by Google, and Canadian advertisers to hold LegitScript's Addiction Treatment Certification. The policy also covers sober living, crisis hotlines and referral services. Rewording ads to avoid the category doesn't change what you offer and risks a misrepresentation violation on top.
How long does LegitScript certification take?
LegitScript doesn't publish a standard review time. Expedited processing, which costs an extra $2,500 per application, starts the review within two business days, but approval still depends on how complete your documents are. After certification you apply separately to Google and to Meta. Gather licenses, staff credentials, facility ownership or lease papers and disclosures before applying, because missing documents are the usual delay.
Can addiction treatment centers advertise on Facebook?
Yes, with two approvals. Meta requires addiction treatment advertisers targeting the US to be certified with LegitScript and to have written permission from Meta, requested through Meta's form. The rule covers in-person and online treatment, hotlines and support groups. Approved ads must still avoid implying the viewer has a condition, so ads that ask whether someone is struggling with addiction are out.
Why are detox keywords so expensive?
Because certified programs compete for a small set of urgent searches. 'detox near me' averages $107.39 a click (Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, US, 12-month average to Sep 2026), with top-of-page bids from $21.89 to $105.63. Searchers often want help the same day, so programs bid aggressively. Bid only where you offer withdrawal management and can answer the phone around the clock.