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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.
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 disclosuresYour 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 responsibilitiesYou 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.
Keep in mind
Google doesn't dictate how you choose your customers, so you can’t suggest to customers that Google told you which requests to accept or reject. Be careful not to imply that Google influences the pricing of your services or how those services are performed.
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 youHere 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 policyIf 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 youIn 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 policyIf 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 youPrice 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 policyIf 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 youHere 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 policyIf 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 youIf 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 policyIf 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 youHere 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 policyIf 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 youHere is an example of physical harm:
- Intentional self harm around customers or hurting other people or pets
What happens when service providers violate this policyIf 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 youHere 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 policyIf 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 youHere 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 policyIf 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 youHere 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 policyIf 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 youHere 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 policyIf 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.
License restrictions
If your business license is geographically restricted to an area, do not advertise your business as servicing outside of that area. Only accept the type of work that you are licensed and insured to complete. Do not use the license of a person who does not work for your business.
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.
Profile content
Any content you post to your account must accurately represent your business location, equipment, vehicles, and employees.
Google guarantee
Although you may have earned the Google Guarantee, you may not claim that Google endorses your business or that you work for Google. When you provide services, your customers are not Google’s customers. Your Google Guarantee and/or Google Screened status is applicable to Local Services Ads only. You may not advertise your Google Guarantee status or Google Screened status on your business website, professional profiles, or any promotional materials.
Google My Business (GMB) reviews
Your GMB reviews may only be linked to one of your Local Services accounts. Linking GMB reviews to multiple accounts is prohibited. Additionally, the GMB reviews you link must be for the same business location that you have listed with Local Services.
Examples:
Here are some examples of misrepresentation and impersonation that may result in disqualification from the program:
- Impersonating another individual or business
- A service provider pretends to be a consumer and complains about another business
- Using the professional or business license of another person
- Serving outside of the business license area
- Targeting areas that you can’t reasonably serve or that aren’t local to your business location
- Stating that you work for a company where you are not employed
- Denying an employee works for your company when a customer calls to complain
- Stating you can provide services you are not qualified or licensed to perform
- Telling a customer to make check out to a company that is different than the one the customer called for service
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 reviews
Do not write reviews for your own business or the businesses of competitors, and do not request that friends or relatives write a review for you unless they’ve hired you to provide a service. Customers may not receive compensation or discounts in exchange for a positive review. Providers may not ask customers to change or remove their reviews or threaten a customer for leaving a negative review. Any conduct related to customer reviews that may result in misleading information to consumers is strictly prohibited. Learn more.
What these policies mean for youCustomer reviews are most valuable when they are honest and unbiased. You can’t alter, interfere with, or otherwise tamper with customer reviews of your services or the services of your competitors. You can ask a user to submit a review on Google, but only if they booked the job through a Google platform or booked the job directly through you (for example, if they found you through word of mouth or a general web search). You can’t ask a user to submit a review on Google if they booked the job through a non-Google platform. Additionally, you may only ask a customer to write one review per job. You may not request that they write a review for both Local Services and Google My Business since your Local Services account includes Google My Business reviews.
Service providers may dispute a review by filling out the Local Services Photo & Reviews Support form.
Here are some examples of tampering with customer reviews that may result in disqualification from the program:
- Writing a review for your own business
- Posting a review on a peer or competitor to manipulate their ratings
- Requesting a customer write you a review while you are doing the job and in their presence
- Asking a customer to write a review for the same job on both Local Services and Google My Business
- Offering a discount or financial incentive for a customer to remove a negative review or write a positive review
What happens when service providers violate this policyIf 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.
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 policyIf 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 areasLocal 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 policyIf 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.
Here are examples of duplicate accounts that may be deactivated:
- Two accounts have the same job types and service areas listed
- More than one account registered to the same business location
If an account is disabled, providers will receive an email to let them know. If you need the account re-enabled in the future, you can contact us to reactivate your account.
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.
Here are examples of circumvention that may result in disqualification from the program:
- Listing a website name as your business name
- Posting photos that include your phone number or website address
- Attempting to create a new account after being suspended or permanently removed
If these policies are violated, providers may receive an email to let them know. 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.
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.
Some content you submit may show as pending until our team reviews and approves the content. You can view the statuses in your account profile.
Here are examples of profile content that may result in disqualification from the program:
- Listing a website name as your business name
- Listing your phone number in a business photo
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.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- For Professional verticals, you will be required to submit business headshots.
- 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:
- 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.
- Your company must meet the criteria for passing a background check as described below at all times.
Cooperating with the background check process
When Google’s designated third-party background check partner, see table below, conducts a background check, you and your workers must provide honest, complete, updated, and accurate information. If circumstances change after a background check has been completed, you and your workers must immediately provide updated information to the background check partner to ensure you remain eligible for the Local Services platform. You can reach the partner via the contact information listed in the table below for your country.
