To change your address on Google Business, go to business.google.com, select Edit profile, then Location, and select the pencil next to Business location. Type the new address, select Adjust if the pin is wrong, then Save. Most edits go live in about 10 minutes, but Google can take up to 30 days and may ask you to verify again.
That’s the quick version. The part that trips people up is picking the right kind of change: a proper move to new premises, a switch to working from home or a van, or simply fixing a pin in the wrong place. Pick the wrong one and you can end up stuck in verification or worse. Sorting out profiles like this is a regular part of my local SEO work in London, so here’s the full picture, based on Google’s current help pages, plus the UK paperwork most guides forget.
Key takeaways
- Change your address from Edit profile > Location on Google Search or in the Google Maps app. Edit your existing profile; never create a new one.
- Address edits usually go live in about 10 minutes, but Google says some take up to 30 days.
- If customers don’t come to you, turn off “Show business address to customers” and add up to 20 service areas instead.
- Google may ask you to verify again after a move. Verification reviews take up to five working days.
- A PO box or a mailbox in a remote location is not an eligible business address.
- In the UK, update Companies House and HMRC too, then your website and directory listings, so every address matches.
How to change address on Google Business: step by step
You change your business address by editing the Location section of your Business Profile. These are the current steps from Google’s Manage your business address help page, with the bits that catch people out added in.
- Sign in with the Google account that manages the profile. If you can’t see an Edit profile button, you’re usually signed in to the wrong account or you’re not an owner or manager.
- Open your Business Profile. Go to business.google.com, or search your business name on Google while signed in.
- Select Edit profile, then Location.
- Select the pencil next to “Business location”.
- Enter the full new address. Street number and name, town, postcode, plus any unit, suite or floor number.
- Fix anything Google can’t find. Parts it can’t match are highlighted in red. Re-enter them, and if Google still can’t find the address, select Adjust and drag the pin to your actual entrance, then select Done.
- Select Save, then keep an eye on the edit status over the next few days.
How do I change my business address in the Google Maps app?
On your phone, open the Google Maps app and tap Business at the bottom right. Tap Edit profile, then Location, tap the pencil next to Business location, enter the new address and tap Save. It’s the same change as on a computer, just through a different door.
Google’s address rules are short but strict: use your complete official street address, include building, suite and floor numbers, and don’t write directions instead of an address. Google’s own UK help page uses “Opposite Hyde Park” as an example of what to avoid.
Which address change do you actually need?
Changing your address on Google means different things depending on why you’re doing it. Find the row that matches your situation, then follow the section below it.
| Your situation | What to change on Google | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| You’ve moved to new premises that customers visit | Edit Business location on your existing profile to the new address | Google may ask you to verify the new location |
| You’ve moved and now work from home, a van or customers’ sites | Turn off “Show business address to customers” and add service areas | Google says to hide the address if you don’t serve customers there |
| You still have premises but also travel to customers | Keep the address and add service areas (Google calls this a hybrid business) | Without permanent signage on site, Google treats you as a service-area business |
| The address is right but the pin is in the wrong spot | Select Adjust, move the pin, then Done and Save | A wrong pin sends customers and directions to the wrong door |
| You want to use a PO box or mailbox address | Don’t | Google lists businesses with a PO box or remote mailbox address as ineligible |
| Someone else’s listing shows the wrong address | Use “Suggest an edit” on that listing | You can only edit profiles you own or manage |
What should you update before you change your address on Google?
Update your official records and your own website as close to moving day as you can, then change Google. In my experience, Google edits go through with far less fuss when the new address already appears on your website, your invoices and your signage.
Here’s the UK checklist I give clients who are moving:
- Companies House (limited companies): if your registered office moves, you must tell Companies House within 14 days. You can do it online with your company authentication code, and Companies House tells HMRC about the registered office change for you. If you use your home address as the registered office, it becomes public.
- HMRC: GOV.UK says you must tell HMRC if your trading address changes, for every tax you’re registered for, and VAT changes must be reported within 30 days.
- Your website: contact page, footer, map embed and any LocalBusiness schema.
- Other listings: Bing Places, Apple Business, Yell, Facebook, trade bodies and any directory that lists your old address.
- The real world: signage, van livery, invoices and email signatures.
One thing worth knowing: your Companies House registered office doesn’t have to be where you trade. Plenty of small businesses use their accountant’s address for that. Google only cares about where customers actually meet you.
How do I switch my Google Business Profile to a service area?
If customers don’t come to you, hide your address and list the areas you cover instead. Google says you should only hide your address if you’re a service-area business, such as a plumber or a cleaner who visits customers. This is the right move if you’ve given up a shop or office and now work from home or a van.
- Go to your Business Profile and select Edit profile, then Location.
- Select the pencil next to Business location and turn off Show business address to customers. Select Save.
- Select the edit icon next to Service area.
- Choose suggested areas or type the towns, cities or postcodes you serve.
- Select Save.
Google’s service area rules in brief:
- You can add up to 20 service areas.
- You can’t set a radius around your base any more; areas are cities, postcodes or similar.
- Your overall area shouldn’t be more than about two hours’ driving from where your business is based.
- Once approved, service area edits can take up to 48 hours to show.
- If you hide your address without adding a service area, Google picks a local area for you.
For a London trade, I’d list the boroughs and postcode districts you genuinely cover rather than “London” and the whole of the South East. Be specific: Google asks for that too.
Will I have to verify my business again after changing address?
