Why is my Google Business Profile suspended for a virtual office or P.O. Box?

How do I tell which address rule applies to my business?

Use the business's real operating model, not the address that is most convenient for receiving mail.

What should I change before I appeal the suspension?

Make the profile describe the business that exists in the real world. Work through this order:

1. Remove the P.O. Box, remote mailbox, or unstaffed virtual office from the profile's business location. Do not replace one mailing address with another rented address where the business does not operate.¹
2. If the business travels to customers and does not receive them at its base, use one profile for the central office or location, hide the address, and designate the service area. Google's address guidance says only a service-area business should hide its address.⁴ Follow the Google Business Profile service-area setup guide for the field path.
3. If customers visit the location, keep the real address visible. If the business also travels or delivers, use the hybrid setup only when the location is staffed by the business's team and can receive customers during stated hours.¹
4. Check the profile name, address, and submitted documents for the same business identity. Address lines must describe the location and must not contain unrelated URLs or keywords.¹

Do not create a new Business Profile for the same business while an appeal is under review. A second profile does not replace the address problem and conflicts with Google's appeal instructions.²

How do I appeal a suspended Google Business Profile?

For a business outside the United Kingdom and European Economic Area, Google names the Google Business Profile appeals tool as the route for a suspended or disabled profile. The tool shows the restricted profile, the moderation reason, and a link to the policy involved.²³

Submit the appeal after correcting the address or business model. Google says evidence is optional but can strengthen the appeal. Its examples include:

• official business registration;
• a business license;
• tax certificates; and
• business utility bills for electricity, phone, water, or internet.

The business name and address on submitted documents should match the profile under appeal.²

If Google opens the evidence form, submit it within 60 minutes. Google says evidence opened but not submitted within that window will not be attached to the appeal.²

Google says appeal reviews and decisions can take up to 5 business days. Do not submit multiple appeals for the same issue before receiving a decision. Use the appeals tool to check the status while you wait.³

What if Google denies the appeal?

An additional review may be available only after Google denies the reinstatement request. Google says that review can include additional evidence that was not submitted with the original appeal.² Use that route only when it is offered, and do not create a new profile for the same business while the appeal is under review.²³

Can I hide the address and keep a virtual office?

Not when the address is only a rented mailing location. Google says a service-area business may hide its address, but a virtual office is not eligible unless that office is staffed during business hours. The profile still needs to represent the place where the business operates.¹⁴

Can I use a P.O. Box as Address Line 1?

No. Google says a P.O. Box or remote mailbox is not an acceptable Business Profile address. If the business must identify a mailbox or suite, enter the physical business address on Address Line 1 and the mailbox or suite number on Address Line 2.¹

Can I list a coworking address after a suspension?

Only if the office has clear signage, receives customers during business hours, and is staffed during those hours by the business's own staff. A coworking address used only for mail remains the wrong location for the profile.¹