LegitScript decides who can advertise prescription drugs on Google and Meta and who can keep card payments flowing. Reviewers don’t grade your logo. They check your licenses, your prescribers, your pharmacies and your claims. That’s the part MDside builds.
What LegitScript certification is
LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification is a paid, audited and continuously monitored review of a healthcare business that sells, prescribes, facilitates or takes payment for prescription drugs online. LegitScript checks the business against nine published standards covering licensure, legal compliance, disciplinary history, partners, patient services, privacy, prescription validity, transparency and advertising. Pass, and you get a seal, a listing in LegitScript’s public directory and eligibility to advertise in restricted healthcare categories.
People search it as “LegitScript,” “Legit Script” and “legit scripts.” It’s the same program. It isn’t a state license, a DEA registration or an accreditation of clinical quality. It’s a legitimacy check that the ad platforms and card networks have agreed to trust.
Who needs LegitScript certification
LegitScript’s scope is online prescription activity. A clinic that only treats walk-in patients usually isn’t eligible and doesn’t need it. The moment you prescribe via telehealth, ship medication, or want to run ads for a prescription drug, you’re in scope.
| Business type | Typically needs it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Telehealth brand prescribing GLP-1s, TRT, HRT, ED or hair-loss drugs | Yes | Prescription drug services and telehealth ad categories; card-not-present processing |
| Med spa selling weight-loss or hormone programs online | Yes | Online prescribing or prescription drug advertising |
| Med spa or IV clinic, in person only, no Rx ads | Usually no | In-person-only clinics are generally outside the program |
| IV hydration clinic advertising NAD+, vitamin drips | Depends | Depends on the platform, the products named and whether anything ships or is prescribed remotely |
| Peptide program with prescriber and 503A pharmacy | Yes | Prescription products sold and prescribed online |
| 503A / 503B pharmacy, mail-order pharmacy | Yes | Online pharmacy category (NABP is an alternative for some platforms) |
| Patient-to-provider broker or marketplace | Yes | LegitScript certifies facilitators and brokers |
| Supplement-only brand | No | Supplements fall under a different LegitScript program |
| Addiction treatment provider | Yes, separate program | LegitScript Addiction Treatment Certification is a different product |
Not sure which side you’re on? Our med spa, online brand and IV and wellness clinic pages walk through the usual models.
Why it matters: ads, payment processors, patient trust
Google & Microsoft Ads
Online pharmacy, telehealth and prescription drug service ads need Google certification, which for most US advertisers requires third-party accreditation from LegitScript or NABP first.
Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn
Meta and TikTok restrict prescription drug and telehealth ads to certified advertisers. LegitScript lists Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, LinkedIn, Netflix and others as platforms that trust its certification.
Visa & Mastercard
The card networks require telemedicine providers and online pharmacies processing card-not-present transactions to be certified and monitored by an approved body.
Patient trust
The seal and public directory listing show patients a third party checked your licensing and prescribing. It also reads well to banks, landlords and partners.
Worth knowing: certification makes you eligible to advertise. Each platform still applies its own policy to every ad. A certified brand running “generic Ozempic” copy still gets disapproved.
How much LegitScript certification costs in 2026
| Fee | Amount | When it’s charged |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $975 per website | At submission, nonrefundable |
| Annual certification fee | $2,150 per website | Only if approved, then yearly |
| Expedited review | +$2,500 per application | Optional; review starts within 2 business days |
| Probationary certification annual fee | $3,995 per website | For businesses LegitScript places under heightened monitoring |
| Additional domains | Same fees again | Each root domain is certified separately |
Estimate your first-year cost
Year two onward: $2,150/yr. LegitScript fees only; your licensing and legal costs are separate.
The fee is rarely the expensive part. The expensive part is discovering mid-review that a prescriber isn’t licensed in half the states on your site, and fixing it while your ad account sits dark.
The 9 LegitScript certification standards, and what reviewers actually check
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Licensure and business registration
You’re licensed for what you do, everywhere you do it: prescriber licenses in each patient state, pharmacy licenses in each ship-to state, DEA registrations where controlled substances are involved.
MDside: licensed physicians and a credentialed provider network across the states you serve, mapped state by state.
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Legal compliance
Prescribing, dispensing and corporate structure follow the law, and you don’t facilitate unapproved drugs. This is where corporate practice of medicine and ownership structure get looked at.
MDside: a PC-MSO structure built for the states you operate in.
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Prior discipline and history
Ten years of criminal, regulatory and civil history for the business and key people, disclosed, including pending litigation.
MDside: credentialed prescribers with board and NPDB checks. See how we credential providers.
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Affiliates and partners
Partner pharmacies, labs and co-owned businesses must meet the standards too, and are generally expected to be certified or accredited themselves.
MDside: we vet pharmacy and lab partners before they go in your application.
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Patient services
Your website clearly lists every state where your services are available. Missing this is one of the most common fixes reviewers request.
