Most Indian businesses already have thousands of customer numbers, collected through billing counters, IndiaMART enquiries, Excel sheets passed between salespeople and old WhatsApp groups. Before those numbers go into a WappBlaster campaign on the official WhatsApp Business Platform, two separate questions need a yes: does the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 allow you to use this person's number for this purpose, and does Meta's opt-in policy allow you to message them? This checklist walks through both, point by point. Treat it as a practical starting list, and have your legal adviser review the final wording.
Opt-in checklist part 1: the moment of WhatsApp consent
Check every place where you collect numbers: website forms, checkout, billing counter, lead ads, QR standees, missed-call numbers. For each one, tick off:
- Clear action. The customer does something affirmative. A pre-ticked box or silence does not count.
- Named channel. The text says WhatsApp specifically, not just "communications".
- Stated purpose. "Order updates and offers from Shree Fabrics" is specific; "marketing purposes" is vague.
- Separate from terms. Consent is not hidden inside a terms and conditions acceptance.
- Language the customer reads. A Hindi or Tamil notice for customers who read Hindi or Tamil.
- Withdrawal explained. One line saying how to stop, for example "Reply STOP anytime".
Under the DPDP Act, consent has to be freely given, tied to a stated purpose, informed and unambiguous, and the person must be able to take it back without effort. These six points turn that into practice.
Opt-in checklist part 2: what Meta adds for WhatsApp
- Business-initiated messages must open with an approved template.
- Opt-in must be collected before you send, and the customer should know your business name.
- A customer messaging you first opens a 24-hour window for that conversation; it does not cover next month's sale broadcast.
- Template categories (marketing, utility, authentication) must be honest. A promotion dressed as an "account update" is a policy problem and a trust problem.
Opt-in checklist part 3: WhatsApp numbers you already have
This is where most businesses get stuck. For legacy contacts, sort them into three groups:
| Group | Example | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Documented WhatsApp consent | Signed up on your site with a WhatsApp checkbox | Import with the source and date recorded |
| Existing customers, no WhatsApp consent | Bought from you, phone on the invoice | Ask for permission through a channel you already use, such as SMS, email or at the counter |
| Unknown origin | A list a former salesperson left behind, or a bought database | Do not import |
Opt-in checklist part 4: proof of WhatsApp consent on request
For each contact, you should be able to show when consent was given, where, what text they saw and for which purpose. In WappBlaster, a website form wired up for WhatsApp lead capture can tag the contact with its source and date automatically, and custom fields can hold the consent text version. When the CRM or Google Sheets connector syncs contacts, carry those fields across too, not just the name and number.
Opt-in checklist part 5: WhatsApp withdrawal that works the same day
- Opt-out keywords (STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, and their Hindi or regional equivalents) remove the contact from marketing segments immediately.
- Marketing templates carry an opt-out quick-reply button.
- The opt-out is synced back to your CRM so a salesperson does not re-add them next week.
- Utility messages for an order already placed can continue; promotions cannot.
Running all of this on WappBlaster costs the same flat ₹7999 ($200) annual licence as any other use, with Meta's per-message fees billed at their actual amount. For the broader legal picture, read our guide to sending bulk WhatsApp legally in India.
WhatsApp opt-in red flags in India that mean stop and fix first
- A vendor offering "verified opt-in databases" for sale.
- One checkbox covering SMS, email, calls and WhatsApp together.
- No one in the business able to say where a list came from.
- Opt-outs handled by a person reading chats once a week.
Each of these creates legal exposure under the DPDP Act and, through blocks and reports, damages the quality rating that controls your daily reach. Our page on legal WhatsApp marketing software explains how the official route avoids both.