To verify your Google Business Profile, sign in to the Google account that manages it, find your business on Google Search or Maps, and select Get verified to see which method Google offers you: a phone call or text, an email, a live video call, a recorded video, or a postcard. Google picks the method for you based on your business type and region, and once you finish it, reviews usually take up to five business days.
Verification is where a lot of owners get stuck for weeks, so here is how to get through it cleanly the first time.
Why does verification matter so much?
Verification is what proves to Google that you actually run the business, and it is what unlocks your ability to edit the profile. Until you are verified, you cannot properly update your hours, name, photos or services, and you cannot reply to reviews as the owner.
Google says plainly on its verify your business help page that verification is required to edit your business info and that it gives you ownership of the profile. For a contractor in Crozet or a café in downtown Charlottesville, being locked out of it is a real cost.
Do I need to add or claim my profile first?
Yes. Before you can verify, you either add a new profile or claim the one Google already created for your business. Both are free.
Search your business name and city on Google Maps. If a profile shows up with a Claim this business link, it exists but nobody has verified it, so claim it and follow the prompts. If nothing shows up, go to business.google.com/add and create it. Google walks through both paths on its add or claim your Business Profile page.
Before you start, check that your business actually qualifies. Google's guidelines for representing your business require a real-world location where you meet customers, or a business that travels to customers. P.O. boxes and virtual offices you do not staff are not eligible, and if you serve customers at their homes or job sites, you should hide your street address. Your profile name should be your real business name, with no added keywords or taglines. Getting these right up front prevents most verification failures.
Which verification method will I get?
You do not get to choose. Google decides which methods are available based on your business type, public information, region and hours, and sometimes asks for more than one.
Here is what each method needs from you:
- Phone or text: You must answer the business phone yourself or receive the text. Automated phone menus will not pass the code along, which catches a lot of shops that route every call through a phone tree.
- Email: You need access to the exact email address shown on the verification screen.
- Live video call: Happens during your business hours, at your location, on a device with a camera.
- Recorded video: A short, continuous clip you record live through the app. More on this below, since it is the method that most often gets rejected.
- Postcard: Google mails a five-digit code to your address. It typically arrives within 14 days and expires after 30 days.
When video is offered, Google recommends using it.
How do I pass video verification on the first try?
Record one unbroken clip of at least 30 seconds that shows where you are, that the business is real, and that you are the one running it. Edited or pre-recorded footage is not accepted.
Google's video verification guide breaks down what each type of business should show:
- Storefronts, studios, restaurants and clinics: Start outside with a street sign, building number or neighboring business in frame. Show your permanent signage, with the business name matching your profile name. Then walk inside to something only staff can reach, like the register, the kitchen, a storage room or your point-of-sale system.
- Service-area businesses like plumbers, painters and landscapers: Show a street sign or landmark at your business address, then your tools, equipment or branded vehicle. To prove you manage it, open the work van, show yourself doing the work, or show a business permit, invoice or utility bill with the matching business name.
Keep other people's faces out of the shot, and do not show bank, tax or ID numbers. If Google rejects the video, it will tell you why. Record a new one that includes everything from the first attempt plus whatever was missing.
What should I avoid while I wait for a postcard?
Do not touch your business name, address or category, and do not request a new code. Either one can invalidate the code that is already in the mail and push you back to the start.
This is an easy way to lose a month. Someone notices a typo in the address, fixes it, and the postcard that shows up a week later no longer works. Make your edits before you request verification, then leave the profile alone until the code arrives.
What if someone else already owns my profile?
If a former employee, an old marketing vendor or a previous owner controls the profile, you can request ownership instead of starting over. The current owner gets an email and has three days to respond.
Google explains the steps on its request ownership page. Go to business.google.com/add, find your business, select Request access and submit the form. If you do not hear back within three days, you may get the option to claim the profile from the confirmation email, though Google notes that option is not always available. Service-area businesses without a storefront are directed to contact Google support instead.
Do not create a second profile to get around it. A duplicate creates new problems instead of solving the old one. If your listing is not appearing at all, our guide on why a business is not showing up on Google Maps covers the usual causes.
What should I do right after I am verified?
Google sends a confirmation email. From there, fill in every section of the profile and add anyone who helps you manage it as a manager, not an owner.
Some practical next steps for today:
- Confirm your hours, phone number, website and primary category are accurate.
- Add a manager for your office person or marketing help so you never have to share your login.
- Never share a verification code with anyone, including people who manage your profile. Google will never ask you for it.
- Make sure a person can answer the business phone during business hours, since automated menus cannot receive a phone verification code.
If Google later asks you to verify again, that usually follows a change to your business details. Select Get verified and go through the steps again. If your profile goes further and gets suspended, our guide on what to do when a Google Business Profile is suspended walks through the next steps.
Can someone handle this for me?
Yes. Verification is a one-time hurdle, but it sits in the middle of everything else that helps a local business get found: an accurate profile, a website that matches it, and steady reviews.
At STANDBY, our local SEO work in Charlottesville starts with getting your profile claimed, cleaned up and verified, then keeping it current so you can get back to the work you actually love. If calls are slipping through the cracks the rest of the year, our AI receptionist answers so customers are never left hanging. Not sure where your business stands? The free local business growth scorecard takes a few minutes.
Common questions
How long does Google Business Profile verification take?
Google says reviews take up to five business days, and rarely longer. Postcards add mailing time, typically up to 14 days. Some profiles verify instantly, for example when the website is already verified in Google Search Console.
Can I choose a different verification method?
No. Google sets the available methods automatically. If one fails or more information is needed, you can try any other method that appears on your profile.
Does verifying my profile cost anything?
No. Adding, claiming and verifying a Google Business Profile is free. Be wary of anyone who calls claiming to be from Google and asking for payment or your verification code.
If you would rather have someone walk through verification and the rest of your listing with you, book a free 15-minute call and we will look at it together.