Verification is how Google confirms you really run the business on the profile. It unlocks everything else: editing your hours and services, replying to reviews, and Local Services Ads. For contractors it can be confusing, because most of Google's examples assume a shop with a sign on the door. This guide covers each method and the parts that trip up service businesses.
- You need a Google Account, and you must find, add or claim the profile first.
- Google decides which verification methods you see. You cannot choose.
- If video is offered, Google recommends it. Show your branded truck, tools and proof you run the business.
- Postcard codes usually arrive within 14 days and expire after 30. Do not edit your name, address or category while you wait.
- Service-area businesses should hide their home address, but a virtual office is never allowed.
Step 1: sign in and find or add your business
Use a Google Account you will keep. A business email works; it does not have to be Gmail. Search for your business name and city, or "my business", while signed in. If your business is not on Google yet, add it. If it exists but nobody manages it, claim it. If someone else already manages it, such as a former employee or an agency, request ownership from the profile.
Get the basics right before you verify: Google's guidelines say adding unnecessary information to your business name is not permitted and can get the profile suspended. Google asks you to use as few categories as possible to describe your core business.
Step 2: decide what to do with your address
Google says a service-area business should hide its address from customers. Google says a service area should not extend farther than about 2 hours of driving time from where the business is based. Google lets a service-area business set up to 20 service areas, by city, postal code or other area.
Google's guidelines say a rented mailing address you do not operate from, a virtual office, is not eligible for a Business Profile. If you work from home, enter your home address for verification and then hide it; customers will see your service area instead.
Step 3: verify with the method Google offers
Google decides which verification methods your profile is offered, and you cannot change them. You may be offered more than one, and some businesses must complete more than one.
| Method | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Phone or text | Google calls or texts a code to your business number | A phone menu (IVR) will not get the code; use a line that rings straight through |
| Google emails a link to the address on screen | Make sure you can open that inbox | |
| Video recording | You record a short video showing your location, equipment and proof you manage the business | Plan the video before you start recording |
| Live video call | A Google support person watches while you show the same things live | Only offered during your business hours |
| Postcard | Google mails a 5-digit code to your address | Takes time; do not change your details while you wait |
Google says phone systems with a recorded menu (IVR) will not get the verification code. Google recommends video verification when your business is eligible for it. Google says live video verification calls are only available during your location's business hours.
What to show on a verification video
For video verification, Google asks you to show your business or equipment: branded equipment, marketing materials or the tools you use to serve customers, plus proof you manage the business. For a contractor that usually means:
- Where you are. Start outside, showing the street sign or your house number if you work from home, then your truck or trailer parked there.
- Your business. The name on your truck or trailer, your tools, ladders or equipment, uniforms, business cards or invoices.
- That you run it. Unlock the truck or your shop, or show non-sensitive business papers with your business name on them.
Keep it in one take and keep the business name visible. Never show customer details or payment information.
If you get a postcard
Google says most postcard codes arrive within 14 days. Google says postcard verification codes expire after 30 days. While a postcard is on its way, Google says not to edit your business name, address or category, and not to request a new code. When it arrives, enter the code on your profile. Google says it will never ask for your verification code, so do not give it to anyone who calls asking for it.
Step 4: wait for the review
After you complete the steps, Google says verification reviews take up to 5 business days. Google says it sometimes verifies a profile instantly, for example when your website is already verified in Google Search Console. When you are verified, Google sends a confirmation email. Then you can add managers, such as an office helper, without sharing your login.
If verification does not work
If the Get verified button shows up again, Google could not fully verify you; try again or try another method if one is offered. If you get a "review issues" notice after a video, open it and follow the instructions. If you are asked for more information, it is usually because you changed key details recently.
If your profile was suspended rather than unverified, that is a different process: If you add evidence to a suspension appeal, Google says you must submit it within 60 minutes of opening the form. Google says not to create a new profile for the same business while an appeal is under review. Our guide to a business not showing on Google Maps covers suspensions and other causes.
After you are verified
Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local results. Add your services, hours and photos of your own work, and start asking every customer for a review. Koira keeps your Google and Bing listings in step with your site (listings) and asks for a review after every paid job (reviews). Check how your profile looks next to competitors with the free Google Business Profile checker.
Questions contractors ask
Can I verify a Google Business Profile without a storefront?
Yes. Service-area businesses verify like anyone else, then hide the address so customers see the service area instead. A virtual office is not allowed.
How long does Google Business Profile verification take?
Google says reviews take up to 5 business days after you finish the steps, and sometimes it verifies instantly. Postcards usually arrive within 14 days.
Can I choose phone verification instead of video?
No. Google decides which methods your profile is offered, and they cannot be changed.
Why did my verification code not arrive by phone?
Google says phone systems with a recorded menu will not get the code. Use a number that rings straight through, or a mobile that receives texts.
Should I use my home address?
You can use it to verify, then hide it. Google says service-area businesses should hide their address from customers.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help: Verify your business on Google, checked October 9, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business on Google, checked October 9, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: Manage your service areas, checked October 9, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: Fix suspended or disabled profiles, checked October 9, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking on Google, checked October 9, 2026
