Local Services platform policies

All service providers and businesses acting on behalf of providers—such as agencies, lead generation, aggregators, and lead management companies—must abide by the following policies when using any Local Services platform. For all providers, these policies apply to your employees, contractors (including subcontractors), or other workers who provide services in customers’ homes, workplaces, or any other properties on your behalf. You are responsible for ensuring your workers comply with these policies. For businesses acting on behalf of providers, you are responsible for sharing these policies with your providers and for instructing them to comply.

Local laws and regulations

You must comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which you provide or offer services through the Local Services platform. You must comply with all relevant licensing, insurance, privacy, or other regulatory requirements, and you are solely responsible for all compensation, licensing, regulatory fees or dues, insurance, or any other related costs and legal duties required of you as a service provider.

Age restrictions

You, your workers, and each of your customers must be 18 years of age or older.

Employment

Employees of Google and its affiliates may not provide services (or help you provide services) as part of the Local Services platform. You can't say or imply to anyone that you are an employee of Google or its affiliates, or that you otherwise work for Google or its affiliates. At all times you must ensure that each member of your team is properly classified and paid according to the applicable employment laws of your jurisdiction.

Required disclosures and other responsibilities

Required disclosures

Your Local Services Ads and the information you provide to Google in connection with Local Services must be accurate, complete, and not misleading. Even if you’re not also running ads as an advertiser, you must follow the Google Ads policies at all times.

Example: As explained in the policy governing Misrepresentation of self, product, or service, any prices that you present to customers on the Local Services Ads platform must be inclusive of all applicable fees, surcharges, and taxes.

Upon request, you must provide Google and its vendors (including the background check partner (U.S and Canada only), if the Minimum Provider Requirements described below apply to you) with proof of licensure, insurance, bonding, and related requirements. Google may publicly post these documents on the Local Services platform. When answering questions from Google or its vendors about licensing or insurance-related issues, you must provide honest, accurate, and complete answers.

Occasionally, Google or its vendors may have additional questions about your documents and privacy policy. To remain in good standing on Local Services, be sure to respond promptly and accurately to these questions.

Other responsibilities

You must maintain all required and appropriate insurance coverage and licenses for the types of services you provide. You will fully cooperate with any follow-up questions Google and its vendors (including questions from the background check partner, if applicable) about these topics and related responsibilities.

You must protect the privacy and legal rights of your customers. You are solely responsible for the personal data you collect in relation with your services, and you must comply with all relevant data protection laws.

Customer relationships

When you provide services, your customers are not Google’s customers. You can’t claim to work for Google, and you can’t involve Google in any service issues between you and your customers. If a dispute arises, the customer may use the Local Services platform to find an alternative service provider, or the customer may file a Google Guarantee request, but we won’t help resolve any issues between you and your customer.

Google won’t recommend prices or fees for services and won’t negotiate prices with your customers.

You are solely responsible for deciding which referrals to accept or reject from Local Services Ads.

You are solely responsible for training, instructing, monitoring, evaluating, and disciplining your workers who interact with customers. Serious or repeatedly negative customer feedback — or repeatedly failing to promptly respond to customer requests — may result in lower placement, removal of the option to receive message requests, or your ad or other commercial content not showing at all. Google may suspend or terminate your access to the program in the event of your egregious or repeatedly inappropriate conduct towards customers — such as invalid activity, criminal activity, excessive property damage, subcontracting to non-certified companies or workers, or related misconduct. Google may show your ads or other commercial content on our platform to help customers find you. The rest is up to you.

Customer service

Be responsive

From the time you receive a lead call or booked service, you are responsible to respond in a timely manner when customers reach out with a question, complaint, or need a resolution. This goes for before, during, and after a service is provided. Good customer communication is key to receiving high ratings and reviews. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

Here are some examples of not being responsive that may result in disqualification:

• Refusing to resolve a dispute with a customer
• Promising to provide a quote for a job but failing to do so
• Saying your business will return a call but it never does
• Not answering the majority of phone calls even if you call the customer back 
• Refusing to provide your insurance information when damage has been done 

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers may be notified by email. Depending on the frequency and severity of the violation, providers may receive a warning, be temporarily suspended, have impressions to their ads limited, or have their ads permanently removed.

