Google Business Profile Verification: How to Get Verified on Google (2026)

Before you can edit your Google Business Profile, reply to reviews, or see how customers find you, you need to verify it. Verification gives you ownership of your Business Profile and tells Google you're authorized to represent the business.

Here is what you will learn:

• Why verification matters and what happens without it
• Every verification method Google offers in 2026
• Step-by-step instructions for each method
• How to verify without a postcard
• How to troubleshoot common verification problems
• What to do immediately after getting verified

Why Verification Matters

Unverified profiles can still exist on Google Maps, and Google's claim guide explains how to claim one you find there. But verifying is how you gain ownership of your Business Profile. Google's verification guide says: "To edit your business info on Google, such as business name or business hours, and interact with customers, you need to verify your business."

Here is what verification unlocks:

• Better odds in search results. Google's ranking tips say verifying "tells Google that you're authorized to represent the business, so it's more likely to show up in search results"
• Replying to reviews. Google says that before you can reply to reviews, you must verify your business
• Profile editing. You can edit your business info on Google, such as your business name or hours, and make sure it is accurate
• Google Business Profile posts. You can publish updates, offers, and events to your listing. Google lists an unverified profile as one reason a post is Pending, which means it doesn't show on Search or Maps
• Performance data. Your insights about how customers find and interact with your profile. Google says performance data is available only for verified Business Profiles

Without verification, you are leaving visibility, review replies, and customer insight on the table. If your business exists in the real world, you should verify your profile. It is the first step in any serious Google review management strategy.

What about a verified badge? When your business is verified, Google sends you a confirmation email, and you gain ownership of your Business Profile. The Google Verified badge is a Local Services Ads badge: Google's badge page says new advertisers need to successfully complete the Local Services screening and verification process to get it, and that it will display on the Local Services Ads profile and may dynamically appear on other surfaces where it adds consumer value.

How to Claim and Start Verification

If you do not have a Google Business Profile yet, here is how to get started.

Step 1: Go to Google Business Profile Manager

Visit business.google.com/add and sign in with the Google Account you want to manage your business. Google says you need a Google Account to sign up for a Business Profile. Use an account you will have permanent access to, not a personal one you might lose.

Step 2: Search for Your Business

A profile for your business may already exist. Search Google Maps for your business's name and city. If you find an unverified profile, claim it: on a computer, select Claim this business > Manage now, then select a verification option. If no profile exists, go to business.google.com/add and click "Add your business to Google" to create one. If someone else has already verified the profile, skip to Business Already Claimed by Someone Else below.

Either way it costs nothing: Google says "You can add or claim your business at no charge."

Step 3: Enter Your Business Information

Fill out the required fields:

• Business name: Use your real-world business name exactly as it appears on your storefront, legal documents, and other listings. Do not add keywords, locations, or marketing phrases
• Business category: Choose the most specific primary category that matches your business
• Location: Enter your physical address if customers visit you. If you travel to customers, choose the service-area option
• Contact information: Add your phone number and website URL

Step 4: Choose a Verification Method

After entering your business details, Google will present one or more verification options. Google says the options available to you "depend on your business type, public info, region, or business hours," and that verification methods "are automatically determined by Google and can't be changed." In some cases, you may need to verify your business with more than one method.

Verification Methods Explained

Google's help pages describe five ways to verify: phone or text, email, a video recording, a live video call, and mail (a postcard). In some cases, Google also verifies a profile instantly. You will only see the methods Google chooses for your profile (see Step 4 above). Google's verification guide also says: "If your business is eligible for video verification, we recommend that you use this option."

Phone or Text Verification

How it works: Google calls or texts a verification code to your business phone number.

Timeline: The code comes by call or text. After you complete the verification steps, Google reviews the info you provided, which takes up to 5 business days (on rare occasions, longer).

Steps:

1. Go to your Business Profile
2. Select Get verified > Phone or SMS
3. Answer the call or open the text with the code
4. On your profile, enter the code

Tips:

• Google says: "To get your verification code, make sure you can answer your business phone number or receive text messages."
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, the automated menus some business phone lines answer with, won't get the code

Email Verification

How it works: Google sends an email to the address shown in the verification screen, and you follow the steps in that email.

Timeline: After you complete the steps, Google's verification review takes up to 5 business days (on rare occasions, longer).

Steps:

1. Go to your Business Profile
2. Select Get verified > Email
3. Follow the steps in the email

Tips:

• Google says: "Make sure you can use the email address in the verification screen."
• Check your spam and promotions folders if the email does not arrive

Video Verification (Recommended by Google If Eligible)

How it works: You record a live video on your mobile device, through your Business Profile, that shows your business location, proof that your business exists, and proof that you manage it. Google's video verification guide says it "works for businesses with a physical storefront, service-area businesses, or hybrid businesses that do both."

