Part of our complete guide: Google Business Profile: the complete guide for owners.
Google says you need to verify your business to edit all of its details and deal with customers on the profile. Verification is also how you gain ownership of the profile. This guide covers every method Google describes, which one you are likely to see, how long the review takes and what to do when it does not work.
We checked the methods and steps below against Google Business Profile Help on 22 October 2026. Google can change how verification works, so the Get verified screen on your own profile always shows what applies to you today. Where a point is our own advice and not something Google says, we label it Our advice, not Google’s.
Step by step
Sign in to the right Google account and find your profile
Google says you must be signed in to the Google account linked to the profile in order to find it. Search for your business name and city, or search for my business, while signed in. If the business is not on Google yet, add it first. If it is there but you have not claimed it, claim it, then carry on.
Check your details before you ask for any code
Our advice, not Google’s: make sure the business name, address and category are right before you start, and do not change them while a verification is in progress. Google says that editing the name, address or category after it sends a postcard code makes that code stop working, and that being asked for more information when you re-verify is likely a sign that business details were recently updated.
Open your Business Profile and select Get verified
Go to your Business Profile and select Get verified. This is where verification starts. Google decides which methods you see, based on your business type, public information, region or business hours, and the choice cannot be changed. In some cases Google asks for more than one method.
Try the method Google shows you
The methods Google describes are phone or text, email, a video recording, a live video call and a postcard. If your business is eligible for video verification, Google recommends it. If your profile shows more than one option, you can try another when one does not work. The table further down lists each method.
Finish the method and enter any code yourself
For a phone or text code, answer the call or open the text and enter the code on your profile. For email, follow the steps in the email. For a postcard, type the 5-digit code in the Code field and select Submit. Google says it never asks for your code, so keep it private.
Wait for Google’s review
After you finish, Google reviews what you provided. It says this takes up to 5 business days and, on rare occasions, longer. Google also says that in some cases it verifies a profile instantly, for example when you verify your website with Search Console or use bulk verification.
Verification pending or in review: what to do while you wait
Look for the confirmation email
Google says that when your business is verified you get a confirmation email. If the Get verified button comes back on your profile, Google could not completely verify the business, and you should try to re-verify. After verification, you can add a third party to help manage the profile.
What our team at MapBoost does instead
MapBoost is a managed Google Business Profile service. We cannot verify the profile on your behalf beyond what Google allows: Google decides the methods, and codes go to your phone, email or address. Google says to keep a postcard code to yourself, even from people who manage your profile.
What we do is check that your business name, address and category are correct and consistent before you start. Once you are verified, you can add us as a manager, and we keep your hours, categories, attributes and links in order. Our free audit shows what is wrong on your profile today. If you are stuck on verification, tell us on a call and we will say plainly what we can help with.
India: ₹2,499* per location per monthEurope: €49 per location per month (or €39 billed yearly) + VAT where applicableRest of the world: $49 per location per month (or $39 billed yearly)
*Plus GST (India)
Verify my business: the methods Google can offer
Google decides automatically which methods your profile gets, and you cannot change them. They depend on your business type, public information, region or business hours. Here is each method Google describes, with the one thing to know about it.
| Method | What you do | What Google says to know |
|---|---|---|
| Phone or text | Select Get verified, then Phone or SMS. Answer the call or open the text, then enter the code on your profile. | You need to be able to answer the business phone number or receive texts. A phone menu system (IVR) does not get the code. |
| Select Get verified, then Email, and follow the steps in the email. | You need to be able to use the email address shown on the verification screen. | |
| Video recording | On your phone, select Get verified, choose the business video option, record live and upload. | Google recommends it if your business is eligible. It works for shop front, service-area and hybrid businesses. The review takes up to 5 business days. |
| Live video call | Select Get verified, then Live video call, choose your language and start. A support representative helps you join the call. | It may not be available for all businesses, and only within the business hours of your location. You need to be at the business. |
| Postcard | Select Get verified, then Postcard, check the mailing address and request the code. Enter the 5-digit code when it arrives. | Not available for all businesses. Google’s tip is that most codes arrive within 14 days, and codes expire after 30 days. |
| Search Console or bulk | Verify your website with Google Search Console, or use bulk verification for many profiles. | Google says that in some cases this verifies a profile instantly. Whether it applies depends on your business. |
How to verify a Google Business Profile account
You need a Google Account to sign up for a Business Profile. Google says you can create a new account with a Gmail address or an address you prefer, or use an existing account with any email address. If you have a company email address, you can link it to your Google Account, which makes the profile easier to manage.
Then follow the same route every time: sign in to that account, find the profile and select Get verified.
- Use the account that owns or will manage the profile, because Google only lets you find the profile from the linked account.
- Our advice, not Google’s: choose an account the business will keep, not one tied to a person who may leave.
- After verification, Google lets you add or remove owners and managers, and transfer primary ownership, from the profile.
Google.com verify my business: where to start
There is no separate verification website to visit. Go to Google, make sure you are signed in to the right account, and search for your business name and city, or search for my business. Open your Business Profile from the result and select Get verified.
If no profile appears, the business may not be on Google yet, or you may not have claimed it. Add or claim it first, then come back to Get verified.
Business verification: what happens after you finish
Once you complete a method, Google reviews the information you gave. It says this takes up to 5 business days, and on rare occasions longer. For a video, Google says the review result is either successful or not successful, and that it shares the reasons if a video is not accepted.
