Someone else claimed my Google listing. Here's how to get it back.
Usually it's a former marketing agency, a previous employee, or the person who set the profile up years ago on a personal account. Google has a formal ownership request process, and it works — but only if you can prove the business is yours.
- Ownership request path
- Proving the business is yours
- Timelines
- Preventing it next time
You own the business. That is not the same as owning the profile.
Google grants control to whoever verified the listing, not to whoever holds the business license. An agency that verified your profile in 2019 legally holds the keys until they hand them over or Google intervenes — and this is exactly why agencies that verify listings on their own accounts are a bad deal, however good the marketing is.
The request-access flow is the right first move even when you expect the holder to ignore you, because a non-response is what unlocks the appeal path. Skipping it and going straight to support usually just routes you back.
If the holder actively declines, you appeal with documentation: business registration, a utility bill or lease at the address, a photo of signage, and proof of your relationship to the business. Google decides. Legitimate owners generally win, but it takes weeks, not days.
Once you have it back, add yourself as the primary owner, remove anyone who shouldn't be there, and never let a vendor verify a listing on their own account again. We work as a manager on your profile — you stay the owner, and you can remove us in two clicks.
The recovery path
- 011. Find out who holds itSearch the business on Google and choose "Own this business?" or "Request access." Google shows a partially masked email of the current manager, which is usually enough to identify the agency or person.
- 022. Ask directly firstIf you recognize the holder, email them and ask them to transfer primary ownership. Many handovers take one message and save three weeks. Ask for owner transfer, not manager access.
- 033. File the access requestSubmit the in-product request even if you've asked directly. It starts the seven-day clock that the appeal process depends on.
- 044. Appeal if declined or ignoredAfter the window closes, Google offers an appeal. Attach business registration, a lease or utility bill at the address, signage photos, and anything tying your name to the business. Be brief and factual.
- 055. Lock it down afterwardMake your own Google account the primary owner, remove stale managers, enable notifications, and add a second internal owner so you're never one lost password from repeating this.
Other Google Business Profile problems we fix
Terms used on this page
Common questions
How long does a Google Business Profile ownership request take?
The current owner has about seven days to respond. If they don't, you can appeal, and appeal decisions typically take another one to two weeks. Contested cases run longer.
My old agency won't give me access. What now?
File the in-product access request, let the seven days lapse or the decline register, then appeal with proof of ownership. Google can and does transfer control away from unresponsive agencies.
Should I just create a new listing instead?
No. A second listing becomes a duplicate, starts with zero reviews, and can trigger a suspension. Recovering the original keeps the review history, which is the asset that actually matters.
Will you verify my profile under your own account?
Never. You stay the owner and we're added as a manager. If you leave us, you remove our access and keep everything — the rebuilt profile, the posts, the reviews, all of it.
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Last reviewed and updated by the RapidLocal team.