Timeline: After you upload your video, Google reviews it, which "can take up to 5 business days."

Steps:

1. On your mobile device, go to your Business Profile
2. Tap Get verified. To start verification, you may need to enter your phone number and tap Next
3. Tap Business video > Next, and read the video requirements
4. Tap Next > Start recording. For a storefront or hybrid business, your video must show:
   • Your business location: street signs, building numbers, nearby businesses, or familiar places around your business
   • Proof that your business exists: your storefront, showroom, or business signage, with your business name clearly printed on a permanent fixture, like a signboard, wall, or window
   • Proof of management: things only an employee can access, like opening a cash register, kitchen, storage room, or using a point-of-sale system
5. Review your video to make sure it shows all the required info (tap Try again to re-record if needed), then tap Upload video

Service-area businesses show different things in their video. See Service-Area Businesses below.

Requirements Google lists:

• "An unedited, unique, and complete recording with no breaks."
• "At least 30 seconds long."
• Recorded and uploaded from a mobile device through your Business Profile. You must capture the footage live: pre-recorded videos aren't allowed, and you can't record it offline and upload it later
• The name shown in your video must match the name on your Business Profile
• No sensitive info like bank account, tax, or ID numbers, no private info about you or others, and no other people's faces
• If your business doesn't have permanent on-site signage, Google says to list it as a service-area business instead of storefront

If video is the only option on your profile, that is the method to use, since verification methods can't be changed.

Live Video Call Verification

How it works: You join a live video call with a support representative and use the camera on your device to show your business location and ownership.

Availability: Google says "Live video verification may not be available for all businesses" and "Live video calls are only available within the business hours of your location."

Before the call: Make sure you have a device that supports live video calls, and make sure you're at your business and can show your location and ownership during the call. For example, Google says to be prepared to show:

• Your current location: outside signs, nearby businesses, or a street sign that confirms your business location
• Your business or equipment: your products, branded equipment, marketing materials, or tools you use to serve customers
• Proof you manage the business: access to employee-only areas or items like a cash register, kitchen, storage room, or non-sensitive business documents. You can also use your keys to open your facility

Steps:

1. Go to your Business Profile
2. Select Get verified > Live video call > Next
3. Choose your language
4. Select Start call to start a text chat with a support representative
5. When a support representative is ready, they'll help you join a video call

Postcard Verification

How it works: If verification through mail is available in your Business Profile and you choose it, Google mails you a verification code. You enter the code on your profile to confirm that your business is at the listed address. Google notes: "Verification through postcard isn't available for all businesses."

Timeline: Google says "Most codes arrive within 14 days" and "Verification codes expire after 30 days." After you enter the code, the verification review takes up to 5 business days (on rare occasions, longer).

Steps:

1. Go to your Business Profile
2. Select Get verified > Postcard
3. Make sure your business mailing address is correct
4. Request the code
5. When the postcard arrives, go to your Business Profile, enter your 5-digit verification code in the "Code" field, and select Submit

Tips:

• Keep the verification code secure. Google will never ask for your verification code, and Google says not to share it "with anyone, even with those who manage your Business Profile"
• Let your mail carrier or office manager know to watch for a postcard from Google

If you would rather not wait on mail, see How to Verify Your Google Business Profile Without a Postcard below.

Instant Verification

How it works: Google says: "In some cases, Google verifies a profile instantly." According to its verification guide, this can happen when:

• You verify your website with Google Search Console (how to add a website property)
• You use bulk verification (see Multi-Location Businesses below)

Timeline: Immediate, when it applies.

If you manage your business website, Search Console's guide explains that to add a website property, you must first prove that you own the site.

How to Verify Your Google Business Profile Without a Postcard

You can verify without a postcard whenever Google offers your profile another method. Google says verification through postcard "isn't available for all businesses," that verification methods "are automatically determined by Google and can't be changed," and that the options available to you depend on your business type, public info, region, or business hours. So you can't swap mail for a method your profile doesn't show, but you can use any non-mail option it does show.

Here is how to approach it:

1. See which options your profile shows. Go to your Business Profile and select Get verified
2. If more than one appears, pick a non-mail method. That is our advice, not Google's rule. Phone or text, email, a video recording, and a live video call all skip the mail, and Google says: "If your business is eligible for video verification, we recommend that you use this option."
3. Prepare for the method you pick. For phone, make sure you can answer your business phone number or receive text messages. For email, make sure you can use the email address in the verification screen. For a video recording, plan one live take of at least 30 seconds. For a live video call, be at your business during its business hours
4. If a method fails, try another one. Google says: "If your Business Profile shows multiple verification options, you can try other verification methods." In some cases, you may need to verify your business with more than one method
5. If mail is the only option, request the code and wait. Most codes arrive within 14 days. Do not request a new code while one is in the mail, because Google says it will "invalidate the code in the mail and send a new one. This can make the process longer."

