The slowest method, and the easiest to break
The postcard is the old-school option: Google mails a card with a 5-digit code to your business address, and you type it in. It proves that someone can receive mail at that address. It is also the method most often ruined by the owner, because the waiting tempts people into doing things that cancel it.
The three rules for the waiting period
Don’t touch the big three. Your business name, address and category are what Google mailed the card against. Google says editing any of them before you enter the code makes the code stop working. Hours, photos and description can wait too; there is no reason to risk it.
Don’t request another card. This is the easiest rule to break. After a week with no mail, asking for a new code feels productive. Google says it cancels the first code and can stretch the process out. If the original turns up the next day, it’s now useless.
Watch the 30-day clock. A code that sits in a drawer for five weeks has expired. Put the card somewhere obvious and enter it the day it arrives.
Make sure the card can reach you
Before you press request, read the address line by line. A missing suite number in a shared building is the classic reason a card never shows up. Tell whoever sorts the mail to watch for a plain postcard from Google; it can look like junk mail and end up in the recycling. In a building with a front desk or mailroom, ask them too.
Fourteen days is typical, not guaranteed
Google says “most” codes arrive within 14 days, not all. It doesn’t publish what to do on day 15 beyond its general advice: re-verify or try another listed method if verification didn’t complete, and contact support if you can’t verify.
Choosing another method
If 14 days have passed, the address is right and the card hasn’t come, check Get verified again. Another method, such as video, may be listed, and it is often quicker than a second postcard. Only request a new card once you’ve accepted that the first is lost. If postcards keep disappearing at the same address, describe that pattern to support through the Help Center’s Contact us link.
If it doesn't work
- Two weeks pass with no card: Google says most arrive within 14 days. Ask staff and neighbors, check the mailroom, and resist requesting another code.
- You edited your name, address or category while waiting: Google says the code won't work after those edits. Start verification again.
- You requested a second code: the first one is now invalid. Use only the newest card.
- The code is older than 30 days: it has expired. Request a fresh postcard and enter it promptly.
Questions owners ask
Can the postcard go to a different mailing address?
No. The card goes to the business address on your profile, because the point is to prove you receive mail there. If mail at that address is unreliable, our advice is to check Get verified for another method rather than editing the address, since an address edit cancels a code in transit.
Can I share the postcard code with my marketing agency?
Google says not to share your verification code with anyone, even people who manage your profile. Enter it yourself in your own account, then add your agency as a manager after verification is complete.
Is postcard verification available to every business?
No. Google says live video and postcard verification aren't available for all businesses, and it decides which methods each profile sees. If Postcard isn't listed under Get verified, you can't request it.
Sources
- Verify your business on Google (support.google.com)
- Verify your business on Google (how-to) (support.google.com)
Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.