Google Business Profile Verification: How It Works
Verification proves to Google that you are allowed to manage a business listing. Google picks the method for you (phone, text, email, video or postcard) and you cannot change it. Reviews usually take up to 5 business days, and a postcard code arrives within about 14 days. This guide covers each method, what to prepare, and what to do when it fails.
Why verification matters
Starting from nothing? How to set up a Google Business Profile covers the steps before this one.
Until a profile is verified you cannot manage it properly: you cannot reply to reviews or fully edit what customers see. Google's help page says verifying shows Google you are authorized to represent the business and makes it more likely to appear in results. Verification is also the step before the review tools: see how to get more Google reviews, where your link and QR code depend on a profile you manage.
Before you start
- A Google Account, and a Business Profile linked to it. Use a business email, not a personal one you may lose.
- Access to the business phone for texts, or to the email address you will use.
- A device with a camera, if video is asked.
- A correct mailing address, in case it is a postcard.
- Your business details exactly as they appear on your sign: name, address, category, phone.
The verification methods
Google says "verification methods are automatically determined by Google and can't be changed." Which you get depends on your category and location.
| Method | How it works | Notes from Google |
|---|---|---|
| Phone or text | A code to your business phone | Automated phone menus (IVR) will not receive it, so a person must answer |
| Follow the steps in an email | Use an address you can open | |
| Live video call | A support person guides you through showing your location and proof | Only within the business hours of your location |
| Video recording | You record and upload a video | Recommended by Google where eligible |
| Postcard | A 5-digit code mailed to the address | Usually arrives within 14 days, expires after 30 |
Step by step
- Sign in to the Google Account for your profile and search your business name, or open Maps.
- Choose "Get verified".
- Confirm your name, address and category. Check spelling now, since changes during review can cause trouble.
- Pick the method shown, if you are offered a choice.
- Complete it: enter the code, follow the email or record the video.
- Wait for confirmation.
The video method
If you are asked for a video, expect to show Google that the business is real and that you manage it. Keep it continuous with no cuts. Typical things to show:
- The outside of the premises and the street sign, so Google can see where it is.
- Your signage with the business name.
- Inside, your equipment, stock or work area.
- Proof you manage it: a business licence, invoice or tools that tie you to the business.
- For a service-area business with no shopfront, your vehicle with branding and your tools, and an item showing the business name.
Film in good light with sound on, keep it steady, and do not edit. If it fails, you get a "Review issues" notice; follow the on-screen instructions.
How long it takes
Google says reviews usually take up to 5 business days and rare ones longer. Verification can be instant if you verify your website with Search Console or use bulk verification. Postcards usually arrive within 14 days. Other sites give different times for each method, so treat them as estimates and work from Google's page.
The postcard: three rules
- Do not request another code. A new request makes the one in the mail invalid.
- Do not change your business name, address or category while it is pending.
- Enter it within 30 days. The code expires after that.
The envelope often looks like junk mail. If you run a shared office, tell the front desk to look for it.
If verification fails
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "Get verified" shows again | Google could not fully verify you | Re-verify, or choose another method if offered |
| "Review issues" after a video | The video was not accepted | Open it, read the reasons, film again with the missing parts |
| Request for more information | Your details recently changed | Update the information, then try again |
| No postcard after two weeks | Lost in the mail or wrong address | Check your address; then follow Google's options on the profile |
| Code not accepted | Typo, an old code, or a new code requested in between | Use the newest code only; do not keep requesting |
| Still stuck | Other issue | Contact Google Business Profile support |
Common causes of failure are a name that differs from your real signage, a virtual office or PO box address, a category that does not fit, and a video that does not show the place clearly. Fix the mismatch before the next try.
Someone else already claimed it
If your listing already has an owner, you will see an option to request access. The current owner is notified. Ask your former web designer, employee or agency first; one of them may have set it up. A listing no one has verified, which is a common situation, can be claimed by you. If you suspect it was claimed by someone who should not have it, use Google's ownership request path and follow its steps.
Special cases
You work from home or travel to customers
Many plumbers, cleaners, landscapers and mobile mechanics have no shopfront. You can create a profile with a service area and hide your home address from customers. Google still needs to confirm you are real, so a video of your vehicle, tools and branded items is the usual route. Never use a friend's shopfront or a rented mailbox as your address.
You share a building
Suite numbers matter. Include the unit, floor or room exactly as postal mail would need it, or the postcard may never find you. Show the door sign that carries your name in a video.
You just opened
New businesses often have no website, no reviews and no sign yet. Put up a simple sign with the name before you record anything. A profile for a business that cannot show it exists is the easiest kind to fail.
You changed the name or moved
Edit the profile only when the change is real and the sign, website and paperwork agree. Expect to verify again. Do it in one go rather than changing the name, then the address, then the category over several weeks.
A short checklist before you press submit
- The name matches your sign and your website, with no extra keywords.
- The address is complete, with the unit number, and mail can reach it.
- The phone is answered by a person, not a menu.
- The category names what you mainly do.
- You are signed in to the account you want to own the profile for good.
- If a video is asked, you have filmed the outside, the sign and the inside in daylight.
Do I need to be verified to get reviews?
People can leave reviews on an unverified listing, but you cannot reply to them or use all the owner tools. Verify first, so every review gets an answer. Once done, check your reviews against the places that rank above you, and read how to respond to a negative Google review.
What happens right after you are verified
Once Google confirms you, the profile shows as verified in your dashboard and you can reply to reviews, edit hours and services, add photos and see how customers find you. Do four things the same day: check that hours and phone are right, add real photos, copy your review link, and reply to any review already waiting. Google says a verified, complete profile is more likely to show in results, so the work after verifying is what makes it count.
Keeping it verified
- Use one manager account owned by the business, with a second owner so you are never locked out.
- Update your hours, phone and address when they change.
- If you move or change your name, expect Google to ask for verification again.
- Reply to any Google emails about your profile quickly.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Google Business Profile verification take?
Google says up to 5 business days for reviews, longer in rare cases. A postcard usually arrives within 14 days.
Can I choose how to verify?
No. Google determines the method and it cannot be changed.
Why is my profile not verified after 5 days?
It may still be in review, or may need more information. Check the profile for a "Review issues" or request, and fix what it says.
Can I verify with a PO box?
Google needs an address where the business is run. A PO box or virtual office is a common cause of failure. Service-area businesses can hide the address after verification.
Can I verify over the phone?
Only if Google offers it. Automated phone menus will not receive the code.
What if the postcard code is lost?
Do not request a new one while one is pending. Wait for the 14 days to pass, then follow the profile's prompts.
Sources
- Verify your business, Google Business Profile Help, read Nov 5, 2026.
- How to improve your local ranking on Google, Google Business Profile Help, read Nov 5, 2026.
- Verifying a Google Business Profile, BrightLocal, read Nov 5, 2026 (as listed in search).
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