Google Ads Advertiser Verification and Account Suspensions

The sources are Google's Advertising Policies Help pages on advertiser verification, its timelines, the tasks required and the document requirements (United States version), plus the Google Ads Help page on account suspensions. Google notes that it "may update these requirements at any time", so check those pages when a notice arrives. If you are new to the platform, start with our Google Ads basics guide.

What advertiser verification is

Google says that "all advertisers will eventually be required to complete advertiser verification" as part of a gradual rollout. An account can also be picked earlier, for reasons Google lists such as advertising behaviour or ad content "labeled as potentially suspicious", running ads for certain industries "like financial services", ads on brand-related queries, or using "features that are often misused".

Once you are verified, your name or organisation's name and location appear in ad disclosures, My Ad Center and the Ads Transparency Center, where anyone can look up an advertiser's ads and the dates and locations they ran. If someone other than the verified advertiser pays, the disclosure can show "Ads funded by (payment profile name)". Choose a payments profile name you are happy to see in public.

Deadlines and paused accounts

Google tells you by in-account notification or email when you need to verify and what your deadline is. You can see the deadline on the account page, which Google says is now under Admin > Policy > Account. Three situations are described:

• With a deadline: "Your account will be paused if you don't get verified by the deadline." The deadline "can't be extended". Reviews can take up to 5 business days, so Google advises you to start early.
• Without a deadline: you can verify voluntarily to get "access to more ad formats and features, such as your business name and logo in Search Ads" and to remove limits. Review usually takes up to 5 business days and "in rare cases" up to 30 days. You can keep running ads in the meantime.
• Already paused: you can run ads again "only if you complete advertiser verification".

Google may also pause an account until verification is done if it suspects policy violations such as misleading representation or an unidentified business, or practices that could cause "physical or monetary harm". It may also ask you to verify again after significant account changes, such as a new payments profile, billing address or legal name.

The tasks you may be given

Google says the tasks "vary depending on your account, billing setup, and other factors", and "only a Google Ads account admin can complete the tasks." The ones it lists include:

• For every account: questions about your organisation and who pays for the ads. Some accounts also get questions about business operations, but Google notes that "most advertisers won't see this task." Every account is also asked whether it plans to run European Union political ads.
• Billing: confirming your payment method through a small temporary charge whose last 6 digits are the code. Google says the charge "won't exceed $1.95 USD" and is returned within 14 days. You may also be asked to make a payment or answer questions about your payment history.
• Individuals: a government-issued photo ID, a phone number confirmation, in the US possibly a social security number check, or a video selfie with your ID.
• Organisations: your Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S details or registration documents. You may also be asked to confirm your affiliation with the organisation by a code sent to its phone or email.

Some industries need extra certification or verification, including gambling, healthcare and medicines, financial services, elections, event tickets, government documents and official services, locksmith and garage services, and cryptocurrencies.

Documents and matching names

Most failures come down to mismatches. Google says the name and location on the payments profile "must exactly match" the documents, and lists the common problems: "a mismatch between the provided organization name and the documents, expired documents, or documents missing key information." If you trade under a DBA name, the trade name and legal name must both match the registration document. Remove promotional words, domains or phone numbers from the profile name unless they are part of a legal or trade name.

For organisations in the United States, Google lists registration documents such as an IRS notice or letter showing the organisation name (for example a CP575 or 147C), a state certificate of incorporation, a recent SEC filing or a business credit report from Experian, Equifax or TransUnion. These come with a photo ID of an authorised representative, meaning an admin of the Google Ads account or payments profile. For photo IDs Google asks for a valid, colour, clear photo of the physical document, with front and back submitted separately, and says digital IDs are not accepted. Upload documents only in the Google Ads interface, never by email.

If an agency runs your ads

If you manage ads for a client, Google says to answer Yes to "Is your organization an agency?" for the ad disclosure. "Otherwise, your account may be paused or suspended." The agency verifies itself and then provides the client's details. It can send the client a link to complete the task, or complete it on the client's payments profile if it is an admin there. If you are the client, keep admin access to your own payments profile. Our guide to what you should own explains why that matters for every account a supplier sets up for you.

Why accounts get suspended

A suspension is more serious than a paused account or a disapproved ad. Google says "all ads in the suspended account will stop running" and that a suspension "is considered permanent unless the appeal is submitted and the account is successfully reinstated." The reasons it gives include:

• Egregious policy violations, which lead to suspension "immediately without prior warning". The list includes Circumventing systems, Coordinated deceptive practices, Counterfeit, Malicious software and Unacceptable business practices. Submitting false information during verification counts as Circumventing systems.
• Repeat violations under a strike system. No strike is given for a first violation. The first and second strikes bring temporary holds of three and seven days, and the third leads to suspension. Google sends a warning at least 7 days before suspending for repeat violations.
• Billing: promotional code abuse, a chargeback request, suspicious payment activity or an unpaid balance.
• Other reasons: unauthorised access to the account (a temporary suspension to stop fraudulent charges), an account holder under 18, or Ad Grants policy breaches.

Accounts related to a suspended one may also be suspended, and so may new accounts the advertiser creates. Google recommends getting suspended accounts reinstated before opening new ones. Opening a fresh account to get around a suspension is not a fix.

Appealing a suspension

Appeal only if you believe there has been an error. In the account, select the Contact Us link in the suspension notice and complete the form. Google's advice is to explain your situation for each policy named, follow the best practices on each policy page, and complete advertiser verification if asked, because some advertisers can only appeal after verifying. Google says it reinstates accounts only "in compelling circumstances, such as in the case of a mistake", so be "thorough, accurate, and honest". Other points from the suspensions page:

• You have "at least 6 months from the date of account suspension to submit an appeal."
• Send one appeal at a time. Google may not process repeated appeals, and if it sees misuse it suspends processing of some appeals for 7 days.
• A suspended account stays readable: you can still pay, add a payment method, download tax documents and reports, appeal or verify. If you qualify, you can cancel the account and claim a refund.
• EU-based advertisers may have extra redress options under the Digital Services Act.

Many suspensions start on the website rather than in the ad, for example a landing page that does not say who the business is or makes claims it cannot back up. Clear contact details and honest claims help, as covered in our landing page checklist. Bing has a similar process, covered in our Microsoft Advertising guide. Local Services Ads have their own business checks, described in our Local Services Ads guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does every Google Ads advertiser have to verify?

Google says all advertisers will eventually be required to complete advertiser verification as part of a gradual rollout. Some accounts are selected earlier, for example for certain industries, brand-related queries or advertising Google labels as potentially suspicious.

What happens if I miss the verification deadline?

Google says the account will be paused and that the deadline cannot be extended. You can run ads again only after completing verification, and review can take up to 5 business days, so start early.

Why did my verification documents fail?

Google lists a mismatch between the organization name and the documents, expired documents and documents missing key information as common causes. The name and location on the payments profile must exactly match the documents you submit.

How long do I have to appeal a suspension?

Google says all advertisers have at least 6 months from the date of suspension to submit an appeal. Send one appeal at a time and explain each policy named in the notice.

Can I open a new account if mine is suspended?

Google says accounts related to a suspended account may be suspended, as may new accounts the advertiser tries to create, and recommends reinstating suspended accounts before creating new ones.

Want landing pages that make clear who your business is before you advertise? See our website development service and all our services, or email [email protected].