Possibly, so plan for it. Google can ask you to verify again after a move, and its video verification page even has an FAQ called “Why was I asked to re-verify my business?”. According to Google’s verification help page, the method is chosen by Google and can’t be changed. Options include phone or text, email, live video call, mail, and a video recording, which Google recommends when it’s offered. Verification reviews take up to five working days.
If you get video verification, Google’s video requirements are specific:
- Premises customers visit: show the location (street signs, building number, nearby businesses), your shop front or signage with the same name as your profile, and proof you run it, like opening the till, the storeroom or your point of sale system.
- Service-area businesses: show street signs or landmarks near your base, your tools, equipment or branded clothing, and proof of management, such as unlocking your branded van or showing an invoice or utility bill in the business name.
My tip: don’t change the address on Google until your permanent sign is up at the new place. “Business name not visible on shop front” is one of the example reasons Google gives when it rejects a verification video.
How long does it take for Google to update my business address?
Usually about 10 minutes, but Google says it can take up to 30 days. Here’s what to expect for each part of the change, from Google’s own help pages:
| What you changed | How long Google says it takes |
|---|---|
| Address or pin edit | Usually about 10 minutes, sometimes up to 30 days |
| Service area edit | Up to 48 hours once approved |
| Verification review | Up to five working days, occasionally longer |
You can check where an edit is up to on your profile. Google uses three statuses: Accepted (it’s live), Pending (still under review) and Not approved (Google couldn’t confirm it; you may be able to appeal).
Moving and don’t want to drop off the map? My Local Starter SEO plan, from £495 a month, includes your Google Business Profile managed for you, a review system and UK directory listings, so your new address matches everywhere Google looks. See the plans or book a free chat.
Will I lose my Google reviews if I change my address?
Not if you edit your existing profile. Your reviews sit on that profile, so changing its address keeps them with you. People lose their reviews when they create a brand new profile for the new premises, which also breaks Google’s one profile per business guideline.
A move is a good moment to ask happy customers for a fresh review, so the newest ones mention the new place. My guide on how to get more Google reviews has the wording and the link to use.
Why is my old address still showing on Google?
Usually because the edit is still pending, needs verification, or there’s a second listing at the old address. Work through this checklist:
- Check the edit status. Pending can genuinely take up to 30 days.
- Look for “Not approved”. Google rejects edits it can’t confirm. Make sure your website and signage show the new address, then try again or appeal.
- Finish verification if your profile is asking for it.
- Search Google Maps for your business name. If another listing still shows the old address, it may be a duplicate or an old unclaimed listing.
- Check your own website and directories. An old address on your contact page or footer muddies the picture.
- Check the account. You may be editing a different profile from the one customers see.
If your business has disappeared from the map altogether, my guide to why a business is not showing on Google Maps walks through every fix.
What I would do if I were moving my business
This is the order I follow when I manage a move for a client’s Google Business Profile:
- Before the move: order the permanent sign and line up the Companies House and HMRC changes for moving day.
- On moving day: update the website contact page and footer.
- Same day: change the address on the existing Google Business Profile and fix the pin.
- Within a few days: complete verification if Google asks, with the sign up and the business name clearly visible.
- The following week: update every directory and social profile.
- A month later: search the business on Google Maps from a phone, test the directions, and ask a few happy customers for reviews.
Can I change my Google Business address myself?
Yes. For most small businesses it’s a ten-minute job and this guide covers it. It’s worth getting help when verification keeps failing, the profile gets suspended after a move, you’re switching to a service area and worried about visibility, or you’ve found duplicate listings you can’t untangle.
If you never claimed your profile in the first place, start with how to add your business to Google Maps. Once you’re settled in, my guide to managing your Google Business Profile covers the ongoing work that keeps you showing up.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my business address on Google without verification?
Sometimes. Google may accept the edit after a short review, but it can also ask you to verify the new address, and Google decides which method you get. Plan for verification so a move doesn’t catch you out.
How do I hide my address on Google Business?
Go to your Business Profile, select Edit profile, then Location, and select the pencil next to Business location. Turn off “Show business address to customers” and save. Only do this if customers don’t visit you, and add your service areas.
Can I use a PO box as my Google Business address?
No. Google lists any business whose address is a PO box or a mailbox in a remote location as ineligible for a Business Profile. If you work from home and visit customers, hide your address and show a service area instead.
Do I need to tell HMRC if my business address changes?
Yes. GOV.UK says you must tell HMRC if your trading address changes, for each tax you’re registered for, and VAT changes within 30 days. If your limited company’s registered office moves, tell Companies House within 14 days and it passes that change to HMRC.
How do I correct an incorrect address on Google?
If it’s your profile, edit the address under Edit profile and Location, or select Adjust to move a misplaced pin. If it’s a business you don’t own or manage, use Suggest an edit on its listing.
How long does it take Google to update a business address?
Google says address edits usually show in about 10 minutes but can take up to 30 days. If Google asks you to verify, the verification review takes up to five working days on top.
Need a hand moving your business on Google?
Knowing how to change address on Google Business gets the new location on the map. Keeping you visible there, with a website and listings that all agree, is where I come in. I’m a freelance web designer and SEO in Clapham, London, and I’ll tell you honestly whether it’s a quick fix you can do yourself or something worth handing over.
Book a free consultation, or call or WhatsApp me on 07404 145722. No jargon, no long contracts to decode, just a clear plan to keep local customers finding you.
