Hidden doesn’t mean missing
Plumbers, cleaners, mobile groomers and roofers all face the same puzzle: Google wants proof of where you are, but you don’t want customers turning up at your kitchen door. The answer is that Google still collects an address, it just doesn’t show it. Its address page is clear that you need an address it can find to verify. The setting Show business address to customers controls whether the public sees it.
Get this right before you verify. Switching between storefront and service-area after verification counts as a change to your details, and Google says changes can lead to another round of verification.
Rules that trip up service businesses
Google’s guidelines carry a few rules aimed squarely at businesses without a shopfront:
- One profile per metro area. Creating a profile for each nearby town is a quick route to an account suspension.
- No virtual offices. A mailing address you don’t work from isn’t eligible, and a coworking desk only counts if it has signage and staff during business hours.
- Age-restricted goods need a storefront. Alcohol, cannabis and weapons businesses can’t be service-area only.
- Sensible service areas. Up to 20 areas, ideally within about 2 hours’ drive of your base.
Passing video without a storefront
If Google offers you video verification, it changes what you film. You aren’t proving a shopfront; you’re proving an operating area, working equipment and control of the business. A good clip starts on the street sign at the end of your road, moves to your work vehicle with its branding in view, opens it up to show your tools, and ends on a recent invoice or permit with your business name. Keep account numbers and customers’ faces out of shot. Film in daylight and move the camera slowly, so a reviewer can read the sign, the branding and the paperwork without pausing.
When to get help
If Google can’t find your address and pinning doesn’t help, or the only method offered is one you can’t complete, use the Contact us link in the Business Profile Help Center. Explain that you’re a service-area business and where you’re based.
If it doesn't work
- You run two profiles in the same metro area: Google may suspend your account for this. Keep one per metro area.
- Your only address is a virtual office or mailbox: Google's guidelines say that isn't eligible. Use the place you work from.
- Your video was rejected for no area shown: start the clip with a street sign or landmark near your base, not an empty field.
- You sell alcohol, cannabis or weapons with no storefront: Google's guidelines don't allow these as service-area businesses.
Questions owners ask
Do I need a business address if I work from my truck?
Google's address page says you need to enter an address Google can find to verify, and you can pin your location if it can't find it. For a business with no storefront, that address is then hidden from customers. For a home-based business, that's normally your home address.
What do I show in a verification video if I work at customers' homes?
Google suggests landmarks and street signs near your base, the tools, equipment or branded clothing you use, and either performing part of a service, opening a branded van, or showing a permit, invoice or utility bill that matches your profile name.
Can I show my address and a service area at the same time?
Yes, if you also serve customers at your location. Google says hiding the address is only for businesses that don't serve customers there. If people do visit you, keep the address visible and add the areas you travel to.
Sources
- Sign up for Business Profile (support.google.com)
- Manage your business address (support.google.com)
- Verify your business with a video recording (support.google.com)
- Guidelines for representing 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.