A missing code usually comes down to the method you picked. Calls fail on IVR menus and landlines. Texts fail when the number is wrong or the phone blocks them. Emails go to the wrong inbox. Postcards are slow, or a newer request cancelled them. Find the cause for your method, then retry from Get verified.
Why didn't my code arrive?
| Method | Usual causes | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Phone call | Usual causesThe number goes to an IVR menu, a call centre or voicemail. Nobody is at the desk, or the call comes outside working hours. | What to doForward the number to a mobile or put a person on the line. Then select Get verified and choose phone again. |
| Text (SMS) | Usual causesThe number is a landline. The country code is wrong. The phone blocks unknown senders or files them as spam. On a dual-SIM phone, SMS goes to the other SIM. | What to doFor a landline, use Call. Check the number on the profile, including +91, +62 or your country code. Check spam and blocked messages, then retry. |
| Usual causesThe address shown belongs to someone else, such as ex-staff, an agency or your web developer. The mail went to spam or promotions. The domain mailbox is full. | What to doUse email only if you control the exact inbox shown. Check spam. If you can't reach that inbox, pick another method. | |
| Postcard | Usual causes14 days haven't passed yet. The mailroom, security or receptionist kept it. The address is missing building, floor or unit details. You requested a new code, so the old one is void. You edited the name, address or category. | What to doWait 14 days. Tell whoever collects your post to look for it. Check the mailing address. Don't request again early, and don't edit those three fields. |
Google says plainly that "Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems won't get the code" (Google help). Clinics and salons with a "press 1" menu fail phone verification every time until a person or a mobile takes the call.
| Method | Why the code didn't arrive | One fix |
|---|---|---|
| Call | Why the code didn't arriveAn IVR menu answered the call | One fixForward the number to a mobile |
| Text | Why the code didn't arriveThe number is a landline | One fixChoose Call instead |
| Why the code didn't arriveThe inbox belongs to someone else | One fixPick another method | |
| Postcard | Why the code didn't arriveA newer request voided it | One fixWait 14 days before asking again |
I got the code but Google says it's wrong. Why?
- The code expired. Codes last 30 days.
- You asked for a newer code. Google voids the old one when it sends a new one.
- Someone edited the name, address or category after the request. Google warns: "Do not edit your business name, address, or category ... If you do, the code we sent you won't work" (Google help).
- It was typed in another Google account. In practice, a code entered from a different account, such as the receptionist's, doesn't verify the profile. Verification is completed on the profile by its owner or manager (Google help).
- A typo. Postcard codes are 5 digits.
Where do I type the code?
Go to google.com/verifymybusiness, which opens business.google.com/verify. The full steps are in the verification guide.
How long should I wait for a postcard, especially in India?
Google says "Most codes arrive within 14 days," and codes expire after 30 days (Google help). Google doesn't publish delivery times by country, so treat 14 days as the guide in India and Southeast Asia too.
Don't ask for a new postcard while you wait. Google's words: "Do not request a new code. If you do, we invalidate the code in the mail and send a new one" (Google help). Each early request restarts the wait.
If 14 days pass with no card, check the mailing address first. Make sure it has the building, floor, area and a landmark. Then request again from Get verified, knowing the old card will stop working.
When should I switch methods?
If Get verified shows other methods, a different one is often faster than waiting, for example video or email. The verification guide compares the methods, and the video verification guide covers recording.
If postcard is your only option, keep the address, name and category unchanged until the code works.
What if nothing works?
- Retry from Get verified with any method it offers.
- Contact Google Business Profile support through the Help Center using Contact us. The contact options you see can vary.
- If someone else owns the profile, verification won't work for you. Request ownership instead.
Worked example
Illustrative. Mehta Physio Clinic in Ahmedabad chose the text option. The number on the profile is the clinic landline, with the 079 area code, so no SMS ever arrived. The receptionist then tried the Call option, but the call reached the clinic's IVR ("press 1 for appointments") and the code was lost.
The fix: the owner set the landline to forward calls to their own mobile for the verification window. They selected Get verified, chose Call, answered, and typed the code in their own Google account. The profile was verified in the same session.
Forwarding was the better choice than changing the phone number on the profile. Changing the number is an edit to the profile, and forwarding leaves the profile untouched.
FAQ
- How long is a Google Business verification code valid?
- 30 days.
- Can I request a new postcard?
- Yes, but the earlier code stops working.
- Why can't I get the SMS on my landline?
- Landlines can't receive texts. Use Call instead.
- Can my receptionist enter the code?
- Only from the Google account that owns or manages the profile. To give someone access, add them as an owner or manager.
- Will Google call me to ask for the code?
- No. Google never asks for your code.
- Can I change my address while waiting?
- No. If you do, the code stops working.
After the code works
With Reach
A newly verified profile is usually missing details. Reach by Locus scores your profile out of 100 on the dashboard home and lists what's missing. Presence lets you fill in those gaps and saves them to Google. Reach can't send, resend or receive Google's verification codes, so finish verification first.