- BBB's own term is No Rating, not Not Rated, and NR is not a letter grade.
- BBB publishes two reasons: not enough information, or a file under review or being updated.
- NR is not negative according to BBB, and it is different from an F, from having no reviews and from being unaccredited.
- BBB gives no timeline for how long an NR lasts, and dues do not buy a rating.
- The practical work is accurate business information, answering any complaint and asking your local BBB in writing what is missing.
On this page
What Does NR Mean on a BBB Profile?
NR on a BBB profile stands for No Rating. BBB's own overview says NR means "No Rating", and that it is assigned when there is not enough information to rate a business, or while the business's file is under review or being updated. BBB also says NR is not a grade and is not negative.
Many websites call it Not Rated or Not Reviewed. BBB's wording is No Rating, and we use it throughout. The distinction matters because NR is a status of the file, not a verdict on the business.
This guide covers the two published reasons for NR, how to tell which one applies to you, how NR differs from an F rating and from having no reviews, and what you can honestly do. It is part of our BBB ratings hub.
| Question | BBB's published answer |
|---|---|
| What does NR stand for? | No Rating |
| Is NR a letter grade? | No |
| Is NR negative? | BBB says it is not |
| When is NR assigned? | When there is not enough information to rate a business, or while the file is under review or being updated |
| Do reviews decide it? | No. Customer reviews are not used in the letter-grade calculation |
The Two Reasons a Business Shows NR
BBB publishes two reasons for NR: not enough information, or a file that is under review or being updated. BBB does not publish a longer list, so anything beyond these two is our interpretation, and we label it that way.
Reason 1: not enough information
A rating is built from information in a business's BBB file. If the file is thin, BBB has little to score. Time in business, for example, depends on a start date and, if that is unavailable, on the date BBB opened the file. A business with no history in BBB's system gives BBB little to measure.
For example, a hypothetical bakery opens a new online shop and a BBB profile is created for it. There are no complaints, no licensing data and no start date confirmed. That file may simply be too sparse to rate. Our reading is that this is the most common situation for NR, but BBB does not publish how often each reason applies.
Reason 2: file under review or being updated
An NR can appear while BBB is reviewing or updating a file. The overview does not say what triggers a review or how long one takes. If your business has changed names, moved, merged, or corrected its profile, an update is plausible, but we cannot tell you that any specific change causes it. Ask your local BBB.
How long an NR lasts. BBB's published pages give no timeline. Be wary of any article or service that gives you a number of days.
Want a Specialist to Look at Your BBB Profile?
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NR, F, No Reviews and Not Accredited Are Four Different Things
NR describes the rating, and it has nothing to do with reviews or accreditation. Owners often read a profile and blur four separate signals together.
| What you see on the profile | What it actually is | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| NR | No letter grade is being shown | Not enough information, or file under review or being updated |
| F | A letter grade below 60 | The scored elements, mostly complaint handling |
| No customer reviews | No reviews posted yet | Reviews are separate and not used in the grade |
| Not accredited | The business has not joined, or has left | Accreditation is voluntary and separate from the rating |
You can have NR and no reviews and be not accredited all at once. You can also be accredited and carry a low grade, which is why the rating versus accreditation question trips so many owners. BBB's FAQ says a business can hold an A+ without being accredited and accreditation does not make a rating.
How a Customer Reads NR
A customer who sees NR sees a profile with no grade, and what they conclude is up to them. BBB says it is not negative, but a buyer comparing two businesses may still prefer the one with a visible A. We cannot quantify that and will not invent a figure.
Think of it this way. NR means BBB has not told the market what it thinks of you. An A+ says something good, an F says something bad, and NR says nothing. For a new business that is fair. For an established business with a good record, it can leave a free signal unclaimed.
What Information a Rating Draws On
A rating draws on the facts BBB holds about your business, and each published element needs something to look at. Knowing what those are tells you what an NR file may be missing. This list is built from BBB's published elements, not from any BBB statement about NR itself.
