LinkedIn topic
LinkedIn Account Setup Rules, Age Limit and Sign-Up Options
A LinkedIn account starts with a real name, an email address and a sign-up route, and LinkedIn sets firm rules on all three. This topic gathers what LinkedIn Help and the LinkedIn User Agreement say about the sign-up options, the age rule, the one account rule and what a guest can do. Two guides are live. How to Create a LinkedIn Account gives the steps for email, Google and Apple, and How to Use LinkedIn for Beginners gives a 7 day plan for the profile, connections and a first post. Three more are planned. They cover changing your LinkedIn URL, using LinkedIn to find a job and using it for networking. We have not opened an account for this topic, so every fact below comes from LinkedIn.
Sign-Up Options in Brief
LinkedIn Help names three routes. All three give a free account.
| Route | What you do | Password |
|---|---|---|
| Enter your name and email, then click Join now | If prompted | |
| Click Continue with Google, sign in and select Confirm | Not needed | |
| Apple | Select Continue with Apple in the iOS app, confirm your email and choose Agree and Join | Not needed |
The full guide lists every step and the warning about creating a second account by accident.
Account Rules in Brief
LinkedIn Help and the User Agreement set the rules below.
- Use your true name. Company names and pseudonyms are not allowed.
- Do not use an email address tied to an office or task, such as sales@business.org.
- You must be at least 16, or older where local law requires it.
- You may hold one account, in your real name.
An account made with false information, including one made for someone else, breaks the terms. Our Manage Multiple LinkedIn Accounts guide covers what to do with a duplicate.
Profile Levels and First Week in Brief
LinkedIn Help says every member starts as a Beginner, becomes Intermediate after four profile sections and reaches All-star after seven: photo, location, industry, education, position, skills and summary. Only you can see the meter. Our LinkedIn for beginners guide turns this into a 7 day plan, and it explains connecting versus following, the personalized note cap and who can see Open to Work.
Free Account and Guest Use
LinkedIn Help says it offers a basic free account and Premium subscriptions. Our guide on whether LinkedIn Premium is worth it compares them. A guest without an account can apply to many jobs through the company website, but a job post without the arrow icon on its Apply button needs a sign-in.
What is Still Unconfirmed
LinkedIn Help does not say how long a new account must wait before it can send invitations or post. The sign-up article is about three years old and the Apple article about three years, so a step can have moved. We did not open an account, so the label on the live guide is Checked.
Where This Topic Fits
This topic sits inside our LinkedIn section, next to LinkedIn Premium Plans, Free Trial and Account Rules and LinkedIn Posting Rules and Formats. A guide appears here the day it goes live and is marked Tested or Checked, as our editorial policy explains. Changes are logged on our change log. Namrata Arora
Sources: LinkedIn Help on signing up, LinkedIn Help on free and Premium accounts and the LinkedIn User Agreement.
Published Entries
FAQ
How old do you have to be to join LinkedIn?
At least 16, says the LinkedIn User Agreement. The minimum is higher where local law requires an older age to use the service without parental consent.
Is a LinkedIn account free?
Yes. LinkedIn Help says there is a basic free account, and Premium subscriptions that eligible users may try free for one month.
Can I have more than one LinkedIn account?
No. LinkedIn Help says creating multiple profiles is not allowed under its Professional Community Policies and User Agreement.