Place ID

A Google Maps Place ID is a textual identifier that uniquely identifies a place in Google's Places database and on Google Maps, so the same identifier can refer to that place across Google Maps Platform APIs.¹

Google documents Place IDs for most locations, including businesses, landmarks, parks, and intersections. The length varies and has no maximum. The same place or location can have multiple Place IDs, and IDs can change over time.¹ The Google Maps hub covers the wider map surface.

A Place ID is useful when a request needs to identify one particular place rather than search for a place by text. Google documents using a returned Place ID to retrieve that place's details later.¹ The Places API (New) can use it with Place Details (New) to return information such as the complete address, phone number, user rating, and reviews. The same details are available from Text Search (New) or Nearby Search (New), but Google says Place Details (New) is less expensive than calling one of those search APIs when the Place ID is already known.² The same ID can also be used across the Places API, Maps JavaScript API, Geocoding API, Maps Embed API, and Roads API.¹

Stored Place IDs are reusable, but they are not permanent. Google exempts them from the stated caching restrictions and recommends refreshing stored IDs that are more than 12 months old. The refresh can be made at no charge with a Place Details request that asks for only the place ID field.¹ If a business closes or moves, or Google updates its database, the old ID can become obsolete and return NOT_FOUND. An ID that was truncated or modified can return INVALID_REQUEST. Place Autocomplete (Legacy), Query Autocomplete (Legacy), and Autocomplete (New) responses may still return an obsolete ID for a few days after removal from the Google Maps database. To refresh results, Google says to store the original request that returned each ID and re-issue it as needed; the re-issued request is billed at the appropriate SKU.¹

A Place ID is not a Business Profile ownership role. Google says only business owners or authorized representatives may verify and manage business information.⁵ A Place ID is not a local-ranking credential. Google's local-ranking guidance says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking and that local results are mainly based on relevance, distance, and popularity.⁶ Google defines the Place ID term in its Places documentation; the identifier, a store code, and a review link serve different jobs.

Sources

1. Google for Developers, “Place IDs”: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/web-service/place-id (read 2026-10-01; page last updated 2026-09-28 UTC)

2. Google for Developers, “About the Places API (New)”: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/web-service/op-overview (read 2026-10-01; page last updated 2026-09-28 UTC)

3. Google Business Profile Help, “Add & manage Business Profile store codes for bulk uploads”: https://support.google.com/business/answer/4542487?hl=en (read 2026-10-01)

4. Google Business Profile Help, “Create a Google link or QR code to request reviews”: https://support.google.com/business/answer/16816815?hl=en (read 2026-10-01)

5. Google Business Profile Help, “Business eligibility and ownership guidelines”: https://support.google.com/business/answer/13763036?hl=en (read 2026-10-01)

6. Google Business Profile Help, “Tips to improve your local ranking on Google”: https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091?hl=en (read 2026-10-01)