When the business is verified, Google sends a confirmation email. Until then, keep your business name, address and category as they are.
If Get verified comes back or a video is not accepted
Google describes three signs that something needs fixing, and what to do for each.
- The Get verified button appears again: Google could not completely verify the business. Try to re-verify, and if your profile shows several options, try a different method.
- A Review issues message after a video: the video was not accepted. Select Review issues and follow the on-screen instructions. Google gives examples such as a business name that is not visible on the shop front, no nearby area shown, or missing proof that you can operate the business.
- A request for more information: Google says this is likely because some business details were recently updated. Select Get verified and try again.
- Still stuck: Google says to try the options available to you and then contact support. You can also ask a question in the Google Business Profile help community.
What to film for video verification
The video has to be recorded live, unedited and complete, with no breaks, at least 30 seconds long, on a mobile device through your Business Profile. It must not show sensitive information such as bank, tax or ID numbers, private information about you or others, or other people’s faces. Google asks for the same three things in every video.
- Where the business is: street signs, building numbers or nearby businesses and landmarks.
- Proof that it exists: for a shop front, the business name on a permanent fixture such as a signboard, matching the name on your profile. For a service-area business, your tools, equipment or products.
- Proof that you manage it: for a shop front, something only staff can do, such as opening a cash register or kitchen. For a service-area business, unlocking a branded vehicle, or a business permit, invoice or utility bill with the business name.
- Online-only businesses with no in-person service are not eligible for a Business Profile and cannot be verified.
The full guide to Google Business Profile video verification
Stuck on one step? Go to the guide for it
Each of these guides covers one part of verification in more detail. Pick the one that matches where you are.
- What to film for Google video verification The recording rules, a checklist for a shop and for a service-area business, and what to do if the video is not accepted.
- Postcard has not arrived: what Google says to do How long Google says the postcard takes, why a new code request can slow things down, and how to verify without a postcard.
- Verification pending or in review: what the wait means The review time Google gives, what to check while you wait and when to ask for help.
- Profile suspended: what to do and how to fix it For when the problem is a suspension and not verification itself.
Common mistakes
- Asking for a new postcard code while one is in the mail. Google says a new request cancels the code already sent and can make the process longer.
- Editing the business name, address or category after a postcard code has been sent. Google says the code will not work after that.
- Sharing a verification code. Google says it never asks for the code and that you should not share it, even with people who manage your profile.
- Using a business phone number that answers with a phone menu (IVR). Google says these systems do not get the code.
- Filming only the signboard for video verification. Google also asks for the location and proof that you manage the business.
- Our advice, not Google’s: setting up the profile under an account that one person controls and may take with them when they leave. Use an account the business will keep.
Questions people ask
How do I verify my business on Google?
Sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile, find your profile and select Get verified. Then use the method Google offers: a phone or text code, an email, a video recording, a live video call or a postcard. Google reviews it, which takes up to 5 business days, and sends a confirmation email.
Why do I need to verify my business on Google?
Google says you need to verify to edit all of your business information and interact with customers. Before that you can still edit some details, such as the name, category, address, hours, phone number and website. Verifying also gives you ownership of the Business Profile, so you can keep the details accurate.
How do I verify a Google Business Profile account?
You need a Google Account, either a new one or an existing one with any email address. Sign in to it, find your Business Profile by searching your business name and city, and select Get verified. Google then shows the verification methods available to you.
Where do I go for Google.com verify my business?
There is no separate website. Sign in to Google, search for your business name and city or search for my business, open your Business Profile and select Get verified. If no profile appears, add or claim the business first, then return to that button.
What are the ways to verify a business on Google?
Google describes phone or text, email, a video recording, a live video call and a postcard. In some cases it verifies a profile instantly, for example through Search Console or bulk verification. Which of these you can use depends on your business type, public information, region or business hours.
Can I choose how to verify my business?
No. Google says the verification methods are decided automatically and cannot be changed. If your business is eligible for video verification, Google recommends it. If your profile shows more than one option, you can try another when one does not work.
How long does Google business verification take?
After you finish the steps, Google says its review takes up to 5 business days and, on rare occasions, longer. In some cases verification is instant. For a postcard, Google’s tip is that most codes arrive within 14 days, and a code expires after 30 days.
Can I verify my business on Google without a video or postcard?
Sometimes. Google can offer a phone or text code, an email or a live video call instead, depending on your business. A postcard and a live video call are not available for all businesses, so open Get verified to see what your profile shows.
Why does Get verified show on my profile again?
Google says it means it could not completely verify your business. Try to verify again, and if your profile lists several methods, try a different one. If you get a Review issues message after a video, the video was not accepted, so follow the on-screen instructions.
Can someone else verify my business for me?
Verification runs through the Google account that manages the profile, and Google says never to share a verification code, even with people who manage your profile. After you are verified, you can add a third party as a manager. Google also lists steps for transferring ownership.
Can a business without a shop front be verified?
A service-area business can use video verification, which Google says works for shop front, service-area and hybrid businesses. It shows its tools, equipment or documents instead of a shop. A business that is only online, with no in-person service, is not eligible for a Business Profile.
How do I know my business is verified?
Google sends a confirmation email when your business is verified. If the Get verified button still shows on your profile, the business has not been completely verified yet. Google reviews each attempt, so wait for that result before you start another method.
Terms used in this guide, in the glossary: Verification, Video verification, Postcard verification, Service area business.