How should I enter and verify my business address on Google Business Profile?

How should I choose whether to show my address?

Choose the profile setting from the customer experience, not from the address you would prefer to publish. Google's Guidelines for representing your business on Google distinguish a storefront, a hybrid business, and a service-area business. A Google Business Profile address is public when the business serves customers there.

Google says a service-area business should hide its address when customers are not served there. If the address is hidden, the profile shows only the service area. A service-area business cannot use a virtual office unless that office is staffed during business hours. For more examples, see the answer about service-area businesses and the service-area setup guide.

What should I enter in the address fields?

Enter a complete street address that Google can find and that matches the business's official physical location. Google's Manage your business address guidance allows nearby cross-streets or landmarks only where the official address does not accurately identify the location. Do not replace the address with a corner, landmark, URL, or keyword.

Google's representation guidelines do not accept remote P.O. boxes or remote mailboxes. A rented mailing address where the business does not operate is a virtual office and is not eligible. A coworking-space office needs clear signage, must receive customers during business hours, and must be staffed by the business's own staff during those hours. Keep unrelated URLs and keywords out of the address lines.

How do I correct the Google Maps pin?

Keep the complete physical address in the profile. If the address has no street number or Google cannot find the location, use the pin adjustment to place the map marker on the business. From the Business Profile, select Edit profile → Location → Business location → Edit → Adjust, move the map so the pin points to the business, then select Done → Save.

How do I start verification after entering the address?

Add or claim the profile, check the address, and select the verification option Google shows. When no profile exists, go to business.google.com/add, select Add your business to Google, follow the setup screens, and select a verification option. When an unverified profile already exists, find the business in Google Maps, select Claim this business → Manage now, and select a verification option. Google's Add or claim your Business Profile guidance says the address must be correct and meet its guidelines.

The Google Business Profile verification answer covers the method-specific paths. Google automatically determines the verification methods available to a profile, and the owner cannot add or substitute a method Google does not offer. The options depend on the business type, public information, region, or business hours. Some profiles need more than one method; when Google shows multiple options, the owner can try another offered method.

Can I choose a phone, email, video, or postcard method?

Not arbitrarily. Use one of the methods Google offers for that profile. Google automatically determines the available methods, and the owner cannot add or substitute a method Google does not offer. When Google shows multiple options, the owner can try another offered method. Google's Verify your business on Google guidance recommends video verification when the business is eligible.

What should I do while waiting for a verification postcard?

Keep the business name, address, and category unchanged while the postcard is in transit. Google says most codes arrive within 14 days, codes expire after 30 days, and verification review takes up to 5 business days after the verification steps are completed, although rare reviews may take longer. Do not request a new code while waiting because Google invalidates the code already in the mail.

The 14-day statement means most codes, not a delivery guarantee for every profile. The postcard method itself is available only to some businesses, so use it only when Google presents it.

When will Google ask me to verify the address again?

Moving a verified business to a new address requires verification again. Google's Edit your Business Profile guidance also says Google may request more information or another verification after recently updated business details. That possibility applies to recent changes generally, so do not treat every small edit as an automatic re-verification event.

Check the address, business model, unit details, map pin, and verification method in this order:

1. Decide whether the business is a storefront, hybrid, or service-area business.
2. Enter the complete physical address, with the unit detail in Address Line 2 when needed.
3. Remove remote-mailbox, virtual-office, URL, and keyword address entries.
4. Adjust the map pin if Google cannot find the street address or the pin is wrong.
5. Add or claim the profile, then use the verification method Google presents.
6. If Google offers a postcard, leave the business name, address, and category unchanged until the code is used or expires.