Why this matters more than you think
Your Meta ad account contains years of data: your pixel audiences, custom audiences, conversion history, creative performance records, and the algorithm signals Meta uses to find buyers for you. All of that lives in the account — not in any document the agency gives you.
If the agency owns the account, all of that goes with them when you part ways. You start from zero, your new campaigns take months to find their footing, and there's nothing you can do to get the historical data back.
How to check who owns your ad account
Step 1 — Find your Business Portfolio
Log in with your personal Facebook account — the one you use for business.
Does it say your business name? Or does it say your agency's name, a generic name, or something you don't recognize?
Check the Business Portfolio owner. If your name or your business name isn't there — someone else owns it.
Step 2 — Check who owns your ad account specifically
Even if the Business Portfolio looks right, the ad account inside it might be owned by a different portfolio:
Find your ad account in the list.
It will say either "Owned by [your Business Portfolio]" or "Shared from [Agency Portfolio]." Shared means you don't own it.
Shared from an agency portfolio = they own it. They can remove your access at any time, and you cannot take the account or its data with you.
What it looks like in each scenario
| Situation | What you'll see | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| You set it up yourself | Your name / business name owns everything | You're in control. Good. |
| Agency used "partner access" | Your portfolio owns assets, agency is listed as a Partner | Correct setup. You own the data, agency just has access. |
| Agency built it under their portfolio | Agency name in the Business Info or "Shared from [Agency]" on ad account | They own it. You lose access and data if they remove you. |
| You're not sure / can't find it | You may not have admin access to the Business Portfolio at all | Needs a full review to understand what you actually control. |
What to do if the agency owns it
You have a few options, and the right one depends on your relationship with the agency and how much history is in the account.
Option A — Ask the agency to transfer ownership
This is the cleanest fix. Meta allows Business Portfolio ownership to be transferred. Ask the agency to transfer the ad account to your Business Portfolio. A legitimate agency should do this without resistance — it's your business and your data.
If they refuse, that's a red flag and you'll need to decide how much leverage you have in the relationship.
Option B — Request that they add you as an admin and transfer assets
If the full portfolio can't be transferred, the agency can move individual assets (your Facebook Page, ad account, pixel) to your own Business Portfolio by going to their Settings → Ad Accounts → and using the "Transfer" option. This requires a Business Portfolio on your end to receive them.
Option C — Start a new setup (last resort)
If the agency is unresponsive or the relationship has ended badly, you may need to build a clean setup from scratch — your own Business Portfolio, a new ad account, and a new pixel. You'll lose historical data, but you'll own everything going forward.
How to set it up correctly next time
If you're working with a new agency or contractor, the correct setup is partner access — not co-ownership. Here's what that looks like:
This is yours. Your name, your business email, your Facebook account.
Your Facebook Page, ad account, Instagram account, and pixel all live under your portfolio.
Go to Settings → Partners → Add a Partner. The agency enters their Business Portfolio ID. They get access to work but don't own anything.
This way, if the relationship ends, you revoke partner access and everything stays with you.