Keep commitments

If you commit to providing a service to a customer, make sure your business follows through with all agreements. Only agree to perform services that are within your expertise and license requirements so you can provide the service at a satisfactory level. Show up on time as agreed. If you agree to perform the service make sure that your business is the one to fulfill that commitment. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

In the rare case that an emergency arises and you are unable to keep your appointment with the customer, make sure to let the customer know as soon as possible.

Here are some examples of failing to keep commitments that may result in disqualification from the program:

• Stating you will return to finish an incomplete job but failing to complete the job
• Setting an appointment with a customer and then showing up an hour late
• Canceling a job multiple times
• Stating your technician will arrive but then sending another person to do the service

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email to let them know. Depending on the frequency and severity of the violation, providers may receive a warning, be temporarily suspended, or have their ads permanently removed.

Customer pricing and payment

The pricing information you provide to customers must be accurate, complete, and not misleading. We do not allow low estimates to be given that trick customers into booking services only to be later charged unusually high rates when the service is provided. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

Price estimates

When you quote customers a price range you should not increase the price when you arrive to do the work unless the scope of work or circumstance is significantly different than the customer described when the estimate was given. Diagnostic charges and trip fees must be disclosed and the customer must be told they will need to pay that charge regardless of whether further services are provided. You are responsible for the price of the Local Services lead call and may not directly pass that cost along to customers.

Receipts and payment

Payment options should be offered and a consumer should never be followed home or to an ATM if cash is requested. 

Receipts should be provided to customers when a job is completed and should include the name of your company and list the services provided. 

Bills must always be first sent to a customer and only much later sent to a collection agency after every attempt has been made to connect with the customer for payment.

Discounts

Discounts may not be offered in exchange for a positive customer review.

Examples:

Here are some examples of pricing and billing that may result in disqualification from the program:

• Quoting a price on the phone but charging a higher price upon arrival for the same job
• Charging a customer for work not completed
• Following a consumer home or to an ATM for cash
• Sending a bill to a credit collector before sending it to the customer
• Charging a customer for calling you through your “business” phone
• Refusing to provide a customer a receipt
• Putting a lower price on the receipt than was actually charged 
• Offering a customer a discount in exchange for a good review
• Charging a higher price because your business is Google Guaranteed
• Stating you will refund the consumer a certain amount and then failing to do so
• Violating the insurance claims process

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers may be notified by email. Depending on the frequency and severity of the violation, providers may receive a warning, be temporarily suspended, have impressions to their ads limited, or have their ads permanently removed.

Incompetence or damage

All service professionals should be experienced and qualified to do the work. If you make a mistake that causes damage to a customer’s property then promptly repair the damage or provide the customer with your insurance information so they can be paid for the damages. Only use non-defective and appropriate materials to do the job. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

Here are some examples of incompetence and damage that may result in disqualification from the program:

• Accidentally damaging a customer’s property
• Failing to complete a routine job correctly due to lack of knowledge or expertise
• Only one person shows up to do a two person job
• Unable to complete a job but still charge the customer
• Replacing parts but the item is still not working because the wrong parts were replaced

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email to let them know. Depending on the frequency and severity of the violation, providers may receive a warning, be temporarily suspended, or have their ads permanently removed. 

Resolving customer disputes

You are responsible to try to resolve any dispute with the customer. Any customer that is dissatisfied with a provider’s services should first attempt to resolve the dispute with the provider before filing a Google Guarantee request. This gives you the opportunity to make things right with the customer. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

If a dispute arises, the customer may use the Local Services platform to find an alternative service provider, or the customer may file a Google Guarantee request, but we won’t help resolve any issues between you and your customer.

