The fastest method, when you get it
Phone, text and email are the quick options. When Google lists one of them, verification can wrap up the same day once the review is done. The catch is that you don’t decide whether they appear. Google looks at your business type, region, hours and what it already knows about you, then shows the methods it will accept. Plenty of owners never see phone or email at all.
Why the phone call fails
The failure Google calls out by name is a boring one: an automated menu picks up. If your line plays “press 1 for appointments”, Google’s call can’t get through, and its help page says so directly. Call forwarding to an answering service causes the same problem. Before you select Phone, switch the line to ring straight through, or have someone standing by to answer.
Check which number Google will call before you press anything. It uses the business number, so if your profile still shows an old number, fix that first and expect the change to go through Google’s review.
Email: you get the address Google shows
With email, Google sends the code to an address it displays on the verification screen. Google doesn’t offer a way to type in a different one at that step. If it’s an old address from a former employee or a closed domain, you either regain access to that inbox or use another method. This is a good moment to make sure every owner email on the account belongs to the business, not to one person.
When one code isn’t enough
A code alone doesn’t always finish the job. Google says some businesses need to complete more than one method, and that the Get verified prompt can return if it couldn’t fully verify you. That isn’t a sign you did something wrong. It means Google wants more proof, and the next listed method is the way forward.
Keep the code to yourself
Scam callers love verification codes, because a code can hand control of your profile to whoever enters it. Google says it never asks for the code. Treat any request for it, by phone, text or email, as an attempt to take your listing. The same goes for anyone asking for a one-time password or PIN.
If it doesn't work
- The call goes nowhere: Google says an IVR system can't receive the code. Switch off call routing for a few minutes or pick SMS.
- The email address shown isn't one you can open: you can't change it. Use another listed method, or regain access to that inbox.
- Phone and Email aren't on the list: Google picks the methods and you can't add them. Use what's offered, such as video or postcard.
- Code accepted but Get verified comes back: Google couldn't fully verify the business. Re-verify or try another listed method.
Questions owners ask
Both a call and SMS are listed. Which should I pick?
Our recommendation is SMS if the number can take texts. A text can't be caught by a phone menu or forwarding, and you can read the code at your own pace. For a landline that can't receive texts, pick the call and set the line to ring straight through first.
Can the code go to my cell phone instead of the business line?
Google's page says you must be able to answer your business phone or receive texts on it. It doesn't offer a way to send the code to a different number at that step. If your listed number is a cell phone you control, that is your business phone.
A caller says they're from Google and needs my verification code. Should I give it?
No. Google says it will never ask for your verification code and tells owners not to share it, even with people who manage the profile. Hang up and continue the steps yourself in your own account.
Sources
- Verify your business on Google (support.google.com)
- Help protect your Google Business Profile (support.google.com)
Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.