Payments · Online Pharmacy5 min readUpdated November 2, 2026

NABP .pharmacy or LegitScript: Which One Do You Need?

NABP .pharmacy or LegitScript for an online pharmacy: costs, eligibility, and what each unlocks with Visa, Mastercard, Google, Meta and TikTok.

Nick Bonnassies, CMO at Tagada · checked against 13 sources

Article summary

TL;DR

Both satisfy Visa, and Google accepts either. Meta accepts only LegitScript. NABP's Digital Pharmacy Accreditation is built for US-licensed pharmacies and comes with a .pharmacy domain; LegitScript also certifies telehealth providers and pharmacy partners. If you advertise on Meta, you need LegitScript. Nothing stops you from holding both.

LegitScript: $975 to apply, then $2,150 a year per root domain, due only if approved (read November 2, 2026).
NABP Healthcare Merchant Accreditation: $1,075 the first year and $1,075 a year after, plus a .pharmacy domain, typically $1,000 a year.
NABP Digital Pharmacy Accreditation: estimated $12,400 over 3 years for a single location, and it requires the Healthcare Merchant Accreditation first.
Visa exempts 5912 and 5122 merchants accredited by the NABP or another body it recognizes; its 2023 guide names LegitScript.
Meta "requires online pharmacies and telehealth providers to be actively certified with LegitScript".

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On this page

This guide is part of our hub on online pharmacy payment processing. The general guide, for any business: how to get a merchant account approved. Prescription brands can also apply to Tagada Rx, which runs storefront, doctors, pharmacy and payments in one stack.

The two programs at a glance

NABP is the association of state pharmacy boards; LegitScript is a private certification company. NABP has two tiers: a base accreditation that comes with the .pharmacy domain, and a pharmacy accreditation on top.

	LegitScript Healthcare Certification	NABP Healthcare Merchant Accreditation	NABP Digital Pharmacy Accreditation
For	Online, retail, mail-order and compounding pharmacies, telemedicine, and others1	Organizations, "including (but not limited to) all subsidiaries and licensed facilities"4	Pharmacies with a website6
Prerequisite	All relevant healthcare licenses2	A .pharmacy domain4	Healthcare Merchant Accreditation; licensure "in all jurisdictions in which you are conducting business"5 6
Term	Annual	Annual3	3 years5 6
Cost to start	$975 application1	$1,075 first year3	$3,974 application + $3,500 survey5
Ongoing	$2,150 a year per root domain1	$1,075 a year + domain, typically $1,0003	$1,642 a year, single location5
Refunds	Application fee non-refundable2	NoRefunds4	Not stated

Prices as published on November 2, 2026. NABP notes its fees are subject to change5.

Fig. 1What each program costs a year, once you're in

LegitScriptPer root domain2150 USD
NABP Digital Pharmacy AccreditationSingle location, on top of the base accreditation1642 USD
NABP Healthcare Merchant AccreditationPlus the .pharmacy domain, typically $1,0001075 USD

Source: LegitScript and NABP, published prices, November 2, 2026

Start-up fees come on top: $975, $1,075 and $3,974 plus a $3,500 survey.

LegitScript Healthcare Certification FAQ; NABP fee pages, read November 2, 2026.

What each one unlocks

The two programs overlap on card networks and Google. They split on social ads.

Where you need it	NABP	LegitScript	Rule
Visa (exemption from high-risk registration)	Named	Named in Visa's 2023 guide	Core Rules 1.9.5.17; program guide8
Mastercard (proof of legality)	AcceptedAs third-party accreditation	Same	Names neither: "accreditation by a recognized third party"9
Google Ads (US)	Digital Pharmacy Accreditation or .pharmacy	Internet pharmacy certification	Both listed, plus Google's own certification10
Meta	Not accepted	Required	"actively certified with LegitScript"11
TikTok Ads (US)	Accepted	Accepted	"NABP or LegitScript, or regional equivalent"12

Visa's rule in full, and Mastercard's: do you need Visa pharmacy certification?. Ad rules by platform: can you advertise prescription drugs on Facebook, Google and TikTok?.

Tagada follows Visa and Mastercard rules and the laws that apply to payments.

Which one fits your business

Your situation	Best fit	Why
US-licensed pharmacy, search ads only	NABP	Covers Visa and Google; .pharmacy signals trust
US-licensed pharmacy, Meta ads	LegitScript (or both)	Meta accepts only LegitScript11
Telehealth brand that routes to a partner pharmacy	LegitScript	Covers telemedicine; partners are "typically required to hold LegitScript certification or equivalent accreditation"2
Several websites	Compare per site	LegitScript bills per root domain1; NABP per domain and location3 5
Wholesaler (MCC 5122)	NABP Drug Distributor Accreditation or LegitScript	Both named by Visa8

What both will ask for

Whichever you choose, prepare the same file. LegitScript's list2:

Business registration
Information for all jurisdictions.
Healthcare licenses
All relevant ones: pharmacy, controlled substance, telemedicine, wholesaler.
Affiliates
A list of them.
Partners
The certification status of each one.

Licenses come first: who can own an online pharmacy, and which licenses you need.

Watch out

Neither program publishes a processing time, so don't plan a launch around one. And certification "does not guarantee advertising approval"1, nor acceptance by a processor: Google, Meta and TikTok each run their own approval on top.

How Tagada helps

A LegitScript-certified domain, included with Tagada Rx

Tagada Rx runs a telehealth stack with storefront, doctors, pharmacy and payments, with "Payments and LegitScript included"13. Stores run on a Tagada-hosted domain that is LegitScript certified13.

Pharmacy routing to a licensed US pharmacy13.
Hold, capture on approval, rebill on ship13.
By application: open to a selected group of brands; every application gets a reply13.

Details on the Tagada Rx page.

Apply to Tagada Rx

A LegitScript-certified domain, included with Tagada Rx

Updated on November 2, 2026

Nick Bonnassies

CMO at Tagada

CMO at Tagada. Before Tagada, Nick built direct-to-consumer brands that generated over $115M in sales, raised over $25M in crowdfunding and sold two of them. He also works as a fractional CMO on marketing operations and AI systems.

Frequently asked questions

How much does LegitScript certification cost?

$975 per root domain to apply, then $2,150 a year, due only if your application is approved. The application fee is non-refundable. Prices read on LegitScript's FAQ on November 2, 2026.

How long does LegitScript certification take?

LegitScript doesn't publish a timeline. It depends on how complete your file is: licenses for every jurisdiction, affiliates and partners' certifications. Answer follow-up questions quickly, and don't book an ad launch before approval.

Does Meta accept NABP accreditation?

No. Meta "requires online pharmacies and telehealth providers to be actively certified with LegitScript," and you also need Meta's written permission. Google and TikTok accept NABP or LegitScript.

Do I need a .pharmacy domain?

Only for NABP. Its Healthcare Merchant Accreditation requires buying a .pharmacy domain, paid to a registrar, typically $1,000 a year, and Digital Pharmacy Accreditation builds on it. LegitScript certifies your existing domain.

Can I have both NABP and LegitScript?

Yes. One way to split them: NABP for the .pharmacy domain and Visa, LegitScript for Meta and partner requirements. The cost adds up, so start with the one your acquirer and your ad plan require.

Sources

Checked November 2, 2026

Tagada Rx

Pick the certification your ads and acquirer accept

Tagada Rx runs the stack behind your brand. Open by selection: every application is reviewed, and we reply to each one.

Apply to Tagada Rx

01Tell us about your brand
02We review every application
03Go live under your brand after review