LegitScript certification is a third-party check that Google and Meta rely on before they let certain healthcare businesses advertise: addiction treatment providers, online pharmacies and telehealth services that prescribe. It's a popular search, with "legitscript certification" at 1,600 searches a month (DataForSEO keyword difficulty 25), "legitscript" at 4,400 (mostly people looking for the site itself) and "legitscript cost" at 40 (Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, US, 12-month average to Sep 2026). The short version for most practices: if you see patients in person and don't prescribe online, you probably don't need it. Every fact below comes from LegitScript's, Google's or Meta's own pages, read October 22–23, 2026.
What LegitScript certification is
LegitScript is a private company that vets healthcare merchants and monitors them after approval. It runs separate programs, and the two that matter for practice advertising are:
- Healthcare Certification (opens in a new tab) (often called Healthcare Merchant Certification), which LegitScript says "helps you demonstrate legitimacy and advertise on platforms like Google and Meta." It's built for pharmacies, telemedicine providers, digital health platforms, pharmaceutical manufacturers and some medical spas.
- Addiction Treatment Certification (opens in a new tab), which LegitScript describes as "the only certification and monitoring solution recognized by Google, Meta, Microsoft and Nextdoor to vet addiction treatment advertisers."
Certification isn't an ad approval. LegitScript's FAQ says advertising platforms "independently develop and enforce their own advertising policies and make all advertising decisions," and the healthcare FAQ adds that certification doesn't promise ad approval. You certify with LegitScript, then apply to each platform.
Who needs it: addiction treatment, telehealth, pharmacy and more
| Business | Needs LegitScript to advertise? | Program |
|---|---|---|
| Addiction treatment (inpatient, outpatient, online) | Yes, on Google (US and Canada) and Meta (US-targeted ads) | Addiction Treatment |
| Telehealth that prescribes medication | Yes, to promote prescribing or prescription drugs | Healthcare |
| Online pharmacy | Yes on Meta; on Google, LegitScript or NABP | Healthcare |
| Med spa with telemedicine prescribing or online prescription payments | Possibly; eligible for Healthcare Certification | Healthcare |
| In-person dental, dermatology, PT, chiropractic or family practice, no online prescribing | Generally no | Usually not eligible |
The last two rows come from LegitScript's Healthcare Certification FAQ (opens in a new tab): med spas are eligible only if they "offer telemedicine that may result in a prescription" or process card-not-present payments for prescription medications, and in-person clinics are generally not eligible if they do neither. Deposits or consultation payments alone don't qualify.
So a practice can't "get LegitScript certified to be safe." If your business model doesn't fit, LegitScript won't certify it, and you don't need it.
Which ad platforms require it
Google. Under the Healthcare and medicines (opens in a new tab) country requirements, checked October 22, 2026:
- United States: online pharmacies and telemedicine providers need LegitScript or NABP accreditation; addiction services need LegitScript certification; all three then need Google's own certification.
- Canada: online pharmacies need LegitScript or NABP; telemedicine providers need LegitScript; addiction services need LegitScript; plus Google certification.
Google's Addiction services (opens in a new tab) policy covers "recovery-oriented drug and alcohol addiction services," including clinical treatment providers, sober living, mutual help organizations, referral services and crisis hotlines. It excludes impulse control disorders, behavioral addiction and nicotine addiction. Google also requires certification to keyword-target prescription drug names in the US and Canada (Restricted drug terms (opens in a new tab)), but its certification categories are for pharmacies, telemedicine, manufacturers, addiction services and insurers. See Google Ads healthcare policy for the full picture.
Meta. Two policies name LegitScript:
- Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (opens in a new tab): online pharmacies and telehealth providers must be "actively certified with LegitScript," then request Meta's authorization, to promote prescription drugs. Ads may target only the United States, Canada or New Zealand, and only people 18 or older. Promoting telehealth services generally doesn't need authorization.
- Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment (opens in a new tab): for ads targeting the United States, advertisers must be "certified with LegitScript and have written permission from Meta."
Others. LegitScript says its healthcare certification is recognized by Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, LinkedIn, Netflix, Nextdoor and Yahoo, and by Visa and Mastercard for card-not-present payments. Check each platform's own policy before you rely on that list.
The application: what LegitScript reviews
LegitScript's Healthcare Certification has nine standards: licensure, legal compliance and prescribing, prior discipline and history, affiliates and partners, patient services, privacy, valid prescriptions, transparency and advertising. In practice that means preparing:
- every license for the services you offer, in every jurisdiction you serve ("Merchants must be adequately licensed for the services they offer and in the jurisdictions they serve");
- clinical and prescribing policies;
- ownership information and partner relationships;
- disclosure of violations and litigation from the past ten years;
- a list of every domain and website you control.
