WhatsApp error 131047: why wasn't my message delivered?

WhatsApp only lets a business send a normal message in the 24 hours after that person last messaged you. After that, and for a first message to someone new, it has to be an approved template.

Checked 11 November 2026 against Meta's own documentation. Meta changes its rules now and then, and Meta always has the final say.

Why it happens

Meta calls it "re-engagement required": the person hasn't messaged your business in the last 24 hours. Meta gives the same error when the number isn't on WhatsApp at all, so check the number too.

It catches messages sent from an app, a CRM or your own code most often: they send a normal message days after the last reply, or to someone who has never messaged you.

What to do

Inside the 24 hours: reply with anything, as normal.
Outside them: send an approved template. Write one under Templates in Sonar and Meta reviews it, usually within minutes. A template can carry the person's name or an order number.
From your own software: call /v1/send-template instead of /v1/send once the 24 hours have passed. Sonar's API answers outside_24h_window when this happens, so your code can tell. See the developer guide.

First messages to new people

A first message to someone who hasn't contacted you is usually a marketing template. Those need people who agreed to hear from you: South African law (POPIA) and WhatsApp's rules both ask for it, and messages people didn't ask for are a common reason Meta locks an account. See POPIA and WhatsApp marketing. What each template costs is on pricing.

More guides

Need a hand?

Email support@whats-hub.co.za with the error code and what you were doing. We can't change Meta's rules, but we'll tell you what Meta is asking for.

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