Frequently asked questions about the Better Business Bureau

BBB stands for the Better Business Bureau, a non-profit organization that promotes trust between businesses and consumers.

The BBB helps consumers find trustworthy businesses by publishing unbiased business profiles, customer reviews, consumer complaints, and ratings. It promotes marketplace trust by setting standards for ethical business practices and resolving disputes between consumers and businesses. 

Millions of people visit BBB each year to view BBB Business Profiles, available for free on BBB.org. Charity profiles can be found on Give.org, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance website.

BBB Accredited Businesses support the Better Business Bureau's mission and vision. Their dues and contributions allow BBB to offer its information and services to consumers at no charge. The Better Business Bureau is not affiliated with any governmental agency.

More About BBB.

BBB was founded in 1912 and is a private, nonprofit organization focused on advancing marketplace trust. Read more about our mission and vision. We are dedicated to creating a trustworthy marketplace.

Use our BBB Directory to find a BBB location near you. Your BBB office serves businesses, charities, and consumers in your community.

The IABBB oversees and supports the network of BBB offices across the U.S. and Canada, working to promote honest business practices and consumer confidence and advancing a trustworthy marketplace. 

If you need to report an issue with BBB offices or IABBB, please file a complaint at BBB.org/Hotline.

Use our BBB Directory to find a BBB location near you. You can also find business resources and consumer resources online.

You can verify a company’s BBB Accreditation status by searching for its profile on BBB.org. Accredited businesses will display the BBB Seal. You can also see the BBB Seal in their advertising, on their website, on their vehicles, or on their physical location. 

No, the BBB reports on both BBB Accredited and non-accredited businesses. All BBB Business Profiles indicate whether a company is accredited or not.

To apply for BBB Accreditation, your business must meet the BBB Accreditation Standards. Benefits of Accreditation include enhanced credibility, customer trust, and access to BBB resources. You must also have served customers for six months. Check out the eligibility requirements for ABBB Accreditation.

For more information, look at the BBB Trust Hub for benefits available to BBB Accredited Businesses. Check out the BBB Business Resources page for information on the Accredited Business Benefits in your area. 

Learn more and apply at BBB.org/get-accredited.

The BBB Accreditation Standards are eight principles for honest and ethical business behavior that cement the foundation to build customer loyalty and success. 

Businesses with a history of delivering on their promises and a B rating or better are invited to apply for BBB Accreditation.

Yes, the BBB regularly monitors Accredited Businesses to ensure they continue meeting the BBB Standards for Trust and ethical practices.

A company that is not BBB Accredited either did not apply, did not meet the BBB's Accreditation standards, or chose not to be BBB Accredited. See more on BBB Ratings.

You can check a business's BBB rating by searching for it on BBB.org/search.  

Ratings range from A+ to F, based on factors like customer complaints, transparency, and responsiveness. Customer reviews do not impact the BBB rating. BBB also seeks and uses information directly from businesses and public data sources. Please find more information about our rating system here.

BBB ratings reflect how a business is likely to interact with customers.  Ratings update automatically as new information is received. In some cases, a business's grade may be lowered if the BBB does not have sufficient information about the business despite requests for the information.

Yes, a business can have an A+ rating without being BBB Accredited. BBB Accreditation is voluntary and separate from the rating system. The rating is based on the business’s customer interactions and complaint history. Customer reviews do not impact the rating. 

You can file a complaint online at BBB.org/complain. BBB will forward your complaint to the business and work to resolve the issue between you and the company.

A BBB complaint is a formal request for help in resolving a dispute between a consumer and a business. BBB handles conflicts related to marketplace issues experienced with the services or products a business provides. The complaint must meet our acceptance guidelines. BBB contacts the business and asks for a response, working as a neutral intermediary.  Read about our BBB complaint process.

BBB complaints focus on dispute resolution between consumers and businesses involving business transactions. Reviews reflect customers' opinions and experiences but do not affect a company's rating.

BBB requires a consumer to provide their name and uses it to confirm the interaction and prompt a response. Together with monitoring IP addresses and excluding paid review, BBB works to advance trust in all that we do.  More about BBB Customer Reviews.

If the nature of your complaint involves a warranty dispute for a vehicle, you may be able to file a complaint through BBB AUTO LINE. For participating manufacturers and more information visit BBB AUTO LINE.

Report a scam at BBB Scam Tracker. Whether or not you lost money, your report helps warn other consumers, and BBB alerts the public about fraudulent activities.

While the BBB doesn’t have legal authority or policing powers, it works with law enforcement and government agencies to share information and issue alerts to warn consumers about scams. BBB also educates the public on identifying fraud. We are often the first organization to know about a developing scam and alert authorities and the public. 

BBB's value to the business community is based on our marketplace neutrality. Our purpose is not to act as an advocate for businesses or consumers but to act as a mutually trusted intermediary to promote trustworthy business practices, resolve disputes and provide information to assist consumers in making wise buying decisions. Businesses have supported BBB for over 100 years because a trustworthy marketplace is in everyone's best interest.

Yes, the BBB reports on legal actions, including fines or penalties imposed by government agencies, if they relate to marketplace issues relevant to consumers.

Generally, the BBB does not report on private lawsuits or small claims actions. However, it may report on criminal convictions related to a business's dealings with the public.