To claim a Google Business Profile in 2026, do four things in this order: search your business name and city on Google Maps, select “Claim this business,” pick the verification option Google offers, and finish it. If someone else already verified the listing, skip claiming and request ownership, because the current owner then has 3 days to respond. Postcard codes usually arrive within 14 days, and every code expires after 30 days.
Google’s own Business Profile Help pages are the source for every number here, not secondary guides from Moz, Semrush, Ahrefs, HubSpot or Search Engine Land. The sign in matters too: you claim a listing with a Google Account, often a Gmail address or a Google Workspace login, and that account becomes the owner. Use one your business will still control in five years, because Search, Maps and Search Console all tie back to it.
Most owners get stuck on one question: is the listing unclaimed, claimed by someone else, or a duplicate? The answer decides which of three paths you take.
Not sure whether your listing is claimed, duplicated or missing? Get a free audit and we will check how your profile reads in Google and AI answers.
How do you claim a Google Business Profile step by step?
Search for your business name and city, open the listing, select “Claim this business” and then “Manage now,” choose a verification option, and complete it. On the mobile Maps app, tap “About,” then “Claim this business.” If no profile exists, go to business.google.com/add and add the business instead.
| Step | Where | What you do | Timing from Google |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google Maps | Search business name plus city | Minutes |
| 2 | Listing panel | Select Claim this business, then Manage now | Minutes |
| 3 | Verification screen | Choose the method Google offers | Varies by method |
| 4 | Email, phone, mail or video | Complete the check | Up to 14 days by mail |
| 5 | Google review | Wait for approval | Up to 5 business days |
Work through these buckets in order.
1. Search before you create anything
Search your business name and city in Google Maps first. Creating a new profile when one exists is how duplicates start, and Google treats duplicates as a policy problem.
2. Use the right entry point
An unverified profile gets claimed through the listing. A business with no profile at all gets added at business.google.com/add with “Add your business to Google.” A verified profile owned by someone else gets an ownership request, covered below.
3. Sign in with the account you want to keep
Whatever Google Account you use becomes the owner. Do not use a freelancer’s or former employee’s login.
4. Enter details that match the real world
Google asks for the business name, category, address or service area, and contact details. Match the name to your signage and the address to a real location.
5. Finish verification without editing
Do not edit the business name, address or category while a postcard is on its way, and do not request duplicate codes. Google lists both as things to avoid.
Which verification method will Google offer you?
Google picks the method, and you cannot change it. Its Help page lists four: phone or text code, email link, live video call, and mail. Mail is not available to every business, and live video calls only run during your location’s business hours. Instant verification is possible through Search Console or bulk verification.
Here is what to expect from each:
- Phone or text: Answer the call or open the text, then enter the code on your profile.
- Email: Open the message and follow the steps in it.
- Mail: Most postcard codes arrive within 14 days. Codes expire after 30 days.
- Live video call: You show a support representative your location (signs, street markers), your business (products, branded items) and proof you manage it (employee areas, a register, keys).
- Search Console: If you already verified your website there, Google can verify the profile instantly.
Google says verification reviews take up to 5 business days. Never share a verification code with anyone. If you need a walkthrough of the video route, read our video verification guide. Google’s current Help page describes a live call, so follow whichever flow your profile screen shows.
What if someone else already owns the profile?
Request ownership. Go to business.google.com/add, enter the business name and address, select your business, choose “Request Access,” fill in the form and submit. The current owner gets a notification and has 3 days to approve, deny or ignore it.
The three outcomes are:
- Approved: You get an email and can manage the profile.
- Denied: You get a rejection email and can suggest edits on Google Maps or appeal.
- No response: After 3 days, open the confirmation email, select “View request,” then “Verify.” Google notes this option is not guaranteed in every case.
Old agency logins are the usual cause. A former marketer, web designer or employee created the profile years ago and still sits as primary owner. Contact that person first, because a direct transfer is faster than a request.
If you control a login, the primary owner can transfer primary ownership: open Business Profile settings, select People and access, choose the user, click Edit next to Access, pick Primary owner and save. The recipient must already be an owner or manager. Only owners can add or remove users and delete the profile. Managers cannot. New owners wait 7 days before they can delete a profile, remove other owners or transfer primary ownership, and a new owner who leaves within 7 days is removed automatically.
What if the listing is a duplicate or got suspended?
