About BBB
Who we are, what we do, and how to reach the BBB that serves your area.
Use the BBB Directory to find the BBB that serves your area. Your local BBB handles complaints, reviews, and questions for the businesses and charities in your community.
Each BBB operates independently, so contact yours directly for anything local.
Ratings and Accreditation
How we grade a business, what the BBB Seal means, and what accreditation does not buy.
Ratings run from A+ to F. We calculate them from a business's complaint history, how it responds to complaints, how transparent it is about its practices, and any licensing or government action against it. Customer reviews do not affect the rating.
Ratings update automatically as new information reaches us. A business may receive a lower grade when it will not give us the information we ask for.
Search for the business on BBB.org. Its Business Profile shows the rating, accreditation status, customer reviews, and complaint history in one place.
Search for the business on BBB.org. Accredited Businesses display the BBB Seal on their profile. You may also see the Seal in their advertising, on their website, on their vehicles, or at their physical location.
Verify it on BBB.org before you buy. A Seal shown anywhere else may be out of date or used without permission.
No. We publish profiles for Accredited and non-accredited businesses alike. Every profile states clearly whether the business is accredited.
It means the business has not applied, did not meet our standards, or chose not to pursue accreditation. On its own, it is not a mark against the business.
Read the rating and the complaint history on the profile for the fuller picture.
Yes. Accreditation is voluntary and separate from the rating. We base the rating on the business's complaint history and its interactions with customers, not on whether it pays dues.
Yes. We monitor Accredited Businesses against the BBB Standards for Trust and can revoke accreditation when a business stops meeting them.
Complaints and reviews
How to raise a problem with a business, and what happens after you do.
File your complaint online. We forward it to the business and work with both sides toward a resolution. Your complaint becomes part of the business's public profile.
A complaint is a formal request for help with a marketplace problem, such as a product or service that did not deliver what the business promised. Your complaint must meet our acceptance guidelines.
We contact the business, ask for a response, and act as a neutral intermediary. We do not take sides, and we cannot force a business to act.
A complaint asks us to help resolve a specific dispute. A review records your opinion and your experience. Complaints can affect a business's rating. Reviews do not.
We require your name on a review, we monitor IP addresses, and we reject paid reviews.
Scams and fraud
How to report a scam, and what we can and cannot do about it.
Report it to BBB Scam Tracker. Report it whether or not you lost money. Your report warns other people and helps us alert the public to scams that are active right now.
We hold no legal or policing authority. We share what we learn with law enforcement and government agencies, publish alerts, and teach people how to recognize fraud.
We are often the first organization to identify a new scam and warn both the public and the authorities.
Trust and neutrality
The hardest questions people ask us, answered directly.
Our value depends on staying neutral. We do not advocate for businesses, and we do not advocate for consumers. We act as an intermediary both sides can trust: we promote honest business practices, help resolve disputes, and give people the information they need to buy wisely.
Accreditation dues do not buy a rating, and they do not remove a complaint. Businesses have supported BBB for more than a century because a trustworthy marketplace serves everyone.
We report fines, penalties, and other government agency actions when they relate to marketplace issues that matter to consumers. We also report criminal convictions connected to a business's dealings with the public.
We generally do not report private lawsuits or small claims court actions.
For businesses
Apply through the BBB that serves your area. Your business needs to meet the BBB Accreditation Standards and to have served customers for at least six months.
Accreditation lets you display the BBB Seal, gives you access to dispute resolution, and signals to customers that you have met our standards. Local BBBs also offer benefits specific to their areas.
The standards are eight principles for honest and ethical business behavior. They cover how you advertise, how you honor what you promise, how you handle disputes, and how you safeguard privacy.
We invite businesses with a record of delivering on their promises and a B rating or better. You also need at least six months of serving customers.
Dues are generally deductible as an ordinary business expense and can be reported on your business tax return. They are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal tax purposes.
Talk to your tax advisor about your own situation.
Sign in at the BBB business login. If you cannot get in, your local BBB can restore your access.
Still need help?
Your local BBB answers questions about businesses, charities, and complaints in your community.