WhatsApp Error 131031 (Account Locked): Causes and Fix
WhatsApp error 131031 means Meta is refusing every message your business sends through the WhatsApp Cloud API. In Meta's words, the WhatsApp Business Account has been restricted or disabled for a policy violation, or Meta couldn't verify data in the request, such as a wrong two-step verification PIN. It isn't a temporary error, so retrying won't help. You fix it by finding which cause applies and then appealing, correcting your business data, or opening a case with Meta.
The good news is that it's often recoverable, and your number usually isn't banned. Meta details were checked against its developer documentation on October 15, 2026.
What error 131031 looks like
Messages fail with code 131031 and the text "Business account has been locked." Failed messages aren't delivered, so Meta doesn't charge for them, because it only bills delivered messages. Error 368 carries the same policy-restriction description and calls for the same review.
Don't confuse it with these neighbors:
| Code | What Meta says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 131031 | Account restricted or disabled for a policy violation, or request data couldn't be verified | Work through the checks below |
| 131042 | A problem with your payment method | Fix billing on your WhatsApp Business Account |
| 131049 | Not delivered "to maintain healthy ecosystem engagement" | Wait at least 24 hours before resending that marketing message |
| 131056 | Too many messages to the same person in a short time | Wait, then retry; other recipients aren't affected |
Step 1: work out which problem you have
One code covers very different problems, and Meta doesn't say which one you have. Four quick checks narrow it down:
- Do incoming messages still arrive? Message your number from a personal phone. If it arrives, the connection is fine and only sending through the API is blocked.
- On coexistence, can you still send from the WhatsApp Business app? If the app works and the API doesn't, the number itself isn't banned.
- Did API sending ever work on this number? If it worked and then stopped, a policy restriction is most likely. If it never worked, suspect unverified business data or an onboarding that never fully finished.
- What do Meta's own pages say? Check your account in WhatsApp Manager, and check Account Quality and the Support Inbox in Meta Business Suite for notices.
A clean status page doesn't prove nothing is wrong. It's common for every status to show as available while API sends still fail with 131031.
Cause 1: a policy restriction
Meta restricts accounts that break the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy, the Commerce Policy or its terms. Common triggers are messaging people who didn't opt in, a lot of negative feedback from recipients, and products in restricted categories such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling or unsafe supplements. Restrictions escalate. Meta's ladder runs from a warning to sending blocks of several days, then an account lock, which only an appeal removes.
The fix: appeal.
- Open Business Support Home and select the restricted WhatsApp Business Account.
- Select the violation and click Request Review.
- Explain plainly how customers opted in, what you send, and what you've changed if you got it wrong.
- Submit, and track it in the In Review tab.
Meta usually decides within 24 to 48 hours, and the result is either Reversed or Unchanged. Not every spam violation can be appealed. If yours can't, or the answer is Unchanged, fix the behavior before trying again, because repeat appeals without changes rarely succeed.
Cause 2: Meta can't verify your business data
Meta compares the details on your business portfolio, your WhatsApp Business Account and your number. Mismatches can block sends. Check:
- Your legal business name, address, phone and website are complete and match your registration documents.
- The WhatsApp Business Account name matches the business, with tax details and a valid payment method.
- Business verification in Meta Business Suite's Security Center isn't pending or rejected. If it was rejected, correct and resubmit it.
Cause 3: a wrong two-step verification PIN
When a number was registered with a verification code and has two-step verification on, the 6-digit PIN must match the one Meta holds. If it doesn't, turn two-step verification off in WhatsApp Manager, re-register the number, and turn it back on with a PIN you store safely. Meta allows 10 registration attempts per number in 72 hours, so don't loop. This doesn't apply to coexistence numbers, which aren't registered that way.
Cause 4: sending was never switched on
Meta doesn't document this one, but we see it. Typically it's a coexistence number onboarded in more than one attempt. Inbound works, the app sends fine, every status looks healthy, and yet the number has never completed a single API send. Only Meta support can fix it.
Open a case in Business Support Home and include hard evidence: the phone number ID and WhatsApp Business Account ID, a few failed message IDs with times, and a note that inbound and app sending work. HaberChat customers can email support@haber.chat with the number and the date failures began, and we'll escalate through our own Meta channel at the same time.
What won't fix 131031
- Retrying. Every attempt fails the same way until the cause is fixed.
- Reconnecting or deleting the number. The lock sits on your Meta account, not in your inbox, and deleting the number resets its history.
- Switching providers. The restriction belongs to your WhatsApp Business Account and follows you.
- Getting a display name approved. Worth doing, but it affects limits, not this lock.
Avoid a repeat
Message only people who opted in, make stopping easy, warm up new numbers gradually, and keep your business details and payment method current. Watching your quality rating gives early warning, and how to avoid getting your number banned covers the habits in detail. If your number was banned outright rather than locked, read what to do when your number is banned. Our help center article has the full checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What does WhatsApp error 131031 mean?
Meta has restricted or disabled your WhatsApp Business Account for a policy violation, or couldn't verify data in the request, such as a wrong two-step verification PIN. All Cloud API sends fail until it's fixed.
Is my number banned if I get error 131031?
Usually not. The block is on API sending for the account. Incoming messages normally still arrive, and coexistence numbers can usually still send from the app.
Am I charged for messages that fail with 131031?
No. Meta only charges for delivered messages, and these are rejected before delivery.
How long does it take to fix error 131031?
A successful appeal usually comes back within 24 to 48 hours. Business verification and Meta support cases can take longer, so start them early.
Will retrying the message help?
No. 131031 isn't a temporary error, and every retry fails the same way until the cause is fixed.
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