How to Request Ownership of a Google Business Profile
If you manage a Google My Business (GMB) listing for your business and would like to request ownership of another GMB listing, you can do so by following the steps in this article.
When businesses change ownership, all of the business’s online assets should be transferred. Among these assets is the simple yet essential Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business Profile). If you’ve acquired a business recently, here’s how to request ownership of your Google Business Profile.
Step 1: Find the Business’s Profile
You need to first find the Google Business Profile of the business that you’re claiming ownership of. You can find the business profile either of two ways:
- Search the business name and address through business.google.com/add. This will also allow you to create a new listing if your business isn’t already in the database.
- Locate the business on Google Search or Google Maps, and then navigate to its profile.
Step 2: Claim the Business
Once you’ve located the business, you should have an option to “claim this business.” The option is under the business’s profile, and requires that you have a Google account.
Click “continue” to proceed with claiming the business. You’ll see a message stating that another person verified the business’s profile. You can then continue to request ownership from the current owner.
Click “request access” to actually request ownership of the Google Business Profile. There’s a short form that must also be submitted.
Step 3: Wait for a Response
Once you “request access,” the current owner of the Google Business Profile will receive an email notifying them of the request. You’ll receive a confirmation email for the request.
The owner has three days to respond to the request. They can then do any of the following:
- Approve: If they approve the request (which they should), you’ll instantly have access to the Google Business Profile. A notification email will inform you when the request is approved.
- Deny: If they deny the request, you can submit an appeal to Google. You can also suggest edits in the meantime. (This shouldn’t happen in a business sale/transfer.)
- Ignore: If the current profile owner doesn’t do anything with the request, you’ll have an option to proceed by claiming the profile yourself.
- To proceed, open your request confirmation email. Follow the instructions provided.
Step 4: Manage Profile Features
Once you’re the owner of a Google Business Profile, you can immediately start making certain changes. There’s a week-long waiting period before you can delete/undelete profiles, remove other owners, or transfer ownership, though.
