Local Services Ads aren't open to every business. The program is built around a defined list of service categories, and your category shapes almost everything downstream — which searches you appear for, what verification you need, and even how leads reach you. Before investing in LSA, it's worth understanding where your business fits and where the boundaries are.
The category landscape
LSA covers roughly 70 or more home-service categories, spanning the trades most people think of when a home problem strikes. The bulk of the program is home services, with a set of professional-services categories layered in for some markets. Common home-service categories include:
- Plumbing, HVAC, and electrical
- Roofing, flooring, and painting
- Locksmith and garage door
- Pest control and lawn / landscaping
- Cleaning, carpet cleaning, and window cleaning
- Appliance repair, handyman, moving, and junk removal
- Water damage restoration, fencing, tree service, and pool service
On the professional-services side, certain categories such as specific legal specialties are supported in some regions. The exact list evolves over time and varies by country, so the definitive check is always whether your trade appears as a selectable category in your market.
Why your category matters so much
Your category isn't just a label — it's the engine of relevance. Google uses your selected categories and specific services to decide which searches you're eligible for. Pick too narrow a set and you'll miss relevant leads; select services you don't actually perform and you'll pay for contacts you can't fulfill. Choosing categories accurately is one of the most consequential decisions in setup precisely because it defines your eligible demand.
Excluded and restricted verticals
Some verticals are outside the program or handled differently. Notably:
- Healthcare and tax are excluded from the lead-credit system — a signal that these areas are treated as special cases, and healthcare in particular faces restrictions in the program.
- Certain professional and regulated fields are only available in specific markets, if at all.
If your business sits in a sensitive or heavily regulated field, don't assume LSA is available or works the same way — confirm both availability and any category-specific rules for your region before planning around it.
Eligibility beyond the category
Being in a supported category is necessary but not sufficient. To actually run ads, you also need to clear verification. For home services that generally means business and owner background checks, trade license verification, and proof of general liability insurance. For professional services, the emphasis shifts to individual professional licensing and background screening of the licensed professionals. The vetting is category-shaped: what Google checks depends on what your category requires.
| Dimension | Home services | Professional services |
|---|---|---|
| Typical categories | Plumbing, HVAC, roofing, cleaning, etc. | Select legal / professional fields (region-dependent) |
| Core verification | Trade license + liability insurance + background checks | Professional license + professional background checks |
| Badge | Google Verified | Google Verified |
| Availability | Broad across supported regions | Narrower, region-specific |
Multi-service and multi-location businesses
Many service businesses do more than one thing — a company might offer both plumbing and HVAC, for instance. Where those map to supported categories, you can generally reflect that in your profile, but each added service broadens the searches you're eligible for and the leads you'll pay for, so it should reflect work you genuinely want. For businesses with multiple locations, each location has its own service area and its own profile considerations, which is why portfolio-level thinking (balancing budget and performance across locations) becomes relevant as you scale.
How to confirm your fit
The reliable way to determine eligibility is practical, not theoretical:
- Check whether your trade appears as a selectable LSA category in your country and region.
- Confirm you can meet the verification requirements for that category (licenses, insurance, background checks).
- Verify your service area is within a supported market.
- Confirm your vertical isn't one of the excluded or restricted areas (such as healthcare or tax on the credit side).
If all four line up, LSA is likely a fit. If any are shaky, it's better to find out before you build a plan around a channel that can't actually serve your business. Category and eligibility are the foundation everything else — auction position, lead flow, credits — is built on.
Frequently asked questions
Which businesses can run Local Services Ads?
LSA covers roughly 70 or more mostly home-service categories such as plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing, and cleaning, plus some professional-services categories in certain markets; the definitive check is whether your trade appears as a selectable category in your region.
Which verticals are excluded or restricted from LSA?
Healthcare and tax are excluded from the lead-credit system, healthcare in particular faces restrictions in the program, and certain regulated professional fields are only available in specific markets, if at all.
What do I need beyond a supported category to run LSAs?
You must clear verification for the Google Verified badge. For home services that generally means trade license verification, general liability insurance, and business and owner background checks; professional services emphasize individual professional licensing and screening.