MDside: the state list on your site matches the licenses on file.
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Privacy
Privacy policy posted where required, SSL on every page that handles health information, HIPAA practices that match what you claim.
MDside: see our security and privacy standards.
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Validity of prescription
Prescriptions only after a valid provider-patient relationship under the law of the patient’s state. No questionnaire-only prescribing where the state doesn’t allow it.
MDside:good faith exams, standing orders and clinical protocols written per state.
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Transparency
No misleading claims about practitioners, drugs, results, pricing or affiliations. Compounded products presented as compounded, not as brand equivalents.
MDside: physician review of treatment claims before they go live.
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Advertising
Ads follow the law and platform rules and don’t try to route around the program, such as certifying one domain and advertising another.
MDside: the same clinical review applies to ad copy and landing pages.
How to get LegitScript certified, step by step
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Confirm you’re in scope
Online prescribing, shipping, facilitating or processing payment for prescription drugs puts you in. In-person-only care generally keeps you out.
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Fix the structure before you apply
Prescriber licensure in every state served, ownership that satisfies corporate practice of medicine rules, a medical director with real oversight, licensed pharmacy partners.
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Assemble the document file
Business registrations, prescriber and pharmacy licenses, DEA registrations, ownership disclosures, prescribing and telehealth policies, partner agreements, 10-year history disclosures.
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Clean up the website
List service states, publish privacy policy and terms, show a real address, phone and email, remove claims you can’t substantiate, label compounded products accurately.
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Apply at my.legitscript.com
Pay the $975 per-website application fee. Choose expedited review (+$2,500) only once the file is truly complete; speed doesn’t help a file that isn’t ready.
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Answer reviewer questions fast
Expect follow-ups. Complete, same-week answers keep the file moving; partial answers restart the clock.
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Stay certified
Pay the annual fee, and report material changes: new states, new products, new partners, new owners, new domains, licensing or disciplinary events.
LegitScript readiness checklist
Tick what’s already true today. Anything unticked is what a reviewer will ask about.
Stuck on the first five? That’s the physician and structure side, and it’s what MDside sets up.
LegitScript by treatment line
GLP-1 and medical weight loss
The most scrutinised category. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are no longer on the FDA shortage list, so reviewers look hard at how compounded versions are sourced, described and prescribed. Brand-equivalence language, “no prescription needed” copy and prescribing without a qualifying evaluation are the usual problems. See our weight management program and LegitScript for GLP-1 brands.
TRT, HRT and hormone therapy
Testosterone is a Schedule III controlled substance, so DEA registration by location, Ryan Haight Act telehealth rules and lab monitoring protocols all come into the review. See hormone therapy and DEA registration by location, and LegitScript for TRT.
Peptides
Prescription peptides through a licensed 503A pharmacy can be certified. Research-use-only products marketed for human use can’t, and one RUO listing can sink the whole domain. See peptide programs and LegitScript and peptides.
IV therapy and NAD+
In-person IV drips are usually outside the program. Mobile, at-home or shipped products, and ads that name prescription ingredients, pull you closer to it. See IV therapy and mobile IV structure.
Aesthetics and injectables
Botox and fillers are prescription drugs. Most injector practices never need LegitScript, but advertising a neurotoxin by brand, or selling prescription skincare online, can trigger platform restrictions. See aesthetics and injectables.
Licensure by state: the part LegitScript checks first
Standard 1 fails when the state list on your website and the licenses in your file don’t match. Scope-of-practice, supervision and ownership rules differ in every state. Start with the state you’re in:
Why LegitScript applications stall or get denied
| Problem | Standard | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Prescriber not licensed in a state the site serves | 1 · Licensure | License the prescriber, add a licensed one, or stop serving that state |
| Website doesn’t list service states | 5 · Patient services | Publish the exact state list |
| Lay-owned company employing physicians in a CPOM state | 2 · Legal compliance | Restructure as a PC-MSO |
| Uncertified or out-of-state-unlicensed pharmacy partner | 4 · Affiliates | Switch to a licensed, certified pharmacy |
| RUO peptides or unapproved drugs on the site | 2 · Legal compliance | Remove the products, not just the wording |
| “Generic Ozempic,” “same as Mounjaro,” guaranteed results | 8 · Transparency | Rewrite with accurate compounded-product language |
| Questionnaire-only prescribing where a state needs more | 7 · Prescription validity | State-specific good faith exam protocol |
| Undisclosed board action or lawsuit | 3 · History | Disclose it up front with context |
| Ads on a domain that wasn’t certified | 9 · Advertising | Certify each root domain you advertise |
LegitScript vs NABP vs Google certification
| LegitScript | NABP (Healthcare Merchant / Digital Pharmacy) | Google Ads certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Telehealth, prescribers, pharmacies, brokers, facilitators | Healthcare Merchant Accreditation: broad, incl. telehealth (.pharmacy domain). Digital Pharmacy: licensed pharmacies | Any advertiser in a restricted healthcare category |
| What it is | Third-party certification and monitoring on your existing domain | Third-party accreditation tied to a .pharmacy domain | Platform permission to serve ads |
| Relationship | For most US telehealth and prescription drug advertisers, Google certification requires LegitScript or NABP accreditation first. Meta and TikTok rely on LegitScript. | ||
What LegitScript certification does not do
- It isn’t a state license and doesn’t replace one. Your state obligations don’t change.