Examples:

Here are some examples of failure to resolve customer disputes:

• Not returning a customers calls, emails, or texts when they are complaining about a dissatisfactory service
• Offering to refund the service cost but refusing to cover the cost of damage or provide your insurance information so the customer can be compensated for damages

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email to let them know. Depending on the frequency and severity of the violation, providers may receive a warning, be temporarily suspended, or have their ads permanently removed. 

Safety

Rudeness, threats, bullying, & harassment

You should treat everyone with respect and act in a professional manner during every interaction. We do not tolerate rudeness, condescending or patronizing tones, or pushy sales tactics. You should not make threats, use derogatory terms, sexualize someone, stalk, disparage or belittle, physically intimidate, invade privacy, incite violence, reveal personal information, or harass in other ways. We may refer threats of harm and other dangerous situations to law enforcement. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

Here are some examples of rudeness, threats, bullying, and harassment: 

• Repeatedly requesting a customer to change or remove a review they wrote
• Asking a customer to write you a review while you are at their location
• Sexual harassment or misogynistic comments 
• Texting threats of physical or sexual violence
• Speaking to the Google customer support representative in an inappropriate way

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email to let them know. We have zero tolerance for threats, bullying, and harassment. Depending on the severity of the violation, providers may have their ads permanently removed. 

Physical harm

You should not facilitate or commit physical or sexual assault, sexual abuse or hold someone against their will, or engage in other acts of violence. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

Here is an example of physical harm: 

• Intentional self harm around customers or hurting other people or pets

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email notifying them that their profile has been suspended. We have zero tolerance for physical harm. Providers may have their ads permanently removed. 

Safe environments

You are responsible for creating a safe environment by ensuring that your tools, products, and actions do not jeopardize the health, welfare, or safety of any person. Providers should not work under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, heavy medication, or any other substance that leads to impairment. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

Here are some examples of unsafe environments that may result in disqualification from the program:

• Working a job while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs
• Leaving sharp or dangerous tools alone in the presence of children
• An HVAC provider leaving a consumer’s home in dangerously cold or hot temperatures

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email to let them know. Depending on the frequency and severity of the violation, providers may receive a warning, be temporarily suspended, or have their ads permanently removed. 

Theft or vandalism

Do not take any items that do not belong to you or vandalize property. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

Here are some examples of theft and vandalism that may result in disqualification from the program:

• Finding cash lying around and keeping it
• Intentionally and needlessly damaging property
• Movers fail to deliver all of the boxes that were packed

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email to let them know. We have zero tolerance for theft or vandalism. Providers may have their ads permanently removed. 

Spam, phishing, & invalid activity

Providers should not send unsolicited promotional or commercial content, attempt to drive traffic to additional websites, or trick someone into handing over money or personal information. Do not commit invalid credit card activity, invalid booking activity, or launder money. Making false claims against another provider is prohibited. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

Here are some examples of spam, phishing, and invalid activity that may result in disqualification from the program:

• Selling customer information to third parties
• Sending unsolicited promotional emails 
• Falsely claiming that another service provider is violating the policies
• Using a professional or business license of another person

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email to let them know. Depending on the frequency and severity of the violation, providers may receive a warning, be temporarily suspended, or have their ads permanently removed. 

Fairness

Discriminatory behavior or hate speech

You should treat everyone equally and with respect. You may not demonstrate discriminatory behavior, insult others, or engage in hate speech against anyone based on their race, color, ethnicity, caste, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, or any other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalization. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

Here are some examples of discriminatory behavior or hate speech that may result in disqualification from the program:

• Declining to provide service to someone based on their race
• Imposing different terms or conditions on a person because of their identity
• Stating a preference for providing a service to someone or speaking negatively of providing a service to someone based on their identity

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email to let them know. Providers may have their ads permanently removed. 

Authenticity

Misrepresentation and impersonation

You should accurately represent yourself and your business. Do not deceive, mislead, or confuse. This includes misleading information about accounts or account ownership, qualifications, licenses, insurance, work experience, service areas, work verticals, prices, or any other aspect of yourself or your business. Learn more.

