To run addiction treatment ads on Google, Meta, Microsoft or Nextdoor, you need LegitScript Addiction Treatment Certification. For a group with 1 to 9 facilities, LegitScript charges a $1,595 application fee and a $3,095 annual fee per facility (LegitScript pricing).
Our math: one facility pays $4,690 in year one ($1,595 + $3,095). LegitScript does not publish a standard review time. Its terms say review time depends on "applicant's business practices, facility number, offering services in multiple jurisdictions, and times of high application volumes."
This guide sticks to what LegitScript, Google and Meta publish. Every fee and rule below links to its source. Where we add our own view, we say so.
What is LegitScript?
LegitScript is a private company that vets addiction treatment advertisers. Its own guide calls its program "the only third-party certification and monitoring solution recognized by Google, Meta, Microsoft (Bing), and Nextdoor to vet addiction treatment advertisers" (LegitScript 101 Guide).
How it got here:
- September 2017: Google restricted rehab ads. Google said it "found a number of misleading experiences among rehabilitation treatment centers" (UPI, Sept 15, 2017).
- April 2018: CNBC reported Google would let rehab ads back in "only when they are first assessed by LegitScript" (CNBC).
- July 2018: LegitScript launched the certification program (LegitScript).
- August 2018: Facebook began requiring LegitScript for US addiction treatment ads (MarTech, Aug 9, 2018).
- March 2019: Bing began requiring it for US advertisers (LegitScript).
LegitScript is step one, not the last step. Google says "Advertisers must also be certified with Google" (Google Ads policy). Meta says you need LegitScript and must "apply to Meta for permission to advertise" (Meta policy).
Where it applies: LegitScript says Google accepts its certification "for providers operating in the United States and in Canada," while Meta, Microsoft Bing and Nextdoor accept it "in the United States only" (101 Guide).
What LegitScript does not gate: the Google and Meta rules above are ad policies. They cover paid ads. SEO, your Google Business Profile, referral partners and alumni outreach sit outside them.
Who qualifies
LegitScript says you may qualify if you "offer licensed addiction treatment services in the US or Canada, either through in-person or remote care for substance use disorders" (LegitScript). Mutual support groups and crisis hotlines can also apply.
Who does not qualify: "Lead generators, directories and sober living homes are currently ineligible" (101 Guide).
Two scope notes:
- Mental health only sites: LegitScript says locations that only offer mental health treatment "also don't need certification" (LegitScript US checklist).
- Behavioral addictions: Google says "impulse control disorders, behavioral addiction, or nicotine addiction, are out of scope of this policy" (Google Ads addiction services policy).
Accreditation: LegitScript says certification complements accreditation from bodies such as CARF and The Joint Commission but does not replace it (101 Guide). Its US checklist does not list accreditation as a required document.
What to have ready before you apply
From LegitScript's US application checklist and 101 Guide:
- Facility records. Names, addresses, lease or ownership records, liability insurance and licensure for each facility.
- Corporate holdings. Every addiction treatment business your company and principals own.
- Staff list. Your main treatment providers, such as doctors, nurses and counselors. The checklist says behavioral techs, yoga instructors and dietitians "need not be listed."
- DEA certificates for staff who prescribe controlled substances.
- Every domain you and your principals own, even ones you won't certify.
- Principals and affiliations. Owners, directors and officers, plus "any referral arrangements your business may have with partners or other businesses."
- Discipline history. LegitScript's standards page asks for litigation "over the past ten years." Its checklist says "within the last five years." Disclose the longer window. The checklist also asks whether any staff member is on the HHS OIG exclusion list (LEIE).
What does LegitScript cost?
All figures from LegitScript's pricing page, in USD, for the US and Canada.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application, 1 to 9 facilities | $1,595 per facility | Nonrefundable, "regardless of outcome" |
| Annual fee, 1 to 9 facilities | $3,095 per facility | Due only after approval |
| 10 to 24 facilities | $1,495 / $2,775 | Application / annual, per facility |
| 25+ facilities | $1,395 / $2,550 | The 101 Guide says to talk to sales at this size |
| Individual practitioner | $535 / $1,070 | 1 to 3 providers, one location, one website |
| Expedited processing | $2,500 per application | Review "started within 2 business days of submission" |
Our math (1 to 9 facility tier):
- One facility, year one: $1,595 + $3,095 = $4,690. Each year after: $3,095.
- Five facilities, year one: 5 x $4,690 = $23,450. Each year after: 5 x $3,095 = $15,475.
- Individual practitioner, year one: $535 + $1,070 = $1,605.
Nonprofits: the 101 Guide says registered nonprofits with under $150k on their most recent IRS Form 990 can apply for a one-year waiver of the annual fee. The application fee still applies.
How long does LegitScript take?
LegitScript does not publish a typical review time. Its terms only commit to "best efforts to review Applicant's application in a timely manner." The $2,500 expedite option gets your review started within 2 business days. It does not promise a finish date.
After LegitScript approves you, you still apply to each platform. Google points approved providers to its healthcare advertising application (Google). Meta requires its own written permission (Meta).
Our advice: start well before the date you need ads live, and answer reviewer questions fast. LegitScript has said timing depends on how complex the provider is and on "their responsiveness to our questions throughout the process" (LegitScript, 2018).
What LegitScript checks that trips people up
LegitScript lists 16 standards on its certification page. These are the ones that touch marketing and business deals most often.
