Google’s help pages disagree, so follow the stricter one
This is the part that trips owners up. Google’s general editing page lists the address as an editable field and says that if you move after verification you must verify again. That reads as though you can type in the new street and carry on. Google’s policy overview, which spells out what it will accept, says something firmer: if your business has relocated, you must mark the existing profile as permanently closed and create a new profile at the new address.
When the two conflict, the policy page is the rule reviewers apply. Many owners who edit the old profile find the change stuck as Not approved, or the profile flagged for verification with no easy way through. Starting fresh at the new address avoids that fight.
Restaurants, hotels and venues
For some categories the edit route is closed entirely. Google says location edits are rejected for businesses whose physical identity is tied to the customer experience, and it names dining, lodging and entertainment. A restaurant that moves is, in Google’s eyes, a new restaurant at a new place. Close the old profile and open a new one.
What a move costs you
Google doesn’t say what happens to reviews, photos or ranking history when you close one profile and open another, so plan as if the new profile starts from zero. A few things soften the blow:
- Keep the business name exactly the same so customers recognize it.
- Rebuild the profile completely on day one: hours, categories, services, photos.
- Put the new address on your website, invoices and signage before you verify, so everything matches.
- Make sure the new address is a staffed location. Google won’t accept a mailbox or an unstaffed office as your new base.
Timing the switch
Close the old profile when you stop serving customers there, not weeks before. Verification on the new profile can take up to 5 business days, sometimes longer, so expect a gap where only the closed listing shows. If you’re moving across town on a fixed date, start the new profile as soon as your sign is up at the new site.
If it doesn't work
- You only changed suites in the same building: that is an address correction, not a move. Edit the address instead.
- Verification for the new profile fails: check that the sign, the address and your paperwork all show the same name and street address.
- Google keeps showing the old address as open: mark it permanently closed yourself, and report it through Suggest an edit if you no longer manage it.
- Unsure which route applies to you: contact Google through the Business Profile Help contact page before deleting or closing anything.
Questions owners ask
We're only moving down the street. Does the same rule apply?
Yes, if you now operate from a different building. Google's relocation rule makes no exception for short moves. A change inside the same building, such as a new suite number, is an address correction you can make on the existing profile.
Should I delete the old profile instead of marking it closed?
Google's relocation rule says to mark the old profile permanently closed. A closed profile still appears in results, marked as closed, which tells returning customers the old location is gone.
Can I change my address while my postcard is in the mail?
No. Google warns not to edit your name, address or category while a postcard is on its way, because the code will stop working.
Sources
- Overview of Google Business Profile policies (support.google.com)
- Mark your business as temporarily or permanently closed (support.google.com)
- Edit your Business Profile (support.google.com)
- Verify your business on Google (support.google.com)
Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.