Account policies

Subcontracting and lead selling

Consumers expect to be connected with providers vetted by Local Services quality standards. For that reason, businesses that join our platform must truthfully represent the qualifications and identities of the field technicians at their company. In addition, every business must certify that its fieldworkers and staff carry appropriate licensing. Accordingly, you may not sell the leads you receive through your Local Services Ads. Those leads are only to be fulfilled by the vetted and/or background-checked field technicians of your company. If you subcontract to another service provider your ad may be permanently removed. Learn more.

What these policies mean for you

Here are some examples of subcontracting and lead selling  that may result in disqualification from the program:

• Passing along or selling a lead to another business, or to someone who is not one of your company’s vetted or background checked field technicians

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email to let them know. Depending on the frequency and severity of the violation, providers may receive a warning, be temporarily suspended, or have their ads permanently removed. 

Serving areas

In order to ensure fair business competition, if you have multiple accounts, only one account and job type may use a specific ZIP Code at a time. Additionally, you should only list the service areas where you are currently permitted to work. If you have a professional license that limits you to a specific geographical region, you must stay within that area. Learn more.

Service areas

Local Services strives to connect consumers with local service providers. Targeting your ads to areas that are far from your business location, and/or that you can’t reasonably serve, creates a negative and potentially confusing experience for consumers. In addition, attempts to target unreasonably large service areas from a single, or few, business locations could trigger review for subverting our misrepresentation policy.

What these policies mean for you

Here are some examples of subcontracting and lead selling  that may result in disqualification from the program:

• Passing along or selling a lead to another business, or to someone who is not one of your company’s vetted or background checked field technicians

What happens when service providers violate this policy

If these policies are violated, providers will receive an email to let them know. Depending on the frequency and severity of the violation, providers may receive a warning, be temporarily suspended, or have their ads permanently removed. 

Duplicate accounts

Duplicate accounts could allow providers to unfairly subvert our ads serving system. Accounts that are either inactive for more than six months or have nearly identical job types and serving areas may be flagged for follow-up and/or removal. Learn more.

Circumvention and system interference

Do not engage in actions intended to bypass our policies or subvert restrictions placed on your account. This includes the creation or use of multiple accounts or other methods intended to engage in a behavior that is prohibited. 

Do not attempt to drive traffic to additional websites or divert potential first time customers to a different phone number in order to avoid paying for a lead. Your company may not have “.com” as part of the displayed name. Learn more.

Ad content

Feel free to include the images of the good work you do in order to help sell your service. Photos must be high quality, relevant to your work, original, and not copied or stolen. Respect copyright laws and only upload content that you are authorized to use. Sexual content is prohibited. Additional policies regarding photo submissions may apply to Professional Service providers. Additional details can be found here. Learn more.

Prohibited practices

The following are not allowed by you or others acting on your behalf:

Unauthorized use of Google branding and trademarks

You can’t use the Google logo, Google Guarantee Badge, or other brand elements without permission. If you wish to use any of Google’s brand features on your website or other public materials, read Google's brand-usage guidelines.

Additional policies that apply based on contractual terms with Google

If you or your business agreed to contractual terms with Google -- for example, if you agreed to the Google Ads Terms and Conditions, the Local Services Additional Terms for Providers, or the Local Services on Assistant Terms for Providers (see Table below) -- you also must comply with the following Minimum Provider Requirements:

Minimum Provider Requirements and Background Checks

Business entity checks, license verification, and insurance verification

In order to advertise on the Local Services platform, you must satisfy the Minimum Provider Requirements related to entity verification, license verification, and business headshots verifications:

1. Your business entity must pass Google’s regionally-specific entity verification process (Europe and select US verticals) where required before you are authorized to serve Local Services Ads.
2. Google will verify and/or ask you to submit proof that you hold relevant professional licenses where required. In addition, you will need to certify that all your workers hold the necessary licenses as well. You will not be able to serve Local Services Ads until this verification is complete.
3. For Professional verticals, you will be required to submit business headshots.
4. If your business entity has matching information with a business on Google Maps, you may also be required to complete the Business Affiliation check. In EMEA, you must have a public Google Business profile to advertise with Local Services Ads and you may also be required to complete the Business Affiliation check.