Instant verification also avoids the mail: Google says it can happen when you verify your website with Google Search Console or use bulk verification. If you still can't get verified, Google's instructions for mail and for live video calls both say: "We recommend that you try the options available to you. If you're still unable to verify your business, contact support."

Verification is exactly why some edits are riskier than others. The Profile Assistant will update your regular hours, special and holiday hours, description, and services, but deliberately will not touch your address, business name, category, or phone number, because those are the fields that can send you back through verification.

Verification for Different Business Types

The process varies depending on your business model.

Storefront Businesses

Businesses with a physical location that customers visit (restaurants, retail stores, dental offices) follow the standard verification process described above. Google describes a storefront business as one that "interacts with customers in-person during business hours at a physical location with permanent on-site signage." Your address will be publicly visible on your profile.

Service-Area Businesses

Plumbers, electricians, house cleaners, and other businesses that travel to customers can verify without showing a public address. Google's service-area rules:

1. If you don't serve customers at your business address, remove your address from your Business Profile
2. Set up to 20 service areas based on the cities, postal codes, or other areas you serve. You can't set your service area as a radius distance around your business
3. Keep the boundaries of your overall area within about 2 hours of driving time from where your business is based

If you verify by video, you still show where you are based. For a service-area business, Google's video requirements ask you to record street signs, nearby landmarks, or other identifiers at your business address, the professional tools, equipment, or products you use for work, and proof of management, such as performing a service, unlocking a van that has your business branding, or a business permit, invoice, or utility bill that matches the name on your Business Profile.

For what the service area setting does and does not change about where you show up, see how service area businesses rank on Google Maps.

Home-Based Businesses

If you run your business from home and don't serve customers there:

1. Set up as a service-area business (see above) and leave your home address off your Business Profile
2. List the service areas you cover. Google says your service area "shows customers where you can provide your products and services"
3. If you verify by video, Google's tip applies: "If you run a service-area business from your home, you can record landmarks and signs in your immediate neighborhood to verify the address."

Multi-Location Businesses

If you manage 10 or more locations of the same business, you may be able to verify them in bulk. Google's requirements include:

• "Your spreadsheet has 10 or more profiles from the same business." Agencies with more than one business in one account can't bulk verify
• Duplicate, suspended, or disabled profiles don't count towards the 10 Business Profile minimum
• Your business isn't a service-area business

To request it, on your computer, sign in to Business Profile Manager, select Verifications > Chain > Start on the left, fill out the form, and select Submit. Note that "Uploading a spreadsheet doesn't send a verification request." After you request verification, Google reviews the account details and contacts you if it needs more info. Once bulk verification is successful, you'll receive a confirmation via email. Google also warns: "To keep Google Maps data sources correct, we may de-verify accounts that don't actively manage their profiles."

Bulk verification is covered in more depth in our multi-location management guide.

Once you are verified, find out whether anyone can actually see you. The free Google Maps rank checker shows where your profile ranks on Google Maps across real neighborhoods in your area.

Troubleshooting Verification Problems

Verification does not always go smoothly. Here are the most common problems and how to fix them.

Business Already Claimed by Someone Else

If Google shows you the message "Someone else may manage this Business Profile," the profile may already be verified by someone else. This can happen when:

• A previous owner or employee set it up
• A marketing agency claimed it on your behalf
• A spammer fraudulently claimed your business (our guide to fake and hijacked Google Business Profiles covers reporting them and checking who else has access)

Fix: Use Google's ownership request process. For a storefront or hybrid business:

1. Go to business.google.com/add
2. Enter the name and address of your business
3. Choose your business from the list. You'll get a message that says "Someone else may manage this Business Profile."
4. Select Request Access
5. Fill out the form and select Submit

Google then notifies the current profile owner by email, and they have 3 days to respond. If they deny it, you'll get a rejection email, but you can still suggest an edit to the profile, and you can also try to appeal the decision. If you don't get a response after 3 days, you may have the option to claim the profile, though Google notes: "The option to claim a profile isn't always available."

To request ownership of a service-area business that provides services at the customer's location and doesn't have a physical shop or office, Google's instruction is to contact Google support instead.

Postcard Never Arrived

Google says most codes arrive within 14 days. If yours has not:

• Check that the business mailing address on your profile is correct
• Check with your mail carrier or front desk
• Think twice before requesting a new code. Google says: "If you do, we invalidate the code in the mail and send a new one. This can make the process longer."
• If your Business Profile shows multiple verification options, you can try other verification methods instead

Verification Code Expired

Google says: "Verification codes expire after 30 days." If yours has expired, request a new code, or try another verification method if your profile shows one.

