Updated October 2026
In short
- You can't pick any method you like. Google decides which verification options your profile is offered, based on things like its category, location and history.
- Codes by phone call, text or email arrive within minutes. Video reviews, live calls and postcards take longer.
- Don't change your business name, address or category while verification is under review. Those edits can restart it.
- Chains with 10 or more locations can request bulk verification through Business Profile Manager.
Why Google Business Profile verification matters
Start with the correct Google Account and a clear view of which business or location is involved. Platform interfaces can change, so use Google’s current Help instructions for sensitive account, policy or verification decisions.
You'll usually verify once, when you create your Google Business Profile or claim an existing listing. Google can also ask you to verify again later, most often after you edit your business name, address or primary category, or when it sees unusual activity on the profile.
Google My Business verification methods at a glance
When you start verification, Google shows the methods available to your profile. Many businesses see only one or two. The table below summarises them all.
| Method | How it works | How long it takes | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone call | An automated call reads you a code | Minutes | You must be able to answer the number on your profile |
| Text message (SMS) | Google texts a code to your business number | Minutes | Works only if the number can receive texts |
| Google emails a code to an address it shows you | Minutes | You usually can't change which email address is used | |
| Video recording | You record one continuous video of your business | Google reviews it, often within a few working days | Increasingly common for new profiles |
| Live video call | You show your business to a Google support agent on a call | The length of the call, plus any review | You book a time; have everything ready to show |
| Postcard | Google posts a code to your business address | Usually up to about two weeks for delivery | Don't edit key details while you wait |
| Instant | Google verifies you automatically | Immediately | Sometimes offered if your website is verified in Search Console |
| Bulk | One request covers many locations | Google reviews it manually, which can take a week or more | For businesses with 10 or more locations |
To see your options, open your profile in Google Search (search for your business name while signed in), in the Google Maps app, or at business.google.com, and choose the option to verify. If more than one method is listed, start with the quickest one you can complete. Google sometimes moves these menus, so look for a "Verify" or "Get verified" prompt.
Google My Business: how to verify, method by method
Verify your business on Google by phone call or text
Check the number on your profile
Google calls or texts the phone number listed on your Business Profile, so make sure it's correct and that someone can answer it.
Choose call or text
Pick phone call or text message from the verification options. Choose text only if the number is a mobile or can receive texts.
Enter the code
Type the code into the verification screen as soon as you receive it. If you closed the screen, open your profile again and look for the option to enter a code.
If the call goes to a switchboard or answering machine, it may not reach you. Make sure whoever picks up knows a verification call is coming, or temporarily route the line to a phone you can answer.
Verify Google Business by email
With email verification, Google sends a code to an address it displays on the verification screen, often one connected with your website's domain. Open the email, then enter the code or follow the link. If you can't access the address shown, choose a different method. You usually can't change which email Google uses.
Google business verification by video recording
Google business video verification asks you to record one continuous, unedited video on your phone, usually from the verification screen in the Google Maps app or Google Search. Plan your route through the business before you press record.
Show where you are
Start outside. Film the street sign or nearby shops and landmarks so Google can match your location to the map.
Show your business
Film your permanent signage, the entrance, and the inside: equipment, stock, branded items or the tools of your trade.
Show that you manage it
Prove you're authorised: unlock the front door, enter a staff-only area, open the till or point-of-sale system, or show your work vehicle if you're a service-area business.
Upload and wait
Upload over a stable connection. Google reviews the video, and the result appears on your profile and by email.
Verify on a live video call
Some profiles are offered a live video call with a Google support agent. You choose a time, join from your phone at the business, and the agent asks you to show the outside, your signage, your workspace and proof that you manage the business. Charge your phone, check your signal and have keys and any equipment ready before the call starts.
Google My Business verification by postcard
Check your address
Make sure the address is complete and formatted as Royal Mail, India Post or your local postal service expects. Add an optional contact name so the postcard reaches the right person.