- It isn’t a clinical endorsement of any treatment.
- It doesn’t pass down to your partners or clients. Certification attaches to the certified entity.
- It isn’t permanent. Material changes have to be reported and certification can be withdrawn.
LegitScript guides by business type
How to get LegitScript certified
Cost, timeline, documents and the 7 reasons applications stall.
GLP-1 & weight loss brands
Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide, pharmacies, copy that fails.
Med spas
When a med spa needs it, when it doesn’t, and where they fail.
TRT & hormone telehealth
Schedule III, DEA telemedicine rules through 2026, labs.
Peptides
RUO, BPC-157 and the 2026 Category 2 changes.
LegitScript vs NABP
Which program your clinic or pharmacy needs.
Where MDside fits
MDside is LegitScript certified. We went through the same review, which is why every page on this site carries a business address, phone number and email, and why our privacy policy, terms and refund policy stay published.
We don’t file your application for you and we don’t sell a seal. We build the parts a reviewer tests: a physician medical director, a multi-state licensed provider network, state-specific good faith exams and prescribing protocols, a compliant PC-MSO structure, and vetted pharmacy partners. When those are right, the application is paperwork. When they’re wrong, no consultant can fix it with better wording.
Structure
PC-MSO and ownership built for each state’s corporate practice rules.
Prescribers
Licensed in the states on your website, credentialed and documented.
Protocols
Good faith exams, standing orders and telehealth rules per state.
Claims
Physician review of treatment and ad copy before it goes live.
Frequently asked questions
What is LegitScript certification?
A paid, ongoing review of a healthcare business’s licensing, legal compliance, prescribing practices, partners, privacy, transparency and advertising. Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok and the card networks use it to decide who may advertise or process payments for prescription drugs and telehealth.
How much does LegitScript certification cost in 2026?
$975 nonrefundable application fee per website, plus $2,150 per website per year if approved. Expedited review is an extra $2,500 per application. Probationary certification is $3,995 per year.
How long does LegitScript certification take?
LegitScript doesn’t publish a standard review time. Complete files from correctly structured businesses move fastest. Missing licenses, unlisted states and non-compliant copy cause most delays. Expedited review starts within 2 business days of submission.
Do med spas need LegitScript certification?
Not if you only treat patients in person and don’t advertise prescription drugs. Yes, usually, if you sell or prescribe online, run telehealth consults, or want to advertise GLP-1s, testosterone or other prescription drugs on Google or Meta.
Do I need LegitScript to advertise on Google or Meta?
For online pharmacies, telehealth that prescribes, and prescription drug services, yes: both require third-party certification before ads run in those categories. Certification makes you eligible; it doesn’t guarantee ad approval.
Do payment processors require LegitScript?
Visa and Mastercard require telemedicine providers and online pharmacies processing card-not-present transactions to be certified and monitored by an approved body. LegitScript is the most widely used.
Can a business selling compounded GLP-1s get certified?
The product category alone doesn’t decide it. The compounding pharmacy must be properly licensed, prescribing must be valid, and the product can’t be presented as generic or identical to an FDA-approved brand.
Can I get certified if my prescribers aren’t licensed in every state I serve?
No. Every prescriber treating a patient must be licensed in that patient’s state, and your website must list the states you serve.
Does working with MDside make my business LegitScript certified?
No. MDside is certified, but certification attaches to the certified entity. We supply the medical direction, licensed provider network, protocols and structure that make your own application defensible.
What if I add a state, product or website after certification?
Report material changes to LegitScript. Each additional root domain needs its own application and annual fee.
What’s the difference between LegitScript and NABP?
NABP offers Healthcare Merchant Accreditation, open to telehealth and other healthcare businesses but tied to a .pharmacy domain, and Digital Pharmacy Accreditation for licensed US pharmacies. LegitScript certifies your existing domains and is the program Meta relies on. Full comparison: LegitScript vs NABP.
Why do LegitScript applications get denied or stalled?
Unlicensed prescribers in served states, unlisted states on the website, uncertified pharmacy partners, undisclosed history, research-use-only products marketed for human use, and misleading claims about drugs, results or pricing.
Related reading
Sources
- LegitScript: Healthcare Merchant Certification process and pricing
- LegitScript: Healthcare Certification Standards
- LegitScript: Healthcare Merchant Certification FAQ
- Google Ads: Prescription drug services policy
Get the structure right before you apply.
Medical direction, licensed prescribers and state protocols that hold up to a LegitScript review.