Suspended After Verification

Google says: "We may suspend or disable Business Profiles that don't follow our guidelines." Before you appeal, check your profile against Google's guidelines. Three to check first:

• Business name. "Including unnecessary information in your business name isn't permitted, and could result in the suspension of your Business Profile." Our example: "Best Pizza Restaurant in Chicago" instead of just your actual business name
• Address. "Make sure your address and/or service area is accurate and precise."
• Categories. "Choose the fewest number of categories it takes to describe your overall core business."

Duplicates are a different problem. Google's duplicate profiles help says: "If a profile is considered a duplicate, it won't show on Google Search or Maps." If your business relocates, Google says "do not create a new Business Profile for the new location. Instead, update the existing profile with the new address." Our guide to merging or removing a duplicate Google Business Profile covers each case, including when someone else owns the other copy.

If you believe your profile should be reinstated, submit an appeal through Google's appeals process:

• Make sure your profile follows all the guidelines
• Add optional evidence, such as official business registration, a business license, tax certificates, or utility bills for the business
• Do not create a new Business Profile for the same business
• Appeals can only be submitted once. Our advice: attach all your evidence the first time

Google will review your appeal and send you an email with the appeal decision. For the full process, including what the appeals tool shows you, what to fix before you file, and the additional review form if the appeal is denied, see our guide to getting a suspended Google Business Profile back.

Video Verification Rejected

When you verify through a video recording and get a "Review issues" notification, it means your video wasn't accepted. Google says it will share the reasons why your first video wasn't accepted. Examples Google gives:

• Business name not visible on storefront
• No nearby area shown
• Missing proof of authorization to operate the business

To submit a new video, on your mobile device go to your Business Profile, tap Review issues, and review the issues before you record. Make sure the new video includes all the info you showed in your first video, plus all the missing info needed to meet the requirements. Then upload it.

What to Do After Verification

Getting verified is just the starting line. Here is your post-verification checklist to make sure your profile starts working for you immediately.

1. Complete Your Profile

Google says "Businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up in local search results." Fill out everything:

• Business description: Write a clear, keyword-rich description of what you do
• Categories: Add a specific primary category and relevant secondary categories
• Services: List every service you offer
• Products: Add your products with descriptions and prices
• Attributes: Set relevant attributes (wheelchair accessible, free Wi-Fi, etc.)
• Hours: Set regular hours, special hours, and holiday hours. If they later change without you, here's why Google changes your hours and how to fix it
• Photos: Upload high-quality photos of your business. Google says you can show customers what you offer and tell the story of your business with photos and videos

Run a complete GBP audit to make sure nothing is missing. For a quick automated check, the free profile audit tool scores your new profile against what Google shows publicly in about 30 seconds, checking your listing (categories, reviews, photos, hours) and your website itself.

2. Set Up Review Monitoring

Reviews can start coming in as soon as your profile is live. Set up notifications so you never miss one, and establish a system for responding quickly.

A simple way to keep up is to respond directly from your email inbox using a tool like ReplyOnTheFly, which monitors your Google reviews 24/7 and, when a new review arrives, emails you an AI-drafted reply to approve with one tap. No login needed.

3. Publish Your First Post

Google Business Profile posts let you "share announcements, offers, updates, and event details directly with your customers on Search and Maps." Google lists an unverified profile as one reason a post is Pending, which means it doesn't show on Search or Maps. Now that you are verified, publish an introductory post about your business, a current offer, or an upcoming event.

4. Start Tracking Performance

Google says "Performance data is available only for verified Business Profiles." Once you are verified, check your Performance data to see how customers are finding you. Set a baseline and track it monthly.

5. Focus on Getting Reviews

Google's ranking tips say prominence is "also based on info like how many websites link to your business and how many reviews you have," and that "More reviews and positive ratings can help your business's local ranking." Start asking customers for reviews as soon as your profile is verified. Google's review help says that to encourage customers to leave reviews, you can share a review request link or QR code. Our free review link generator and review QR code generator make both. Not sure how to respond when they come in? Try our free review response generator to see AI-drafted replies in action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Takeaways

• You need to verify your Google Business Profile to edit your business info, reply to reviews, and see Performance data, and Google says verifying makes your business more likely to show up in search results
• Google's methods are phone or text, email, a video recording, a live video call, and mail (a postcard), plus instant verification in some cases. Google decides which you see, the choice can't be changed, and Google recommends video if you're eligible
• After you complete the steps, Google's review takes up to 5 business days (on rare occasions, longer). Most postcard codes arrive within 14 days, and codes expire after 30 days
• You can verify without a postcard whenever your profile offers another method. While a postcard is in the mail, do not edit your business name, address, or category, and do not request a new code
• Service-area and home-based businesses that don't serve customers at their address can verify without showing it: remove the address and list up to 20 service areas
• After verification, complete your profile, set up review monitoring, publish your first post, and start asking customers for reviews