The only way to get verified on Snapchat is to become a Snap Star: you apply through Snap's own form and Snap checks your engagement, authenticity and notability. There's no follower number that guarantees it, and Snap says outright that nobody is entitled to a star, whatever the size of their audience.
If you've seen a little star next to a creator's name on Snapchat, that's what verification looks like there. Snapchat doesn't use a blue tick. It calls verified creators and well-known people Snap Stars, and the star sits on their profile and on their name.
What a Snap Star is
Snap's help centre describes a Snap Star as a verified creator recognised for high-quality content, public presence or popularity. Snap Stars are also eligible to have their content featured in Snapchat, and Snap now shows a separate Snap Star label on the profile itself. That label tells people the account has been verified by Snap and meets its quality, authenticity and safety standards. The point is simple: it makes impersonation and scams harder.
What Snap checks when you apply
Snap's newer article on account labels spells out the review itself. Each application is checked to confirm three things: that you're a real creator or well-known person, that your identity matches the account, and that the account follows Snap's safety and authenticity standards. Snap also says it has safeguards so Snap Star profiles can't be accessed or changed by someone else, and that accounts with broader reach may get extra review under the same Community Guidelines everyone follows.
The three things Snap looks at
Snap doesn't publish a follower target. Instead it lists three factors it weighs, on top of you following its Terms of Service and Community Guidelines:
| Factor | What Snap says it means | What that looks like in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Account engagement | A large and engaged audience | Views, replies and shares on public Stories and Spotlight, not just a big friends list |
| Authenticity | A real person or people, and the unique presence of who it represents | One official account per person; fan pages and general interest accounts are not eligible |
| Notability and cultural relevance | Highly searched for or culturally relevant | People look for you by name, on Snapchat or off it |
The line most guides skip is the last one in Snap's own article: no one is entitled to a Snap Star, regardless of the size of the account's audience. So a big following helps, but it doesn't settle it. A smaller creator who's well known by name can qualify ahead of a bigger meme account.
The age gate nobody mentions
Verification runs through your public presence, and on Snapchat that means a Public Profile. Snap's help centre says the minimum age to have a Public Profile is 16, although local laws can set a different minimum. Snap's teen privacy page adds that 13 to 15 year olds don't have access to Public Profiles at all, and for 16 and 17 year olds the feature is off by default. If you're under 16, you can't build the public footprint Snap is checking for, so applying first won't get you far.
How to apply, step by step
- Turn on your Public Profile and fill it in: display name, bio, profile picture and a category that describes what you do.
- Post publicly and consistently to your public Story and Spotlight so there's engagement for Snap to see.
- Make sure the account is clearly you. Link to it from your website or your other social profiles so it's obvious it's the official one.
- Open Snap's help article on becoming a Snap Star and use the application form linked there. Fill it in from the account you want verified.
- Wait. Snap reviews requests itself, and if you're already a Snap Star with a problem, there's a separate support form for that.
How you can lose the star
A Snap Star label isn't permanent. Snap lists the reasons it can come off: the account no longer meets the program requirements, your role or participation changes, Snap can't confirm who owns the account, you ask for it to be removed, or the account breaks Snap's policies. In practice the ownership point is the one to protect. Keep two-step login on and don't share the login with anyone who isn't on your team.
Don't confuse the star with the other label you'll see on some profiles. Snap's help centre says profile labels are used for two groups only: Snap Star profiles, and Snapchat+ users. The Snapchat+ label says nothing about who you are. Only the Snap Star label means Snap has confirmed your identity and public presence.
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Watch out for verification scams
Snap is blunt about this. It says no outside company grants verification on its behalf, and no third party influences its decisions about Snap Star eligibility. So if someone in your DMs promises a star for you, they can't deliver it. The only route is Snap's own form.
My verdict
Don't chase the star, chase the reasons Snap hands it out. If people already search for you by name and your public Stories get real engagement, apply now. If they don't, put the effort into your public content for a few months first. A rejected application doesn't hurt you, but a scammer promising a shortcut can take your account. For the growth side, my guide to growing followers on Snapchat is the place to start, and it's worth knowing how your Snap Score works so you don't confuse it with anything Snap uses for verification.
Frequently asked questions
How many followers do you need to get verified on Snapchat?
There's no published number. Snap weighs engagement, authenticity and notability, and says nobody is entitled to a Snap Star regardless of the size of their audience.
What does the star mean on Snapchat?
It marks a Snap Star, which is Snapchat's version of a verified account: a creator or well-known person Snap has verified and who meets its quality, authenticity and safety standards.
Can I get verified on Snapchat if I'm 15?
Not in practice. Snap's teen privacy page says 13 to 15 year olds don't have access to Public Profiles, and the help centre puts the minimum age for a Public Profile at 16, which is where verification starts.
Can an agency get me a Snap Star?
No. Snap says no outside entity grants verification on its behalf and no third party influences Snap Star decisions, so anyone offering that is a scam.
