Google's video verification needs one live, unedited recording, at least 30 seconds long, filmed straight from your phone inside the Business Profile app or site. You cannot record it ahead of time and upload it later. The video has to show three things in order: where your business actually is, that the business is real (real signage or real tools), and that you are the one running it (unlocking a register, a van, or doing part of a job). Leave other people's faces and any private documents like bank or ID numbers out of the shot. Google reviews the video and usually replies within 5 business days.
By the numbers
- At least 30 seconds, filmed live, in one take. Google's own instructions say the video "must not include" edits or cuts, and it cannot be pre-recorded and uploaded. GOOGLE DOCUMENTED
- Storefronts need a permanent sign. Your business name has to be "on a permanent fixture, like a signboard, wall, or window." A business with no permanent sign should register as a service-area business instead. GOOGLE DOCUMENTED
- Service-area businesses show tools and a locked vehicle. Google's own example is "unlocking a van that has your business branding." GOOGLE DOCUMENTED
- No other faces, no private numbers. The video "must not include" other people's faces or sensitive info like bank, tax, or ID numbers. GOOGLE DOCUMENTED
- Review takes up to 5 business days. A second try after a rejection goes through the same review window again. GOOGLE DOCUMENTED
The 3-part script Google is actually checking for
Google's own guidance breaks the video into three jobs. Miss one, and the review usually comes back as a rejection, not a request for more detail.
- Show where you are. Start outside. Get a street sign, a building number, or a landmark someone could use to confirm the address in your profile.
- Show the business is real. A storefront shows its sign, mounted on something permanent, not a banner or a magnetic sign. A service-area business shows its tools, its stock, or its equipment instead.
- Show you run it. Do something only someone with real access could do: open a register, unlock a branded van or the shop door, or start part of an actual job.
All three have to happen in the same unbroken recording. Stopping to switch locations or apps restarts the whole requirement.
Storefront, service area, or a rejection: three different videos
Start outside your building. Film the street number and your permanent sign. Walk inside and show the counter, the shop floor, or the kitchen. Open something only staff can open, like a register or a storage room.
Start on the street outside your registered address. Show your tools, your stock, or your equipment. Then unlock your branded work van, or start a small part of a real job, to prove you are the one who runs it.
The video stops and restarts. The sign is a magnetic or paper sign instead of something permanent. A customer or coworker's face shows up on camera. A bank statement or ID number appears on screen. Any one of these is enough for a rejection.
Questions we get
Frequently asked questions
How long does the verification video need to be?
Google's own instructions say at least 30 seconds. There is no published maximum, but the video has to be one unbroken recording, so shorter and focused beats long and wandering.
Can I record the video ahead of time and upload it later?
No. Google's guidance is explicit that the video must be filmed live, in the moment, through your phone inside the Business Profile app or site. A pre-recorded file, even an unedited one, does not meet the requirement.
Can I use a magnetic sign on my truck for the video?
For a storefront business, the sign has to be on a permanent fixture like a wall, window, or signboard. If a business has no permanent on-site sign, Google's own guidance says to register it as a service-area business instead, which uses tools and a branded vehicle rather than signage.
Can other people appear in the verification video?
No. Google's instructions say the video must not include other people's faces. Keep the shot on yourself, the location, and the business, not on coworkers or customers.
What happens if my verification video is rejected?
You can record and submit a new video. Each attempt goes through the same review window, up to 5 business days, so a rushed second try that repeats the same mistake costs another five days for nothing.
How long does Google take to review the video?
Up to 5 business days, per Google's own verification process. If a profile shows as suspended or unverified well past that window, that usually points to a separate issue worth checking directly.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help, Verify your business with a video recording: minimum length, live-recording requirement, what storefront and service-area videos must show, and what the video must not include.
- Google Business Profile Help, Verify your business on Google: the up-to-5-business-day review window.
Google does not publish a maximum video length or a specific penalty for magnetic signage; those points reflect the documented permanent-fixture requirement and the general review process, not a quoted Google rule beyond what the sources above state.