Google allows one Business Profile per business. Duplicates get flagged when a verified profile already exists, when several profiles share an address, or when one business creates separate profiles for each service.
Google’s duplicate guidance gives these fixes:
- You created one by accident: Remove the duplicate. Your verified listing is unaffected.
- Two profiles should be one: Report a duplicate suggestion on Google Maps. Reviews combine in a merge, but review replies may be lost.
- You moved: Update the address on your existing profile. Do not create a new one.
- You sell several services: Add them to one profile.
A suspended profile is a different problem from an unclaimed one. Suspension means Google disabled a profile it already knew about, and you appeal it instead of claiming it again. Most suspensions trace back to an address, name or category issue, and our list of common Google Business Profile mistakes covers the usual triggers.
Do address and service-area rules block your claim?
They can. Google asks for the full and accurate address of your business location. If you do not meet customers there, you may choose not to display it. Service-area businesses set their area by the cities, zip codes or other places they serve, and Google asks you to be as specific and accurate as possible.
Four rules from Google’s guidelines page decide whether a claim sticks:
1. Name it as the sign reads
Enter your business name exactly as it appears on real world signage. Adding keywords or a city to the name is a fast route to a suspension, and changing a verified name can trigger re-verification.
2. Use a real address
Google wants a full and accurate address for your location. The guidelines page does not spell out its rules on PO boxes or virtual offices, so that part is not verified here. Check Google’s current wording before you apply with a mailbox address.
3. Hide the address only if customers never visit
A plumber who drives to homes can hide the address and list service areas. A dentist with a waiting room should show it.
4. Plan for moves
After you move, you must verify the business again. Update the existing profile, not a new one, so reviews stay attached.
Google’s page does not give a maximum number of service areas, so do not trust any guide that quotes one without a Google citation. For local ranking beyond the claim itself, see our guide to ranking on Google Maps.
What should you do right after you claim the profile?
Verification gets you ownership, not visibility. Before you touch photos or posts, lock down the basics so nobody can undo the claim.
- Add a second owner or a manager through People and access, so one lost login does not lock you out.
- Confirm the name, address, phone number and website match what appears on your site and other directories.
- Choose one primary category that describes the core of the business.
- Add hours, services and a few real photos of the location.
- Reply to existing reviews. Customers may have left reviews before you arrived, and they deserve an answer.
Google does not publish a ranking lift tied to any single one of these steps, and we have not tested one. The reason to do them is control and accuracy, which are the two things a claim buys you.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to claim a Google Business Profile? Claiming takes minutes, but verification sets the pace. Google gives no fixed time for phone, text or email codes, postcards usually arrive within 14 days, and Google says verification reviews take up to 5 business days. Codes expire after 30 days, so request a new one only after the old code lapses.
Can I claim a Google Business Profile that already has an owner? You cannot claim it directly. You request ownership from the current owner at business.google.com/add. The owner has 3 days to approve or deny. If nobody responds in 3 days, Google may let you verify and take over, though availability varies. If the owner denies you, you can appeal or suggest edits on Google Maps.
Is it free to claim a Google Business Profile? Google’s Help pages describe the claim and verification flow with no fee, and a phone, email, mail or video check does not require payment. Anyone who charges you to claim a listing is selling labor, not access. Compare what they promise against the free steps above before you pay.
Why does Google keep rejecting my verification? Google decides the method and reviews your evidence, so rejection usually points to a mismatch: a name that differs from your signage, an address that does not look like a real storefront, or a video that does not show signs, products and proof of management. Fix the mismatch, then resubmit once. Do not request repeat codes.
Do I need a website to claim a Google Business Profile? Google’s verification page does not list a website as a requirement for phone, email, mail or video verification. A verified website in Search Console does enable instant verification. We did not find a Google statement requiring a site, but a site that matches your name and address helps you pass checks.
What if the person who created my profile is gone? Request ownership from the current owner at business.google.com/add. If the former owner never answers, the 3 day window can open a direct claim. Once you control the profile, add a second owner and transfer primary ownership to a login you control. Only the primary owner can transfer it.
The short version
Search first, claim if it is unverified, request access if it is owned, and verify with whatever method Google shows you. Expect up to 14 days for a postcard and up to 5 business days for review, with a 3 day window on ownership requests. Treat duplicates and suspensions as separate fixes, because claiming again will not solve either.
Ready to see what your profile shows once it is yours? Run a free visibility audit and we will show how Google and AI assistants describe your business today.
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