Facebook ads policies are Meta's Advertising Standards: the rules every ad on Facebook, Instagram and Meta's other apps must follow, on top of the Community Standards. Each ad is checked against them before it runs, mostly by automated systems, and Meta says most ads are reviewed within 24 hours, although some take longer and any ad can be reviewed again after it goes live.
A detail worth knowing before you edit a live ad: changing the targeting, creative, optimisation or billing event sends the ad back into review, but changing the bid, budget or schedule doesn't. So if an ad is performing and you only want to spend more, raise the budget rather than tweaking the copy.
How Meta's ad review works
The review starts automatically when you create or edit an ad, and you can watch its status in the Delivery column of Ads Manager. Meta says the review can look at:
- Images, video and text
- Targeting information
- The ad's destination, such as a website or Facebook Page
- Special ad categories
- Advertiser permissions
Based on that, the ad is either rejected or allowed to run. Meta says it may also weigh an advertiser's history of following the rules. If you want an ad to start later, schedule it: it goes through review when you submit, then waits for the start date.
What the Advertising Standards cover
Meta groups its rules into a few areas. Here are the main ones, in Meta's own categories:
| Area | Examples Meta lists | Banned or restricted |
|---|---|---|
| Unacceptable content | Discriminatory practices, hateful conduct, misinformation, vaccine discouragement, human exploitation | Banned |
| Prohibited commercial practices | Content that may deceive or mislead people | Banned |
| Restricted goods and services | Alcohol, dating, health and wellness, financial and insurance products, cryptocurrency, online gambling and games, drugs and pharmaceuticals, addiction treatment | Allowed with conditions |
| Restricted goods and services | Weapons, ammunition and explosives, hazardous goods, historical artefacts, human body parts, endangered species | Banned |
| Objectionable content | Adult nudity, sexually explicit language, bullying, profanity, violent and graphic content | Banned |
Restricted categories and their conditions
| Category | Condition in Meta's Standards |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | Follow local laws and codes; at minimum, never target people under 18 |
| Dating | Only with prior written permission, plus dating targeting rules |
| Weight loss, dietary and cosmetic | Must target people 18 or older |
| Credit cards, loans and insurance | Must target 18 or older and can't ask for personal or certain financial details in the ad |
| Cryptocurrency trading | Only with prior written permission |
| Online gambling and games | Only with prior written permission |
| Addiction treatment (US) | LegitScript certification and Meta's permission |
| Housing, employment and financial ads | US advertisers, and those targeting the US, Canada or parts of Europe, must self-identify as a Special Ad Category |
What to do when an ad is rejected
You'll get an email and a link to Meta Business Support Home showing the reason. Then you have two choices:
- Edit the ad. Fix the image, video, text, targeting or landing page that broke the rule and publish again. It goes back through review.
- Request another review if you think the rejection was wrong: go to Business Support Home, select the account, pick the rejected ads, ad sets or campaigns, click Request review and Submit.
Meta says it aims to decide re-reviews within 48 hours, relies more on human reviewers at that stage, and that asking for a review won't hurt your standing. If the rejection is overturned, it doesn't count as a violation. If it's rejected again, you can't request another review for that ad.
One warning from Meta: deleting a rejected ad may stop you requesting a review, and editing or deleting it doesn't remove the violation from your account.
Repeated rejections can restrict an account, and our guide to checking account quality shows how to check and fix that.
When rejections turn into restrictions
Severe or repeated violations can go beyond rejected ads. Meta can restrict your business portfolio, ad account, Page or personal profile from advertising, and it may also limit daily spending, lower your payment threshold or remove payment features after unusual activity. The fix starts in Meta Business Support Home, where you can request a review.
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Some categories need authorisation first, and our guide to political ads on Facebook explains the disclaimer rules and the EU position.
My verdict
Read the restricted list before you plan a campaign in health, finance, alcohol, dating or crypto, because some of those need written permission that takes time. For everything else, check your claims and wording against the Standards before you publish, and write copy you could defend in front of a customer. Our Facebook ad copy prompt templates are a quick way to draft clean versions, and our guide to Facebook ad creatives that convert covers the visual side.
If you want the full set, start at the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Facebook take to review an ad?
Meta says most ads are reviewed within 24 hours, although in some cases it may take longer. Ads can also be reviewed again after they go live.
Does changing my budget send a Facebook ad back to review?
No. Meta says changes to bid amount, budget or ad set schedule don't trigger review. Changes to targeting, creative, optimisation or billing event do.
How do I appeal a rejected Facebook ad?
Go to Meta Business Support Home, select the account and the rejected ads, click Request review and Submit. Meta aims to decide within 48 hours.
Will asking for a review hurt my ad account?
No. Meta says requesting another review won't hurt your standing, and an overturned rejection doesn't count as a violation.
Can I advertise alcohol or dating services on Facebook?
Alcohol ads are allowed if they follow local laws and never target people under 18. Dating ads need Meta's prior written permission.
