Lost access to your Google Business Profile? Getting it back

Short answer: If someone else owns your verified Business Profile, first ask them to add you as an owner and transfer primary ownership; that is the fastest route. If they won't or can't, use Google's "Request Access" form at business.google.com/add: the current owner gets an email and, as of November 2026, has 3 days to respond, after which you may be offered the chance to claim and verify the profile yourself. Once you're back in, add a second owner on a company Google account so it can't happen again.

This usually surfaces at a bad moment: the hours are wrong over a long weekend, a review needs a reply, or you want to change the phone number, and the login turns out to belong to a former office manager or the marketing agency you left two years ago. The profile is still yours as a business. Access just needs to be moved to the right Google account.

Triage: which situation are you in?

Before you click anything, work out which of these three applies. The fix is different for each.

Scenario A: you can reach the person who owns it

The former employee is still on good terms, or the agency is just slow. This is the easiest case. Google's help on owners and managers says an owner can invite other users and that a profile has one primary owner, who can transfer that role to another owner or manager. Ask them to do it properly (steps below) rather than handing over their password.

Scenario B: the owner can't be reached or won't respond

The account belongs to someone who has left, an email address that no longer exists, or an agency that has gone quiet. This is what Google's ownership request process is for.

Scenario C: you're not sure anyone owns it

Search your business on Google Maps. Google's help notes that if you can't find a "Claim this business" or "Own this business" button, you might already be the owner under some account. Check every Google account the business has used before assuming someone else controls it. If the profile turns out to be unverified, you can claim it through the normal claim flow.

Step-by-step recovery

If the current owner cooperates

Send them the Google account email you want added. Use a business account, not a personal Gmail of one staff member.
They open the profile, choose More, then Business Profile settings, then People and access, select Add, enter your email and choose Owner.
You accept the invitation from the email you receive.
They transfer primary ownership to you. Google's help says a profile must have at least one other owner or manager before primary ownership can be transferred, which is why step 2 comes first.
Once you are primary owner, review the user list and remove anyone who shouldn't be there.

Allow for a pause: Google says new owners and managers must wait 7 days before they can do certain things, including removing other owners or managers, transferring primary ownership, or deleting the profile. If the handover happens today, the cleanup may have to wait a week.

If the owner doesn't respond (storefront or hybrid business)

Sign in with the Google account you want to own the profile.
Go to business.google.com/add and enter your business name and address.
Choose your business from the list. You'll see a message that someone else may manage this profile.
Select Request Access, complete the form, and submit.
Watch for the confirmation email. Google says the current owner is notified by email and has 3 days to respond. You can check the status in your Business Profile or from the link in the email.

What happens next, per Google's help:

Approved: you get an email and can manage the profile.
Denied: you get a rejection email; you can still suggest edits to the listing and may be able to appeal.
No response after 3 days: you may be able to claim the profile. Open the confirmation email, select View request, then Verify, and follow the verification steps. Google notes this claim option isn't always available.

If you're a service-area business

Google's help says service-area businesses (no public shop or office, serving customers at their location) should contact Google support instead of using the form, entering "Transfer ownership of listing" as the issue.

While you wait

Keep a simple file: your request date, the confirmation email, and proof the business is yours (website domain, signage photo, utility bill in the business name). If verification asks for evidence, you'll have it ready. Don't create a second, duplicate profile to get around the wait; duplicates cause their own problems with how your information shows on Google.

Prevention checklist

Once the profile is back under your control, spend fifteen minutes making sure you never repeat this:

[ ] Primary owner is a business-controlled Google account, ideally one tied to an address on your own domain that survives staff changes.
[ ] At least two owners. Google allows multiple owners and only one primary owner. Two owners means one can always fix access if the other is locked out.
[ ] Staff and agencies are managers, not owners. Google's help says managers can do almost everything owners can, except add or remove users and remove the profile. That covers posts, photos, reviews, hours and services.
[ ] Everyone uses their own Google account. Google's help recommends individual accounts so no one shares passwords.
[ ] Offboarding includes the profile. When someone leaves, remove them under People and access. Their past replies and posts stay; their access goes.
[ ] Agency contracts say who owns what. Put in writing that the business is primary owner and the agency is a manager.
[ ] Review the user list twice a year. Add it to the same calendar reminder you use for renewing your domain.

FAQ

Can the old owner just give me their password?

It might work for a day, but it leaves the profile tied to someone else's account, with their recovery phone and email. Have them add you as owner and transfer primary ownership instead.

How long does an ownership request take?

As of November 2026, Google gives the current owner 3 days to respond. After that, you may be offered a claim and verification step, which adds its own time.

What if my request is denied?

You can still suggest edits to the profile, and Google's help says you may be able to appeal the decision. Gather proof that you run the business before you do.

Will I lose my reviews if I get access back?

No. Reviews stay on the profile; only who manages it changes. Google also says past replies and posts from removed users remain on the profile.

If you'd like help setting up owner and manager roles properly across your Google listing and website accounts, tell us who has access today.