How Do You Verify Your Google Business Profile?

By Bill Stilwell · Last reviewed October 16, 2026

The short answer

Verification is how Google confirms you’re the real business at the address you entered. Google chooses which methods you can use, such as a phone call or text, email, a live video call, a recorded video, or a postcard, and you can’t change the options it offers. After you finish, Google says review can take up to 5 business days. Until your Google Business Profile (GBP) is verified, you can’t reply to reviews and your edits may not show.

What this means

Anyone can create a business listing on Google. Verification proves you’re allowed to manage it.

When you select Get verified, Google shows the methods your business is eligible for. Google says this depends on your business type, public information, region, and hours. Some businesses must complete more than one method.

The methods Google lists:

Phone call or text. A code goes to your business phone. Google says automated phone menus can’t receive it.
Email. You follow steps sent to an address shown on screen.
Live video call. A Google support person watches while you show your location and proof you run the business. These only happen during your business hours.
Video recording. You record a short video in the Google app on your phone. Google recommends this method when you’re eligible.
Postcard. Google mails a 5-digit code to your address. Google says most arrive within 14 days and codes expire after 30 days.

Say Ridgeline Auto Repair is offered video recording. The owner films one continuous clip: the street sign at the corner, the shop sign with the business name, then unlocking the office and opening the register. That covers location, proof the business exists, and proof of management.

Why it matters

An unverified profile is limited. Google says content on unverified profiles may not appear across Google, and only verified businesses can reply to reviews.
Delays cost calls. A failed video or an expired postcard can push your start back by weeks.
It locks in ownership. Verifying under a business-controlled Google Account means the business owns the profile, not a former employee or agency (see 14.3.8 Profile Ownership).

Who this applies to

Every business that wants to manage its GBP. That includes new profiles, claimed profiles, and profiles Google asks to re-verify after big changes.

Businesses that aren’t eligible for a GBP, such as online-only businesses, can’t verify one (see 14.2.4 Online-Only Businesses).

How to do it

Make sure your name, address, phone, and category match the real world before you start (see 14.1.1 Business Name, 14.1.2 Address, 14.1.4 Phone, and 14.1.8 Categories).
Sign in with a Google Account the business controls, not a personal one you might lose.
Search for your business name and city, or search “my business,” to find the profile. If you can’t find it, add it or claim it.
Select Get verified and look at the methods offered.
If video recording is offered, plan your shots first. Google asks for one unedited, continuous video of at least 30 seconds, recorded live from your phone through the profile. Show:

Location: street signs, building numbers, or nearby businesses. Service-area businesses show street signs or landmarks near their business address.
Proof the business exists: a permanent sign with your business name for storefronts, or tools, equipment, products, or branded clothing for service-area businesses.
Proof of management: something only staff can do, like opening a register or using the point-of-sale system. Service-area businesses can show a branded vehicle, or a permit, invoice, or utility bill in the business name.

Keep private information out of the video. No bank, tax, or ID numbers, and no other people’s faces.
If you get a postcard, don’t edit your business name, address, or category while you wait. Google says the code won’t work if you do. Don’t request a new code either, because it cancels the old one.
Never share your verification code. Google says it will never ask you for it.
Wait for the review. If Get verified shows up again, Google couldn’t finish verifying you. Try again or use another method. If a video is rejected, record a new one with everything from the first plus whatever the feedback said was missing.

What proof to keep

A screenshot of the verification methods offered and the date
A screenshot of the profile showing it’s verified
A note of which Google Account owns the profile
The documents you showed in a video, such as a utility bill or license

Store these with your business account records (see 11.7.5 Access Inventory).

Common mistakes

Verifying with someone’s personal account. If that person leaves, you may lose the profile.
Editing the profile while waiting for a postcard. It breaks the code.
Filming empty land or a blank wall. Google needs clear landmarks, signs, and proof you run the business.
Editing or stopping the video. It must be one unedited take.
Scheduling a live video call outside your hours. Google only does these during business hours.
Giving the code to an agency or a caller. Scammers ask for verification codes. Google never will.
Creating a second profile because the first won’t verify. That makes a duplicate and can get you suspended (see 14.2.6 Duplicate Profiles).

When to get help from a pro

A GBP specialist: if verification keeps failing, Google keeps asking for more, or your profile was suspended during verification. Questions to ask:

Does anything in my profile conflict with Google’s guidelines?
What exactly should my verification video show for my type of business?

Bill’s note

[Bill: add a short story or lesson here. For example, the most common reason you’ve seen video verification fail, or what you tell clients to film.]

If you’d rather have this done for you, SiteSmarty handles Google Business Profile setup and verification.

How I did this for SiteSmarty

[Date I did this:]
[What I actually did, step by step: which methods Google offered and which one I used]
[What it cost and how long it took: including how long Google’s review took]
[What surprised me or what I’d do differently:]
[Screenshot or photo to add, with private info blurred: the methods screen and the verified profile]
[Result so far:]

Questions people ask

How long does Google Business Profile verification take? Google says review takes up to 5 business days after you finish the steps, and sometimes longer. Postcards usually arrive within 14 days.

What do I show in a Google verification video? Your location, proof the business exists, and proof you manage it, in one unedited take of at least 30 seconds, recorded live on your phone.

Can I choose my verification method? No. Google decides which methods you can use based on your business, and you pick from those.

Why does my profile still say “Get verified”? Google couldn’t fully verify you. Try again, or use another method if one is offered.

What should I avoid while waiting for a postcard? Don’t change your name, address, or category, and don’t request a new code.

Audit check

Question: Is the Google Business Profile verified under a Google Account the business controls?
Pass looks like: The profile shows as verified. The primary owner is a business-controlled account. A record shows the date and method used.
Fail looks like: Unverified profile. Verified under a former employee’s or agency’s personal account. Duplicate profiles created after failed attempts.
Evidence to collect: Screenshot of the verified profile, the People and access screen, and the verification record.

Where this fits

Do this first: 14.1.1 Business Name, 14.1.2 Address, 14.1.4 Phone, 14.1.8 Categories, 14.2.1 In-Person Contact Requirement

Do this next: 14.8.2 Owners and Managers

Sources

Google Business Profile Help, "Verify your business on Google" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Verify your business with a video recording" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Manage customer reviews" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Appeal Business Profile content and profile restrictions" (checked October 16, 2026)

This page explains general rules and Bill's own experience. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.