To learn more about Local Services Ads’ minimum provider requirements, visit How providers qualify for Local Services Ads.

To advertise with a Google Guaranteed, Google Screened, or License verified by Google badge you will need to pass additional verification requirements. Learn more about Getting started with Local Services Ads.

Background Checks - U.S. and Canada Only

In the U.S. and Canada, you must satisfy Google’s Minimum Provider Requirements related to background checks:

1. You and any employees, contractors (including subcontractors), or other workers who provide services in customers' homes, workplaces, or any other properties must pass third-party background checks before you may participate in the Local Services platform.
2. Your company must meet the criteria for passing a background check as described below at all times.

More information

For more information about background checks, contact the background check provider for your country, listed in the table above.

Local Services Ads photos guidelines

All photos must comply with the general Google Ads policies and these Local Services platform policies.

If you have any questions regarding Local Services Ads photos, please contact us.

Business photos requirements

Local Services Ads supports uploading business photos that meet the following guidelines:

File types: JPEG, PNG, BMP, ICO	Resolution: 640 x 640 or greater	Maximum size: 10 MB

The categories of photos listed below will not be accepted as part of your Local Services Ads assets.

Off Topic

Images that don’t relate to your business or the service offered by you.

Example:

Images that violate attorney-client privilege.

Wrong Watermark

Photos featuring a watermark of another business.

Example:

Phone Number

Photos that contain phone numbers anywhere in the image, including but not limited to on vehicles, uniforms, or storefronts.

Examples:

Email Address

Photos that include email addresses.

Example:

Street Address

Photos that contain addresses, including but not limited to office or home addresses.

Example:

Out of Focus

Assets that are out-of-focus or blurred, making the content unrecognizable.

Example:

Bad Lighting

Photos that were taken with insufficient lighting, have low contrast or have bad exposure, compromising the quality of the image.

Examples:

Screenshot

Images that derive from a screenshot (either mobile or desktop).

Example:

Duplicate Image

Photos that are identical to the ones previously uploaded by you.

Headshots requirements

Select verticals on Local Services including law, real estate, and finance may have a main business headshot for their ad. They also optionally have headshots for individual professionals (e.g. lawyers, real estate agents, finance professionals) who show on the profile page.

Local Services supports headshots that meet the following guidelines:

File types: JPEG, PNG	Resolution: 500 x 500 or greater	Maximum size: 10 MB
Content: Headshot image content must be someone who works at your business	Aspect ratio: Headshots must have a square ratio (1:1)

Examples of good and bad headshot photos:

Shows the torso or below; should only show the head and shoulders	Face is not centered
Individual is not looking at the camera	Includes more than one person
Is not a person (e.g. logo, buildings, objects)	Is low quality
Contains text or text overlays	Has a non-neutral background
Is black & white or has excessive color filters applied

What happens if you violate our policies

If you violate our policies, you may be subject to one or more of the following:

• Disapproval: Local Services Ads or other commercial content that doesn't follow our policies may get disapproved. Disapproved ads, photos, or other commercial content won't be able to run until the policy violation is fixed and the ad is eligible.
• Domain disabling: We may suspend websites that violate our policies, meaning that the website can no longer be advertised until the problem is fixed.
• Account suspension: An account may get suspended if you have several violations or a serious violation. If this happens, all ads and other commercial content in the suspended account will stop running, and we may no longer accept advertising or commercial content from you. Any related accounts may also get permanently suspended and your new accounts may get automatically suspended at setup. Learn more about suspended accounts.

Need help?

Links to Additional Terms and Policies

If you or your business accepted terms as part of your participation in the Local Services platform, you can find links to those terms below. The following links are provided for reference so you can see which terms apply to your participation in Local Services.