- A confirmed start date, because time in business uses it, or the date BBB opened the file if none exists
- A real, determinable address, because transparency is lowered for a false or undeterminable one
- Complete product, service and ownership details
- Licensing details, where your trade requires a license
- Closed complaints tied to marketplace activity, which drive the complaint history element
- Any commitments made to BBB, such as a mediation settlement
Most of this is within your control, and none of it costs money. If your file is thin, filling in the facts is the honest first step.
What to Do If Your Business Shows NR
To work on an NR, first find out which of the two published reasons applies, then make sure the file holds accurate information. You cannot make BBB assign a grade, and nothing you pay for does.
Open your profile
Read everything shown, including any rating reasons and the business details BBB holds.
Check the basics
Business name, address, phone, email, start date, ownership and licensing should be accurate and complete.
Look for complaints
Even one open complaint is an item to resolve. A response is expected within 10 to 15 calendar days of filing.
Contact your local BBB
Ask in writing whether the file is under review, and what information is missing.
Confirm updates
BBB says ratings update automatically as new information reaches it. Record the date you supplied each item.
Review again later
Check back on a set schedule rather than daily. BBB gives no timeline.
What you can do
- Supply accurate, complete business information
- Respond to any complaint that appears
- Ask your local BBB what is missing
- Keep your contact details current
What you cannot do
- Force BBB to issue a grade by a date
- Buy a rating with accreditation dues
- Use reviews to move the rating
- Claim a grade you do not have
NR and Accreditation
Accreditation requires that a business maintain at least a B rating at all company-owned locations and its headquarters, so a business with NR should ask its local BBB how its file is treated before applying. BBB's standards also require at least six months of active selling, and a fee that depends on factors such as business size.
Do not apply for accreditation as a way to get rated. BBB says accreditation dues do not buy a rating, and the rating is based on the business's complaint history and its interactions with customers. If you are weighing the membership itself, see whether BBB accreditation is worth it. Accreditation decisions and fees are local, so confirm with your local BBB.
Is NR Better Than a Low Grade?
BBB describes NR as neutral and a low grade as a grade, so NR is less damaging on paper. In practice, the honest answer is that it depends on what a buyer does with a blank. We would not choose NR over a deserved A, and we would not hide behind NR to avoid fixing a file.
If your file is about to be scored and you know complaints are open, the better move is to resolve them now. Complaint handling carries the widest published ranges, with unanswered complaints at 40 to 0 and unresolved complaints at 30 to 0. See the seven rating factors for every range.
Common NR Mistakes
| Mistake | Why it fails | Better move |
|---|---|---|
| Assuming NR means BBB thinks badly of you | BBB says NR is not negative | Treat it as an information gap |
| Calling it Not Rated in your own copy | BBB's term is No Rating | Use BBB's wording |
| Paying for accreditation to clear it | Dues do not buy a rating | Fix the file first |
| Ignoring a complaint because the profile shows NR | The complaint still has a status | Respond inside the window |
| Waiting indefinitely with no contact | BBB gives no timeline | Ask your local BBB in writing |
If you would rather have a specialist read your file, our free BBB audit does exactly that, with no obligation. For active work our rating improvement service is results-based. We agree the result in writing first and you pay when it is delivered.
Business Rating Fix, the BBB rating division of Reputation Resolutions, is not affiliated with the BBB. We cannot make BBB assign a rating, shorten a review, or tell you how long an NR will last. We can check your file against what BBB publishes and help you supply what is missing.
Anthony Will
Founder and CEO, Reputation Resolutions
Anthony Will founded Reputation Resolutions and has worked in online reputation management since 2013. Reputation Resolutions is BBB Accredited with an A+ rating and is a Google Partner. Business Rating Fix is its Better Business Bureau rating division.
- In online reputation management since 2013
- Reputation Resolutions: BBB Accredited, A+ rated
- Google Partner
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Fact-checked against bbb.org · Updated November 2026