Addiction Treatment Certification adds program-specific checks. Clinical staff need "expertise and training in addiction treatment." Any ownership of, or affiliation with, lead generators is prohibited and may mean immediate denial, and paying for patient referrals is "explicitly disallowed." Your website must "conspicuously disclose the physical address" of each facility. It's open to licensed treatment providers in the US or Canada, not to lead generators.
If your organization offers telehealth marketing that includes prescribing, the prescribing policies are where applications usually need the most work.
Fees and timelines, from LegitScript's own pages
Fees as LegitScript published them on October 22, 2026 (USD):
| Program | Application fee (nonrefundable) | Annual certification fee |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Certification, per website | $975 | $2,150 |
| Healthcare Certification, probationary (heightened monitoring) | — | $3,995 |
| Addiction Treatment, 1–9 facilities, per facility | $1,595 | $3,095 |
| Addiction Treatment, 10–24 facilities, per facility | $1,495 | $2,775 |
| Addiction Treatment, 25+ facilities, per facility | $1,395 | $2,550 |
| Addiction Treatment, individual practitioners (one to three providers, one location, one website) | $535 | $1,070 |
Expedited processing is an extra $2,500 per application in both programs. LegitScript mentions hardship waivers for qualifying nonprofits in the addiction program.
Timeline. LegitScript doesn't publish one: "Every application is different, so we're unable to provide an estimated certification timeline" (Getting Started FAQ (opens in a new tab)). Speed depends on complexity, completeness, your response time and their volume. Expedited processing starts review within two business days of screening, but LegitScript says it doesn't shorten the review itself. After LegitScript approves you, you still apply to Google and Meta, so budget time for both.
If you're not eligible: what you can still advertise
Most practices never need LegitScript. These are the lanes that stay open without it, based on the policies above:
- In-person visits and procedures. Advertise the consultation, the clinician and the location. Keep prescription drug names out of your keywords, since Google requires certification to target them.
- Telehealth in general (Meta). Meta lets advertisers promote telehealth services generally without authorization, as long as the ad doesn't promote prescription drugs.
- Education. Meta allows ads that educate about prescription drugs or give public service announcements without authorization.
- Mental health care that isn't addiction recovery. Google's addiction policy excludes behavioral addiction and nicotine addiction; general counseling sits outside it.
Two cases deserve a closer look before you launch. Semaglutide and tirzepatide programs mix prescription-drug rules with weight-loss rules on both platforms; see GLP-1 advertising. Addiction treatment is fully gated; see advertising addiction treatment.
Medfy is not LegitScript-certified and doesn't provide certification. Its Google Ads add-on can only run campaigns your account is eligible to run, so a certification-gated campaign waits until you hold the certifications. To find out whether your current ads or landing pages touch a gated category, start with a free marketing audit. For the rest of the rulebook, see medical advertising regulations.
This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm how it applies to your practice with a qualified advisor.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need LegitScript to run Google Ads for my practice?
Probably not, if you advertise in-person visits and don't prescribe online, sell prescription drugs online, treat addiction or bid on prescription drug names. Google's LegitScript requirements attach to telemedicine prescribing, online pharmacies and addiction services. If your ads or landing pages offer any of those, you'll need LegitScript (or NABP for pharmacies) and then Google's own certification.
How long does LegitScript certification take?
LegitScript doesn't publish a standard timeline. Its FAQ says every application is different, and review time depends on how complex and complete your application is, how quickly you answer follow-up requests and current volume. Expedited processing, an extra $2,500, starts the review within two business days of screening but doesn't shorten the review itself. Plan for weeks, not days.
How much does LegitScript certification cost?
As published on October 22, 2026, Healthcare Merchant Certification costs a $975 nonrefundable application fee per website plus a $2,150 annual fee per website. Addiction Treatment Certification starts at a $1,595 application fee and $3,095 annual fee per facility for one to nine facilities, or $535 and $1,070 for qualifying individual practitioners. Check LegitScript's pricing before applying.
Does Meta require LegitScript for addiction treatment ads?
Yes, for ads targeting people in the United States. Meta's Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment policy says advertisers must be certified with LegitScript and have written permission from Meta, and must show their activities are appropriately licensed. It covers in-person and online treatment, addiction hotlines and mutual support groups. Meta lists physical rehabilitation as an example that needs no permission.