Google is testing ID photos to verify business profiles

Google is testing a new way to verify a Google Business Profile. The new option asks you to upload a photo of your government ID. The screen says the ID is only used for verification and won't be shown publicly. Google's help page does not list this option yet, and Google has not said who gets it.

What was spotted

Barry Schwartz wrote it up on Search Engine Roundtable on Oct 20, 2026. A member of the Local Search Forum named Digital Jedi found it first. He wrote, "I came across it 2 weeks ago". Then he asked, "How does Google know the Government ID is associated with the business?"

His screenshot shows the "Select a way to get verified" screen. One of the choices reads "Submit an Identity Verification" and "Upload a photo of your government ID". It sits in the same list as the other ways to get verified.

What we don't know

Google has not made a statement. The article does not say how many businesses see the option, in which countries, or if it will stay. Barry thinks this is an option Google uses in Local Services Ads to check some kinds of pros. That is his guess. Digital Jedi's question is still open too. Nobody has said how Google ties an ID to a business.

What Google's help page says today

Google's verification help page covers phone or text, email, video, and mail. It does not mention an ID photo. It says Google picks which methods you see, and you can't change them. What you get depends on your business type, public info, region, or business hours. Some businesses have to use more than one method.

Mail is the slow one. Google says most postcard codes arrive within 14 days, and codes expire after 30 days. While you wait, don't edit the business name, address, or category, or the code won't work. Don't ask for a new code either, because that cancels the one in the mail. After you finish the steps, Google says its review takes up to 5 business days.

How I read it

An ID photo could be one more way in for an owner who can't get a code by phone. It could also save them the wait on mail. The catch is that you hand Google a photo of your ID. That is worth doing on purpose, by the right person, in the right place.

What I would do

I would sign in to the Google Account that owns the profile and open the "Get verified" screen. Then I would read every option Google shows before picking mail. If video is on the list, Google's own page says to use it.

If the ID option shows up, the owner should be the one to upload it, from an account the owner controls. Google lets you add managers and outside help after the profile is verified, so nobody else needs to do this step.

I would only upload the ID inside that screen. Google says it will never ask for your verification code. It also says not to share the code with anyone, even people who manage your profile. I would treat an ID photo the same way. If someone emails or calls and asks for it, don't send it.

A note on review appeals

Barry also reported on Oct 20 that review appeals are slow again. Dan Boguslavsky from the Google team posted in the Business Profile help forum the Friday before. He wrote that "processing times are currently extended" because of high volume. He also wrote, "we cannot provide a specific response timeframe for pending cases". Google asked people, "Do not create a duplicate appeal". If you already filed one, leave it alone. An earlier post covers Google's rule against flooding Business Profile support.

What to do next

Get Seen is the Gman Creations service for websites and Google presence. It includes help setting up or improving an eligible Google Business Profile, with accurate details and a link to your website. You send a brief or book a discovery call, and you get a written scope and quote after we talk. The build does not start until you approve that scope. Sending the brief is not a purchase. Get Seen does not promise rankings, and Google decides who gets verified. Book a discovery when you want a human look: cal.com/shohgman/discovery.

If the ID option spreads, the person who uploads the ID is the person Google checks. Make sure that is the owner.

FAQ

Can I verify a Google Business Profile with a government ID?

Google is testing it, so not everyone sees it. It is not on Google's help page yet, and Google has not said who gets it.

Will Google show my ID on the profile?

The screen says the ID is only used for verification and won't be shown publicly.

Can I pick my verification method?

No. Google says it picks the methods based on your business type, public info, region, or business hours. Try the ones you see.

How long does a review appeal take right now?

Google says it can't give a time frame. Don't file a second appeal for the same review.