1. Your website must match your operation
The standard: your website "must conspicuously disclose the physical address of the facility/ies where services are rendered, and the specific nature of services provided. All photographs on the applicant's website must truthfully and accurately depict applicant's facilities." The checklist adds that you should list only the services you offer and hold a license for.
2. Claims need proof
"Guarantees and statistics should always be supported by evidence, such as citations, copies of studies or other scientific research that substantiates them. If not, they could be considered to be misleading" (checklist). Strip any success rate you cannot cite.
3. No links to unvetted providers
The checklist flags "Links on your website that connect patients to addiction treatment centers or practitioners that have not been vetted and certified by LegitScript." If you list a facility on your site, it must be certified too.
4. No ties to lead generators
"Co-ownership of, or any formal or informal business affiliation with, lead generators (as defined in the certification application) is prohibited and may be grounds for immediate denial" (standards). LegitScript also asks you to list your referral arrangements.
5. No patient incentives
LegitScript says applicants that offer incentives "such as offering to pay for travel will not be eligible for approval." The 101 Guide also names paying patients' rent or insurance premiums during treatment as problem incentives.
6. Full, accurate answers
LegitScript's 2018 standards update says that failing to give "full and accurate information as requested" will "result in denial" (LegitScript). Disclose past discipline up front.
A short note on patient brokering law
The federal Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act (EKRA) became law on October 24, 2018. It makes it a crime to pay or receive anything of value for referring a patient to a recovery home, clinical treatment facility or lab. The penalty is up to $200,000, 10 years in prison, or both, "for each occurrence" (18 U.S.C. 220). Do not pay any marketer per admission, per patient, or with a census bonus. Pay vendors a flat fee for services. Ask your own healthcare attorney about any deal that changes with patient volume.
Pre-submission website check
Each item ties back to a LegitScript standard or checklist line above:
- Facility address and the specific services are easy to find on the site
- Every photo shows your real facility
- You only list services your license covers
- Every outcome claim or statistic has a citation, or it is gone
- No links to treatment providers LegitScript has not certified
- A privacy policy is posted if you collect protected health information
- Staff named on the site match the staff list you submit
- Your domain list includes every site you and your principals own
Staying certified
From LegitScript's terms and conditions and pricing page:
- Report changes within 30 days. You must notify LegitScript "within thirty (30) days of becoming aware of any change in its or its treatment providers' licensure, business, or regulatory status." The same 30 days applies to any adverse legal or regulatory action.
- Pay the annual fee. If you cancel, "Certification status will end immediately upon cancellation."
- Expect monitoring. LegitScript can grant "probationary certification" when it decides an applicant "requires increased monitoring and ongoing review."
- Allow inspections. Applicants agree to on-site inspections by LegitScript.
- Know the limits. LegitScript "may, in its sole discretion, grant, deny, or revoke" certification "for any reason and at any time."
Need a LegitScript-ready website audit?
We check treatment center websites against LegitScript's published standards before you submit, so you fix problems before the reviewer finds them.
Book a free auditIs it worth the money?
If you want paid search or paid social for addiction treatment, you have no choice. Google, Meta and Microsoft require it. The real question is whether paid ads will pay back $4,690 a year per facility.
In our experience running campaigns, cost per VOB (verification of benefits) on paid channels runs from a couple hundred dollars up to about $2,000 for out-of-network. Our math: $4,690 / $200 = about 23 VOBs; $4,690 / $2,000 = about 2 VOBs. So year one costs the same as roughly 2 to 23 VOBs, depending on your payer mix.
If you run only on referrals, alumni and SEO, you do not need the cert for those channels. Fix any compliance gaps first, then apply. The application fee is nonrefundable whatever the outcome.
Frequently asked questions
How much does LegitScript certification cost in 2026?
For 1 to 9 facilities, LegitScript charges a $1,595 application fee and a $3,095 annual fee per facility. Larger groups pay less per facility. Individual practitioners pay $535 to apply and $1,070 a year. The application fee is nonrefundable regardless of outcome. Our math: one facility pays $4,690 in year one.
Is the LegitScript fee per company or per location?
Per facility. LegitScript says fees are based on the number of unique facilities or locations you operate, and each facility you list on your website must be reviewed. Our math for five facilities in the 1 to 9 tier: 5 x $4,690 = $23,450 in year one.
How long does LegitScript certification take?
LegitScript does not publish a typical review time. Its terms say timing depends on your business practices, facility count, how many jurisdictions you serve, and application volume. Expedited processing costs $2,500 per application and starts your review within 2 business days of submission. After approval you still apply to Google and Meta.
Do I need LegitScript for SEO or Google Business Profile?
No. The Google, Meta and Microsoft requirements are ad policies that cover paid ads. SEO, your Google Business Profile, referral partners and alumni outreach are outside them.
Do I need CARF or Joint Commission accreditation to get LegitScript certified?
LegitScript says its certification complements accreditation from bodies such as CARF and The Joint Commission but does not replace it. Its US application checklist does not list accreditation as a required document.
What gets LegitScript applications denied?
LegitScript says incomplete or inaccurate answers will result in denial, and that ties to lead generators may be grounds for immediate denial. Its standards also require a website that shows your address and services, photos of your real facility, evidence for any guarantees or statistics, and no patient incentives such as paid travel.
Is LegitScript Addiction Treatment Certification the same as Healthcare Certification?
No. They are separate LegitScript programs. Addiction Treatment Certification covers drug and alcohol addiction treatment advertisers. LegitScript's checklist says locations that only offer mental health treatment do not need addiction treatment certification.