Request the postcard
Choose postcard from the verification options. Google posts a card with a verification code to your business address.
Leave the profile alone
Don't change your name, address or category while you wait. Edits can delay verification or cancel the code.
Enter the code
When the postcard arrives, open your profile in Google Search, the Maps app or Business Profile Manager and enter the code. Codes don't last for ever, so do this promptly.
If your Google My Business postcard hasn't arrived after about two weeks, request a new one from the same screen. Only the code on the most recent postcard will work, so throw away any older cards.
Google business instant verification
Some businesses are verified automatically, with no code at all. This is most likely if you've already verified your website in Google Search Console using the same Google Account you use for your Business Profile. You can't request instant verification; if Google offers it, it simply appears as an option or happens when you create the profile.
Google My Business bulk verification
If your business has 10 or more locations, you can request bulk verification in Business Profile Manager instead of verifying each one separately. You fill in a form with details about the business and the person responsible, and Google's team reviews the request. It's designed for a single business or brand with many branches, so make sure every location follows the same naming pattern and has accurate details before you apply.
Where to enter your Google My Business verification code
Every method except video, live call, instant and bulk ends with a code. Where you enter it depends on how you manage your profile:
- Google Search: search for your business name (or "my business") while signed in, open your profile and look for the option to enter a code or verify
- Google Maps app: open your Business Profile from your profile picture menu and follow the verification prompt
- Business Profile Manager: at business.google.com, open the location and choose to verify or enter a code
Type the code exactly as shown. If you've requested more than one, use the most recent code, because older ones may no longer work. If codes keep failing, wait a while before trying again rather than requesting several in a row.
How to verify Google My Business without a postcard
Postcards are slow, and many owners ask how to skip them. You can't switch the postcard off, because Google decides which methods to offer. You can, though, make faster methods more likely and avoid restarting the clock.
- Check every option on the verification screen. Some methods sit behind a link for more options
- Use a local phone number that matches the number on your website and other listings
- Verify your website in Search Console with the same Google Account
- Make sure your name, address and category are accurate and match your signage
- Don't create a second profile to get a different method; duplicates cause bigger problems
- If only a postcard is offered, request it, keep the profile unchanged and enter the code as soon as it arrives
If postcards repeatedly fail to arrive, contact Google through the Business Profile Help Center. Support can sometimes offer another route, such as a video call.
Google business verification problems and how to fix them
| Problem | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Code never arrives | Wrong number, a switchboard, spam filter or a lost postcard | Check the details on your profile, look in spam, then request a new code |
| Code doesn't work | You're using an older code, or there's a typing error | Use only the latest code and type it carefully |
| Video rejected | Location, signage or proof of management wasn't clear | Record a new continuous video that shows all three |
| Stuck on "pending" or "under review" | Google is checking the profile manually | Wait, and don't edit the profile in the meantime |
| No verification options shown | Google needs more information or has flagged the profile | Check the details are accurate, then contact support |
| "Someone else has verified this business" | Another account already owns the profile | Request ownership; see our claim guide |
| Asked to verify again | You changed key details, or Google spotted unusual activity | Verify again with the method offered |
| Profile suspended after verifying | Google found a guideline problem | Fix the cause before appealing; see suspended profiles |
If your verified profile still doesn't appear in search, see why your business isn't showing on Google.
Getting help with Google business verification
There's no public phone line for Google Business Profile. Official help comes through the Business Profile Help Center, the contact or support options inside your profile, and the Business Profile community forum. Our guide to Google My Business support explains how to reach a real person.
If verification keeps failing, or you have many locations to verify, a GMB verification service can save a lot of time. The Ampli5 team helps you choose the right method, plan a verification video that shows what Google needs, deal with failed attempts and prepare bulk verification requests. You still verify from your own account; nobody else can or should do it on your behalf.
Talk to the team about verification help, or explore the app.
