Upgrade to Lite Tier

Upgrade to production-ready access by moving from Development to Lite tier. Lite tier uses the same APIs as Development tier, but allows you to access verification data for all LinkedIn members instead of just developer app administrators.

How the upgrade process works

End-to-end upgrade flow:

1. Submit an upgrade request from the Developer Portal.
2. Provide your business details as part of the request.
3. Complete a short LinkedIn survey.
4. LinkedIn reviews your request (typically within 1 week).
5. Once approved, your app is automatically enabled for Lite tier access.

[!NOTE]

This process makes your integration production-ready. Your API endpoints, scopes, and implementation remain unchanged.

Overview

Lite Tier Capabilities

The table below summarizes what the Lite tier includes and what it does not—covering access level, API availability, and feature limitations.

API Access

OAuth Scopes

For OAuth scopes and rate limits, see the API reference documentation:

• /identityMe
• /verificationReport

Prerequisites

Before requesting Lite tier access:

• ✅ Development tier access - Must have tested with Development tier first
• ✅ Valid use case - Clear business need for verification data
• ✅ Working integration - Tested integration with Development tier

Step 1: Test with Development Tier (If Not Done)

If you haven't already:

1. Complete the Quickstart Guide
2. Test OAuth flow and API calls
3. Validate your integration works correctly

Step 2: Request Lite Tier Upgrade

Submitting the request typically takes only a few minutes. Review and approval typically complete within a week.

2.1 Click Request Upgrade

1. Go to LinkedIn Developer Portal
2. Select your application
3. Navigate to Products tab
4. Find Verified on LinkedIn (should show "Development Tier" status)
5. Click Request upgrade

2.2 Accept Terms and Verify Email

1. Review and accept Verified on LinkedIn Terms and Conditions
2. Verify your business email address
3. An Access Request Form link will appear

2.3 Complete Access Request Form

Click the Access Request Form link and provide necessary details about your application, company, use case, and technical implementation.

2.4 Submit and Wait for Approval

• Review time: Typically less than a week
• Notification: You'll receive email when approved
• Status: Check Products tab for status updates

Step 3: Configure Production Settings

Once approved, configure your production environment:

3.1 Verify OAuth Scopes

Ensure these scopes are authorized:

• r_profile_basicinfo - Basic profile info
• r_verify - Verification status

3.2 Add Production Redirect URIs

1. Go to Auth tab
2. Under Authorized redirect URLs, add your production URLs:
   • https://yourdomain.com/auth/linkedin/callback
   • https://yourdomain.com/oauth/callback

3.3 Secure Your Credentials

• ✅ Store Client Secret in environment variables or secret manager
• ✅ Never commit credentials to version control
• ✅ Use different credentials for staging and production
• ✅ Implement token encryption at rest

Step 4: Deploy to Production

4.1 Update OAuth Flow

Your Development tier code will work with Lite tier. The only change is access scope:

// Same OAuth flow - now works for all LinkedIn members
const authUrl = `https://www.linkedin.com/oauth/v2/authorization?response_type=code&client_id=${clientId}&redirect_uri=${redirectUri}&scope=r_profile_basicinfo%20r_verify&state=${state}`;

4.2 Test with Real Users

1. Have non-admin LinkedIn members test your integration
2. Verify OAuth consent flow works correctly
3. Test API calls return expected data
4. Verify verification badges display correctly

4.3 Monitor API Usage

Track your API usage to stay within rate limits:

• Application-level: 5,000 calls/day
• Member-level: 500 calls/day per member

Step 5: Call the APIs

The API calls are identical to Development tier:

Get Profile Data

curl -X GET 'https://api.linkedin.com/rest/identityMe' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer {ACCESS_TOKEN}' \
  -H 'LinkedIn-Version: {LATEST_VERSION}'

Get Verification Report

curl -X GET 'https://api.linkedin.com/rest/verificationReport' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer {ACCESS_TOKEN}' \
  -H 'LinkedIn-Version: {LATEST_VERSION}'

Sample Response:

{
  "id": "abc123",
  "verifications": ["IDENTITY", "WORKPLACE"]
}

Quickly validate your integration using the Verified on LinkedIn Postman collection.

Production Best Practices

Security

• ✅ Encrypt tokens at rest
• ✅ Use HTTPS only
• ✅ Implement CSRF protection (state parameter)
• ✅ Rotate secrets regularly

Performance

• ✅ Cache API responses appropriately
• ✅ Implement token refresh before expiry
• ✅ Use exponential backoff for retries
• ✅ Monitor rate limits

User Experience

• ✅ Follow branding guidelines
• ✅ Handle unverified members gracefully
• ✅ Provide clear consent messaging
• ✅ Test mobile responsiveness

When You're Ready to Upgrade

Upgrade to Plus Tier When:

✅ Need detailed verification metadata (timestamps, methods)
✅ Need education and job title data
✅ Need bulk validation API (/validationStatus)
✅ Enterprise-scale requirements

How to Upgrade:

Plus tier requires partnership discussions with LinkedIn. Contact your LinkedIn representative or visit the Plus Tier Guide for more information.

Next Steps

Optimize Your Integration

• Implementation Guide - OAuth, tokens, error handling

API References

• /identityMe API - Profile details endpoint
• /verificationReport API - Verification details endpoint
• Authentication - OAuth details

Consider Plus Tier

• Plus Tier Guide - Enterprise features
• Overview - Compare all tiers

Resources

• Branding Guidelines - Display badges correctly
• FAQ - Frequently asked questions
• Release Notes - API updates and changes

Troubleshooting

"Access request pending" Status

Cause: Application under review

Solution:

• Wait for email notification (typically within a week)
• Check Products tab for status updates

"Insufficient permissions" Error

Cause: Your app is not yet approved for Lite tier or the access token was issued before Lite tier approval.

Solution:

1. Verify Lite tier is approved in Products tab
2. Regenerate access token with correct scopes
3. Ensure using production redirect URIs

Rate Limit Exceeded

Cause: Exceeded 5,000 calls/day (application) or 500 calls/day (member)

Solution:

1. Implement caching to reduce API calls
2. Use token refresh instead of re-authorization
3. Monitor usage and optimize call patterns
4. Consider upgrading to Plus tier for higher limits

🎉 Congratulations! You're now production-ready with Verified on LinkedIn Lite tier. For enterprise features, contact your LinkedIn representative.