How to Claim Ownership of a Facebook Page

Losing access to your brand's Facebook Page can feel like being locked out of your own store, but you aren't powerless. Whether an ex-employee is holding the keys, an old agency has gone silent, or you simply don't know who has the login, there are official paths to restore your access. This guide walks you through the exact steps for reclaiming your Facebook Page, from simple requests to the full-blown ownership dispute process.

First, Understand Who Controls the Page

Before you can reclaim a Facebook Page, you need to understand how Facebook sees "ownership." A page isn’t a standalone account with its own login, it's controlled by one or more personal Facebook profiles or, ideally, a Meta Business Manager account. Ownership is really about having the highest level of administrative permission.

There are different roles with varying permissions. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Admin (Full Control): This is the highest level. Admins can manage all aspects of the page, including adding or removing other people, changing settings, publishing content, and deleting the page entirely. The goal is to become an Admin.
• Editor: Can do almost anything an Admin can do related to content and messaging, but cannot manage Page roles or settings.
• Moderator: Can respond to comments, remove comments, send messages, and see insights, but cannot create content.
• Advertiser: Can only create ads and view insights.
• Analyst: Can only view insights.

How to Check Your Current Page Role

If you have any level of access at all, you can see your current role. This is the first step in figuring out your best path forward.

1. Log in to Facebook and go to the Page you want to claim.
2. From the left-hand menu, find and click "Settings."
3. Click "New Pages Experience" and then "Page Access."
4. Here you will see a list of people with Facebook access and what role they have. If there are other Admins listed, your next step is easy.

If you don’t see an "Admin" or anyone with "Full control" that you recognize and can contact, you’ll have to move on to the more formal ownership claim process.

Scenario 1: The Easy Way - Requesting Access from a Current Admin

This is the best-case scenario. You've checked the Page access and see another Admin who is still with the company or accessible to you. All you need to do is ask them to either upgrade your role or add you as a new Admin.

How an Admin Can Grant You Access

Send these simple instructions to the current Page Admin:

1. Navigate to the Facebook Page and go to Settings >, New Pages Experience >, Page Access.
2. Under "People with Facebook access," click the "Add New" button.
3. A pop-up will appear. Click "Next."
4. Search for your name or email address associated with your Facebook profile.
5. When they find your profile, they will need to grant you the correct level of access. Have them toggle the switch for "Allow this person to have full control."
6. Click "Give Access." They will need to re-enter their Facebook password to confirm the change.

Once they've done this, you'll receive a notification on Facebook to accept the invitation. As soon as you accept, you'll have full admin control.

Scenario 2: The Hard Way - Claiming a Page when the Admin is Gone

This is the situation most people dread: the only Admin has left the company, they're unreachable, or they are an outside agency that is no longer responsive. In this case, you cannot just request access - you have to prove to Meta that you are the rightful owner of the page. This is officially an "Admin Dispute."

Be prepared: this process can take several weeks and requires specific legal documentation. The goal is to give Meta undeniable proof that you legally represent the business associated with the Page.

Prepping Your Documentation

Don't even start the process until you have gathered all of these documents. Meta will reject partial submissions. Get everything in a digital format (PDF or JPG).

• A Signed Statement: This is a letter written on company letterhead explaining your situation and your relationship to the business. It must include:
  • Your request to become the Admin of the Page.
  • The name and email address of the individual who's requesting access (this must be tied to a REAL Facebook account).
  • The Page URL.
  • A detailed description of your relationship to the Page (e.g., current owner, CEO, official representative).
  • An explanation for why you cannot gain access through the current Admin (e.g., termination of employment contract, account hacked, deceased, etc.).
  • The name(s) of any current Admins on the page and their relationship to the business, if known.
  • A declaration that the information you've provided is true and accurate, signed under penalty of perjury.
• A Government-Issued Photo ID: This needs to match the person who signed the statement (e.g., a driver's license or passport). Meta uses this to verify the identity of the person making the claim.
• Proof of Business Ownership and Location: This is the most important part. You need to provide official business documents. Examples include:
  • Business license or permits from your local government.
  • Certificate of Incorporation.
  • Articles of incorporation.
  • Utility bills or phone bills in the business's name.
  • Tax filings for the business.