You must keep your background check partner informed of the number and identity of members of your team who provide services in customers’ homes, workplaces, or any other properties. Be sure to provide updated numbers and identifying information to your background check partner if you hire or use new workers - these workers must not attend Local Services call outs until they have completed the background check. Again, you can reach the partner via the contact information listed in the table below for your country.
When your background check provider requests information about the number and identity of members of your team, including any new workers hired recently, you must promptly respond within the time requested.
What's included in a background check
USA
For each worker, the background check includes inquiries about Social Security number validity and criminal history (including cross-checks against national sex offender and terrorist/sanctions registries). For some services (for example, electricians in many states), worker-level checks may also include licensing requirements. At the company level, the process also includes civil litigation history (including judgments and liens from federal and state courts).
Canada
For each worker, the background check includes inquiries about national and/or provincial criminal history (Canadian Police Information Centre, Provincial/Territorial Court of Justice). At the company level, the process also includes civil litigation history (including judgments and liens).
Who conducts the background checks
Google has engaged background check partners in your country to conduct local and/or national background checks and to help determine, based on the General Criteria described below, which businesses are eligible to use the Local Services platform. Google doesn’t see the specific background check information of any individual worker or company, and you are prohibited from sharing such information with Google.
Background check partners
| Country | Background Check Partner | Contact information |
|---|---|---|
| USA, Canada | Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations, Inc. | [email protected] or (800) 635-1649, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern. |
| USA | EvidentID | You may contact Evident support at the following link: Evident Support. |
Criteria for passing a background check
Adjudication decisions are based on the following general criteria (“General Criteria”):
- Full, complete, and accurate answers to all background check and related questions.
- Honest and up-to-date disclosures, including disclosures related to government documents (Examples: Passport, driver’s license, Social Security numbers, federal or state identification numbers, professional licenses, registrations, or insurance certifications).
- No criminal history that demonstrates a risk to the safety or security of persons or property.
- No civil litigation history that demonstrates negligent or substandard performance of services.
Your company also may be disqualified for any other reason consistent with the General Criteria or Minimum Provider Requirements, provided that is allowed by applicable laws and regulations.
Eligibility decisions are made at the company level, not at the individual employee, contractor, subcontractor, or worker level.
Example: You own a business with 10 workers who clean customers’ homes. You work solely in the office, not in the field. Eligibility will be based on the results of your background check, the background checks of all 10 workers who clean customers’ homes, and the company-level check of your business (for valid licensure, insurance, and civil litigation history).
If you have questions about the adjudication process, please direct inquiries to the background check provider’s compliance department listed in the table above.
Eligibility to provide services
Only your workers who have been properly background checked and who hold appropriate qualifications may provide services in your customers’ homes, workplaces, or any other properties that were referred through the Local Services platform.
Example: You employ one dispatcher (who doesn’t provide services in customers’ homes or workplaces) and 10 workers in the field who serve customers. Your 10 workers properly completed background checks and your company was approved to use the Local Services platform. You may not send the dispatcher to serve customers referred through Google’s Local Services platform because the dispatcher didn’t complete a background check.
If you hire additional workers (beyond the 10 who already completed a background check), you may not send those additional workers into customers’ homes until they complete background checks (and your company continues to satisfy the Minimum Provider Requirements).
Obligation to provide updated information
After your company has been approved to use Local Services Ads, you must promptly notify your background check provider of any circumstances (of your company or your workers) that could change the outcome of the previous background check approval. Examples of such circumstances include:
- You hire a new employee (or retain a new contractor) to perform services in customers’ homes, workplaces, or any other properties referred through the Local Services Ads platform.
- One of your existing employees or contractors (who performs services in the field) is convicted of a crime.
- One of your government-issued licenses expires, is suspended, or otherwise ceases to be current and active.
- Your insurance coverage lapses, is suspended, ceases to be current and active, or otherwise changes by 5% or more.
- Your business is named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit alleging negligent or substandard performance of services.
To report changed circumstances, please contact the background check provider using the information listed in the above table. Also note that when your background check provider requests updated information, you must promptly respond within the time requested.
Recertification
Privacy
Background check providers are prohibited from sharing individual or company background check information with anyone other than the individual or company whose background was checked. Google receives notification from background check providers that a company is (or isn’t) eligible for the Local Services platform based on the General Criteria described above, but Google doesn’t see the specific background check information of any individual worker or company. You can’t share the results of any individual worker’s background check with Google.
If you are an employer or business owner, also note that the background check partner is prohibited from sharing your workers’ background check results with you. If you wish to see your workers’ background check results, you’ll need their permission or you must perform your own check (the background check provider will never provide an employee’s background check performed in relation to Local Services directly to you).
Audits
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: |
Resolution: |
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:
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File types: |
Resolution: |
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:
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| 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 |
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| 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.
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.
| Products/Platforms | Terms & Policies |
|---|---|
| If you or your business accepted terms with Google AND your Local Services listings appear on Google Search: |
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| If you and your business accepted terms with Google AND your Local Services listing appear only on the Google Assistant. |
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