We need to verify your identity and ownership of the payment method you used after setting up billing or changing the primary payment method of your account. We might also ask you to verify your card when you make a one time payment.
In this article
About verification
Why we might ask you to verify
- To verify that your info is correct when you access specific content.
- To verify your identity when you complete a transaction with Google.
- We find unusual activity or transactions.
- We need more info for legal or regulatory reasons.
What info you may be asked to provide
The specific documents or information you’re asked to provide can vary depending on whether you’re verifying as an individual or an organization and also by country. To complete verification, you may be asked to verify each payment method. To do so, you can request a verification code or make a payment.
You may also be asked to provide the following information:
- Legal name
- The name used on your Payments profile
- Address
- Date of birth
- An image of your government ID
- An image of your payment method
How we use your info
Google uses the info you provide to:
- Verify your identity or payment method.
- Protect against fraud and abuse.
- Improve verification services for Google products.
How to complete verification
If you need to verify your payment information during signup, you'll get a message after you enter your billing information. We'll also send an email to the email address you provided when you signed up and relevant admins if the account is part of a Manager account. The email comes from [email protected] with "Verify your payment method" in the subject line.
You can verify your identity and payment method using either the link in the account alerts section or in the email. Follow the instructions to upload a photo or copy of the requested documents.
- Verify through the red banner alert or account notification: Click the Fix it button in the "Verify your payment information" alert.
- Verify by email: Click Verify now in the email and sign in using the email you provided when you signed up, for example, [email protected].
If you need to verify your payment information after trying to set up a new card as your primary payment method, click Verify now in the error message on the bottom of the screen.
In some instances, your account may be temporarily paused and you'll be required to either confirm your payment method or make a payment on the Advertiser verification tab to unpause your account.
Verify with code
- Select Advertiser verification in the Billing menu.
- Navigate to the task to "Confirm your payment method" and select Start task.
- Find the payment method you’d like to verify and select Verify.
- Select Get code.
- Check your bank account for a charge from Google in your recent transactions. The last 6 digits of that charge are your verification code.
- Return to your Google Ads account and enter your 6 digit confirmation code.
- Select Submit code.
- When your payment method is verified, select Done.
Make a payment
If your account was temporarily paused, you may be asked to make a payment to unpause it. Select Get started in the notification in your Google Ads account or follow the steps below to make a payment.
- Select Advertiser verification in the Billing menu.
- Navigate to the task to "Pay with your payment method" and select Start task.
- Choose a payment method and select Pay now.
- You can change a payment method by clicking Change.
- If the payment is successful, you'll receive an email notification confirming that your account is unpaused.
The amount of payment will be either an outstanding balance or a specific amount set by the system in the currency of your account. Note that bank transfer payments take longer than credit or debit card payments, so your account may be paused until the payment comes through.
Upload documents
Use the link in the verification request to find a list of accepted documents and instructions.
Make sure your documents:
- Use the same full name in all documents that you submit
- Are updated and not expired
- Are legible
Make sure the image that you upload:
- Is an image of a document and nothing else
- Is in color, not black and white
- Doesn’t have blur, glare, or dim light
- Shows all 4 corners of the full document
Verification can take up to 5 business days after you submit your documents.