The more proof, the better. Submitting a single utility bill may not be enough. Providing a business license, a tax doc, and a utility bill significantly improves your chances.

How to Submit Your Claim

Submitting the claim can sometimes be the trickiest part, as Meta's menus and policies are always changing. The most reliable path is through the Meta Business Help Center.

1. Go to the Meta Business Help Center.
2. Look for prompts like "Get Support" or "Contact Advertising Support." You may need to have an active ad account to access certain direct support options.
3. Navigate the support menus until you find an option related to Pages, page access, or ad accounts. Look for something like, "I need help with a hacked Page" or "I need to recover a Page."
4. When you finally get to a contact form or live chat pop-up, clearly state your issue: "I need to file an admin dispute to gain access to a Facebook Page my business owns."
5. The support representative will authenticate your identity and guide you to a secure portal where you can upload the documentation you prepared.

After you submit everything, a waiting game begins. You should get a case number to track progress. Follow up politely every few business days if you don't hear back.

Scenario 3: Claiming an "Unmanaged" or Auto-Generated Page

Sometimes you’ll find a Facebook page for your business that you didn't create. These often happen when customers "check in" at a physical location that doesn't have an official page. Facebook automatically creates an "unofficial page" to house these check-ins and reviews. As the business owner, you have the right to claim it.

Steps for Claiming an Unofficial Page

1. Go to the unmanaged Page you want to claim.
2. Below the cover photo, look for a question like “Is this your business?” or a link that says “Claim this Page.” Click on it.
3. A dialogue box will appear, asking you to either Claim or Merge the Page.
   • Choose Claim if you don't have an official page yet. This will make the unofficial page yours.
   • Choose Merge if you already have an officially managed page and want to combine the unofficial page's check-ins and followers with yours.
4. Facebook will guide you through a verification process to prove you represent the business. This is usually simpler than a full ownership dispute and often involves:
   • Phone verification: Facebook gives you a code, and you receive an automated call to the business's publicly listed phone number to verify it.
   • Document upload: In some cases, you may be asked to upload a business document, like a utility bill with the company name and address.

Protecting Your Page in the Future

Once you’ve regained control of your page, your top priority should be ensuring this never happens again. Proper setup is the best defense.

• Use Meta Business Suite (formerly Business Manager): Your Business Page should not be "owned" by an individual’s personal profile. Instead, it should be owned by a Meta Business Suite account, which acts as a central hub for all your business's marketing assets (Pages, Ad Accounts, Instagram profiles, etc.). You then grant specific people access through Business Suite.
• Have at Least Two Admins: Never rely on a single Admin. Set up at least two trusted people - like a co-founder or stakeholder - as full Admins within Business Suite. This creates redundancy, so if one person leaves or loses access, you're not locked out.
• Establish a Clear Offboarding Process: Whenever an employee with any social media access leaves, removing their access should be part of a formal employee offboarding checklist. The same goes for marketing agencies. When a contract ends, immediately remove them from your page and ad accounts on the same day.

Final Thoughts

Regaining ownership of a Facebook Page may feel challenging, but it’s entirely doable if you are methodical and provide the right information. Meta has created these processes - as bureaucratic as they seem - to protect businesses from fraudulent takeovers, so patience and thorough documentation are your best tools in getting your valuable digital asset back in your control.

Having a centralized process simplifies everything. At Postbase, we believe managing social media shouldn't create more problems than it solves. We built a clean, modern management tool that gives you a single calendar to plan your content, a unified inbox to engage with your audience, and straightforward analytics - all in one place. By making team collaboration simple and reliable, you can avoid the kind of chaos that leads to lost access in the first place, ensuring seamless handoffs and consistent management for your brand.