Change your account type

This article will help you understand and manage your Google Ads account type.

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• Get started
• How to update your account type
• Optimise with best practices

Get started

Google Ads offers 2 account types: Individual or organisation. This information must be accurate for tax purposes and passing advertiser verification and related documentation may be required. Therefore, ensure that you choose the one that best fits how you plan to use Google Ads.

• Individual: Choose this setting if you’re using your account for your own personal advertising. This account type is for non-business advertisers, charities, not-for-profits and political parties. Only you can view and manage your information.
  • An individual also includes most solo business owners, like freelancers or consultants who aren’t registered as an organisation.
• Organisation: Choose this setting if you represent a business, corporation, partnership, educational institution or limited liability companies.
  • An organisation includes sole business owners signing up under a trade name registered as an organisation.
  • For verification purposes, you may need to provide business registration documents (check the list for your country).

How to update your account type

You may be able to switch the account type once for your account in your account’s Billing settings page through the steps below. If you can't find the pencil icon beside the 'Account type' field, you must contact support to request the change.

1. Go to Settings within the Billing menu .
2. Open the 'Payer details' section, then click on the pencil icon beside 'Account type'.
3. Follow the steps in the pop-up window to confirm the change:
   1. Confirm why you want to change the account type.
   2. Acknowledge the potential implications of making the change as it'll require your account to switch to a different payments profile:
      1. Changing account type can only be performed once.
      2. Once the process is completed:
         1. You'll be required to complete advertiser verification even if you were previously verified.
         2. Your past billing history will be accessible from the Billing transfers page.
         3. If you have a promotional credit, it won't be transferred or refunded.
         4. If you're on automatic payments, your payment threshold may differ from its current amount.
         5. If you have a monthly account limit, it won't transfer.
   3. Pay your open balance (if applicable). Note that a credit or debit card must be used to pay off your balance. If you have a credit balance, it'll be refunded automatically (minus any unbilled cost).
      1. In case there's a delay processing your payment, you may need to wait until it's reflected in your account to start over from step #2.
      2. If you don't have a credit or debit card, you must pause your campaigns and make a payment in the Summary page using your available local form of payment. Once the payment has been processed, you can start over from step #2.
   4. Select your billing country (for business account types make sure that it matches with your business registration document).
   5. Create a new payment profile (name, address, primary contact, payment method and more) or select an existing payments profile with the correct account type.
   6. Click Submit.

After the account type transfer is complete (usually immediately but may take a maximum of 24 hours), the contact associated with the payments profile you created or selected will receive email confirmation of this change.

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Go to Billing Settings

After completing your account type update, as mentioned above, you'll be required to complete advertiser verification even if you were previously verified. Make sure that you check the deadline by which you need to complete advertiser verification in the in-account notification or by checking the advertiser verification page under Billing.

Related links

• Advertiser verification
• Document requirements for advertiser verification
• Enable, pause or remove a campaign
• Make a payment