Google Business Profile Verification Code Not Received: What to Do

First find out which method Google gave you, because the fix differs. For a postcard, Google says most arrive within 14 days and the code expires after 30, and you should not request a new one early, because that invalidates the code already in the mail. For a phone call or text, check that your line can receive it. For email, check the exact address shown. This guide walks through each, with a timeline.

For how verification works in general, see Google Business Profile verification: how it works. This page is only for when the code never shows up.

Step 0: Check which method you chose

Google decides which options appear for your business, and you cannot change them. Open your profile and look at the verification screen. You will see one of:

• Postcard, a 5-digit code mailed to your address.
• Phone call or text, a code to the number on the screen.
• Email, a message to the address on the screen.
• Video, which has no code at all (see below).

Work through only the section that matches. Mixing them up is the most common reason people spend days on the wrong fix.

Postcard not arrived

How long to wait

Google's help page says most postcard codes arrive within 14 days. Count from the day you requested, and count calendar days, not business days. The postcard is plain, and it is easy to mistake for junk mail. It comes with a 5-digit code, and the code expires after 30 days.

A day-by-day guide

What not to do while you wait

• Do not request a new code. Google says this invalidates the code already mailed and sends a new one, which can make the process longer.
• Do not edit your business name, address or category. Google says doing so means the code will not work.
• Do not create a second profile for the same business. That causes duplicate and suspension problems.

Common reasons a postcard goes missing

• The address has a typo, a missing suite or unit number, or the wrong postcode.
• The mail goes to a shared building, an office with a front desk, or a mailbox that nobody checks.
• You moved, or the address on the profile is an old one.
• It arrived and was thrown out as junk.

A postcard cannot fix a bad address. If the address is wrong, you will need to change it, and then start verification again, as set out below.

Phone code not received

Google's help page says that automated phone menus cannot receive the verification code. If your business number answers with "press 1 for sales" and nobody picks up, the call cannot pass the code on. Check:

• Is the number you chose able to receive a call or text? Landlines cannot receive texts. A call to a line that goes straight to a menu will fail.
• Can a person pick up? Be at the phone when you request the call.
• Is your phone blocking unknown numbers or filtering spam? Turn the filter off for a few minutes.
• Is your signal good? Try again from a spot with a clear signal.
• Did the text land in a spam folder or a different messaging app? Look there first.

If the screen offers both call and text, try the other. If the number shown is wrong, you cannot fix it on that screen. Go back to the profile's details and update the phone number, then restart verification.

Email code not received

Google's help page says to use the address shown on the verification screen. Check these in order:

1. The address on the screen. If it is masked, such as j***@yourbusiness.com, make sure that mailbox is yours.
2. The spam and promotions folders, and any shared inbox that someone else manages.
3. That the mailbox is not full, and that your domain's email is not blocking outside senders.
4. Wait a few minutes before you resend. Many people click resend repeatedly and then cannot tell which message is the latest.

Open the email's link in the same browser where you are signed in to the Google Account that manages the profile. A different account will not match.

Video verification: there is no code

If you were told to record a video, there is no code to wait for. Google's help page notes that video recording is recommended where you are eligible, and that a live video call is only available during your location's business hours. After you submit, reviews can take up to 5 business days. If it still shows "in review" after that, the video may not have shown enough of the place; the checklist in our verification guide lists what to show.

Is there a faster way?

Google's page lists instant verification as an option when you verify your website with Search Console, or use bulk verification for many locations. Not every business is offered this. If your site is already in Search Console with the same Google Account that owns the profile, it is worth checking whether the option appears.

If nothing works after 14 days (or the code expired)

1. Re-check the basics. Is the business name exactly what is on your sign? Is the address real and not a virtual office or a PO box? Is the primary category accurate? Mismatches here cause verification to stall.
2. Fix the problem first, then restart. If you changed the address or number, start a new verification after the change, not before.
3. Request a new code only once you are sure the old one is dead. Past 30 days, or when you know the address was wrong, a new request is the right move. Before that, it can invalidate a code that is on its way.
4. Contact Business Profile support. Google's page points to support for people who still cannot verify. Say which method you tried, on what dates, and what the screen shows. Have your business name, address and proof of the business ready, such as a licence, a utility bill with the address, or a photo of your signage.
5. Try another method if one is offered. The options on the screen can change after a failed attempt or an edit.

Beware of anyone who offers to "get you verified" for a fee, asks for your Google password, or says they can bypass the process. Verification exists to stop fake listings, and shortcuts risk the whole profile.

What to prepare so it works the next time

• Name that matches your sign, your invoices and your website.
• A real, staffed address with the unit number, or a service area with your home address hidden if you travel to customers. See how to set up a Google Business Profile for the rules on names and service areas.
• A phone number a person answers, directly.
• An email on your business domain that you check.
• The Google Account you will keep: use a business-owned address, not a former employee's.

While you wait: what still helps

The wait is a good time to prepare. Write your service list and description, gather good photos of the place and the work, and plan how you will ask. Once you are verified, you can get your review link and a printable QR sign free from your business name and start the first requests the same week.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Google Business Profile postcard take?

Google says most codes arrive within 14 days. The code expires after 30 days.

Should I request a new verification code?

Not while the first is still on its way. Google says a new request invalidates the mailed code and sends another, which can lengthen the process. Request again only when the old one has expired or the address was wrong.

Why did my verification call never come?

Often the line answers with an automated menu, which cannot receive the code, or the phone blocks unknown callers. Make sure a person can pick up.

Can I change my address while waiting for the postcard?

No. Google says editing the name, address or category while you wait means the code will not work.

What if I lost the postcard?

Use the profile's verification screen to see what Google now offers. If a new code is the only option, request one after you are sure the first will not arrive.

Who do I contact if it still fails?

Business Profile support. Give them the method, the dates and the name and address on the profile.

What to do next

Match your method to its section above, wait out the right number of days and leave the profile's name, address and category alone. Once verified, see how your Google reviews compare with your nearest rivals. More guides are on the guides page.

Sources

1. Verify your business profile, Google Business Profile Help, read Nov 6, 2026.
2. I did not receive the Google My Business verification code, rankingCoach Help, read Nov 6, 2026 (as listed in search).
3. Issues receiving the Google Business Profile verification code, VentraIP, read Nov 6, 2026 (as listed in search).
4. Google Business PIN not working, Advice Local, read Nov 6, 2026 (as listed in search).