GBP Verification Rejected? The £16 Signage Fix for Trades

Google is increasingly requiring video verification for trades, especially in competitive areas. For service area businesses working from home addresses—pest control, cleaning companies, window cleaners, mobile mechanics—this creates a frustrating problem.

You’re a legitimate business. You have the equipment, the documents, and the address. But Google keeps rejecting your verification video because you don’t have signage outside your property.

Here’s how to solve this for under £20.

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Why Video Verification Keeps Failing

Google’s video verification process requires you to demonstrate four things:

1. Your location — Scan the street, show the street name sign if visible, establish where you are
2. Your equipment — Prove you actually run this business (tools, stock, branded materials)
3. Your workspace — Show where you operate from, even if it’s a home office or garage
4. Your documents — Display a Companies House document or bank statement showing your business name and the address you’re trying to verify

The video should be around 60 seconds. Google’s documentation says minimum 30, but aim for a full minute to cover everything properly.

Even when you nail all four elements, many service area businesses get rejected for one reason: no visible signage at the property.

This is particularly frustrating because SABs don’t need to display their address publicly—that’s the whole point of hiding it on the profile. Yet the verification algorithm often flags the lack of external branding as a red flag.

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Solution 1: Magnetic Car Signs (£16.50)

If you have a vehicle—even an unbranded personal car or van—magnetic signs are the simplest fix.

What to order

• Magnetic car sign from Vistaprint or similar printing company
• Smallest size available (you only need it for verification)
• Your business logo and name printed on it

Cost: Around £16.50 from Vistaprint, often cheaper elsewhere

How to use it

1. Stick the magnetic sign on your vehicle
2. Park outside your property or in your driveway
3. Record your verification video showing the street, then your “branded” vehicle with equipment inside, then your indoor workspace and documents

The sign doesn’t need to be permanent. Once you’re verified, you can remove it—or keep it as free advertising when you’re out on jobs.

This approach works well for trades with vans or work vehicles. The pest control client we used this with had all their kit in an unbranded van. Adding a simple magnetic logo transformed it into legitimate-looking business premises for verification purposes.

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Solution 2: Door Signs (£5.12)

Not everyone has a driveway or vehicle they can display. If you’re in a flat, shared building, or city centre location, a door sign is your alternative.

What to order

• Small aluminium sign (square coated white aluminium works well)
• Your business logo and name
• Basic size—nothing fancy required

Cost: Around £5.12 from online printers

How to install it

• Permanent option: Drill it beside your front door or office entrance
• Temporary option: Use double-sided sticky pads to mount it for the verification video

For shared office buildings, place the sign on your dedicated room or office door. For residential properties, mount it beside the front door—just enough to show this is a business address.

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Combining Both Methods

If you’ve been rejected multiple times, use both solutions together. A branded vehicle outside plus a door sign creates a much stronger impression of an established business location.

The total cost is still under £25, and you’ll have materials you can reuse for actual business branding once verification is complete.

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What Your Verification Video Should Include

With your signage sorted, here’s the full video verification checklist:

Opening (10-15 seconds)

• Start outside your property
• Pan around to show the street and any visible street name signs
• Show your property number or building entrance

Business proof (20-25 seconds)

• Show your branded vehicle (with magnetic sign) or door sign
• Open the van/garage to display equipment and stock
• Demonstrate this is clearly a working trade business

Documentation (20-25 seconds)

• Move inside to your workspace (office, desk, wherever you manage the business)
• Hold up a Companies House document OR recent bank statement
• Ensure the document clearly shows your business name AND the address you’re verifying
• Keep it steady enough for Google to read

⚠️ Important: The address on your documents must match exactly what you’re trying to verify on your Google Business Profile.

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When This Won’t Work

These signage solutions help legitimate businesses pass verification. They won’t help if:

• You don’t have genuine documents linking your business to the address
• You’re trying to verify an address you don’t actually operate from
• Your business details are inconsistent across documents

Google’s verification exists to filter out fake listings. If you’re a real trade operating from a real address, these affordable signage options simply help you demonstrate that visually.

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Key Takeaways

• Video verification is increasingly common for UK trades, especially in competitive local markets
• “No signage” rejections affect legitimate service area businesses working from home addresses
• Magnetic car signs (around £16.50) work for trades with vehicles—stick your logo on, film the verification, done
• Door signs (around £5.12) work for flats, offices, or properties without driveways
• Use both methods if you’ve been rejected multiple times
• Your documents must match the exact address you’re verifying—Companies House registration or bank statement required

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Next Steps

Signage is just one piece of the GBP verification puzzle. If you’re still running into issues after trying these solutions, there may be deeper problems with your profile setup or business information consistency.

Your Google Business Profile works hand-in-hand with your website—once verified, you’ll want to embed your GBP map on your homepage to strengthen the connection between your website and local listing. And if you’re building out location pages for different areas you serve, having a properly verified GBP is essential for ranking in the map pack.

For trades struggling with Google Business Profile verification or optimisation, our GBP management service handles the entire process—from initial setup to passing verification to ongoing optimisation that gets you ranking in the map pack.

Whether you’re a plumber, electrician, builder, or any other home service business, getting your GBP verified is the first step to dominating local search.

Need help getting verified? Get in touch and we’ll review your situation.