Before your Local Services Ads can show the Google Verified badge, you have to clear Google’s screening. Understanding the LSA background check and license verification process up front — what gets checked, in what order, and where applicants get stuck — is the fastest way to reach a live, badged ad. This is a practical walkthrough of completing the checks, not a description of what the badge means once you have it.
What Google verifies before the Google Verified badge
The Google Verified badge (the label that replaced the older “Google Guaranteed” and “Google Screened” names, which were retired in October 2025) signals that a business has passed screening. Depending on your category and region, that screening can include a business-level background check, owner/employee background checks, license verification against your state or provincial board, and insurance verification. The exact bundle varies by trade — higher-risk categories tend to require more.
Who runs the checks
Google partners with third-party screening providers to run background checks; license and insurance are verified against the documents you submit and, where possible, against issuing authorities. You typically do not deal with those providers directly — you submit information through the LSA sign-up flow and respond to their requests.
The step-by-step verification process
- Complete business information. Enter your legal business name, address, and phone exactly as they appear on your license and insurance — and as they appear on your linked Business Profile.
- Submit license details. Provide license numbers for the trade and jurisdiction. Google checks these against the relevant licensing authority where it can.
- Submit insurance. Upload proof of liability insurance meeting your category’s minimums, with the coverage current and the named insured matching your business.
- Authorize background checks. Owners and, for some categories, field employees consent to background screening. This is often the longest step.
- Respond promptly to follow-ups. If the screener needs a clearer document or additional identity confirmation, answer quickly — unanswered requests stall the whole application.
- Wait for the badge. Once all checks clear, Google grants the Google Verified badge and your ads become eligible to run.
One note before you start: Google periodically redesigns the Local Services Ads dashboard and renames menu labels, so the exact wording of a button or the order of screens may differ from what you see here. Where a step depends on a specific control, we describe what it does rather than promise an exact label — if your screen looks different, check Google’s current Local Services Ads help center for the latest steps.
Where applications get stuck
| Delay | Cause | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| License mismatch | Name on license differs from the account | Match legal name across license, insurance, and profile |
| Insurance rejected | Expired or below category minimum | Submit current coverage that meets requirements |
| Background check pending | Missing consent or identity data | Complete consent for every required person promptly |
| Blurry document | Low-quality upload | Upload clear, complete, unedited scans |
How long it takes
Timelines vary by category, region, and how quickly you respond to requests, so we will not quote a fixed number of days — Google does not guarantee one, and it fluctuates. The biggest variable you control is response speed: applicants who answer document and consent requests the same day clear far faster than those who let requests sit.
Keeping your verification valid
- Renew licenses and insurance before they lapse; an expired document can suspend your badge.
- Keep your business name consistent across every record so re-checks pass cleanly.
- Update Google when you add employees who require screening in your category.
Verification is not a one-and-done gate. Google can re-verify, and a lapsed license or expired policy can pull your badge — and with it your ability to run ads — until you resolve it. Treat your license and insurance renewals as ad-account deadlines, not just compliance paperwork.
Prepare your documents before you start
The applicants who clear fastest are the ones who have everything ready before they open the sign-up flow: legal business name confirmed, current license numbers on hand, an in-force certificate of insurance saved as a clean file, and consent details for everyone who needs a background check. Gathering these first means you answer every prompt in one sitting instead of pausing to hunt down a document while the clock runs.
Keep a verification calendar
Note the expiration dates of every license and policy tied to your account and set reminders well ahead of them. A renewal handled a month early never risks your badge; one caught the week it lapses can pull your ads offline. This simple calendar is the cheapest insurance against an avoidable suspension.
Frequently asked questions
What does Google check during LSA verification?
Depending on your category and region, Google can run a business background check, owner and employee background checks, license verification against the issuing authority, and insurance verification against your submitted documents. Higher-risk trades generally require more.
How long does LSA background check and verification take?
Timelines vary by category, region, and how fast you respond to document and consent requests, and Google does not guarantee a fixed number of days. Responding to requests the same day is the biggest factor you control.
Can my LSA verification be revoked later?
Yes. Google can re-verify, and an expired license or lapsed insurance policy can suspend your Google Verified badge until you resolve it. Renew licenses and insurance before they lapse to avoid a pause.