Quick answer
Does Google Guaranteed still exist?
No. Starting October 2025, Google replaced the Google Guaranteed, Google Screened and License Verified by Google badges with a single Google Verified badge, and it discontinued the money back guarantee. Customers can only claim reimbursement for services booked through Local Services Ads before December 7, 2025. Contractors now earn the new badge by passing Google's screening for Local Services Ads.
Key takeaways
- Google announced on August 20, 2025 that one Google Verified badge would replace Google Guaranteed, Google Screened, License Verified by Google and the Money Back Guarantee.
- The money back guarantee only covers services booked through Local Services Ads before December 7, 2025, with requests due within 30 days of the service being completed.
- Advertisers who had already completed verification received the Google Verified badge automatically, and Google says Local Services Ads ranking is not affected by the change.
- In the US, screening covers business registration, background checks, license checks and, for some categories, insurance.
- The Google Verified badge is not the same thing as verifying your Google Business Profile.
What was Google Guaranteed?
Google Guaranteed was a badge on Google Local Services Ads. Businesses earned it by passing Google's screening, and it came with a money back guarantee for customers who booked through those ads and were unhappy with the work. TechRadar reported in 2020 that the guarantee had a lifetime cap of $2,000. Google's current pages no longer list a cap.
Two related badges existed alongside it, Google Screened and License Verified by Google. All three have now been folded into one badge.
What changed when Google Verified replaced Google Guaranteed?
On August 20, 2025, Google announced that a single Google Verified badge would replace Google Guaranteed, Google Screened, License Verified by Google and the Money Back Guarantee, starting in October 2025.
| Topic | Before October 2025 | From October 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Badge | Several badges: Google Guaranteed, Google Screened, License Verified by Google | One Google Verified badge |
| Money back guarantee | Offered with the Google Guaranteed badge | Discontinued; claims only for services booked before December 7, 2025, within 30 days of completion |
| Who gets the badge | Businesses that passed screening | Eligible Local Services Ads profiles that completed screening and verification |
| Where it shows | Local Services Ads | Your Local Services Ads profile, and possibly other Google surfaces |
| What customers see | The badge name | The badge, alongside which verification checks the business passed |
How do you get the Google Verified badge?
You get it by running Local Services Ads in an eligible category and passing Google's screening. In the US, screening includes these checks:
- 1Business registration: checked through your DUNS number, or your Secretary of State registration or EIN.
- 2Background checks: the owner and the field workers who serve customers are checked by local background check partners, free to the business and with no credit pull.
- 3License checks: licenses are checked against official databases where your trade requires one.
- 4Insurance: some categories must provide a certificate of insurance.
What does Google Verified cost?
Google says the background checks are free to the business. What you pay for is leads. With Local Services Ads you are charged for each valid lead, which can be a call, message, voicemail or booking request, and the price varies by location, job type, lead type and bidding mode.
| Situation | Charged? |
|---|---|
| Valid call, message, voicemail or booking request | Yes |
| Spam, duplicate or invalid lead | No |
| Missed call where the caller stayed on the line more than 20 seconds, during your ad schedule and business hours | Yes |
| Missed call outside those conditions | No |
| Same phone number or email contacting you again within 15 days | No, it is not a new lead |
| Poor quality lead | Google can apply a credit after review, and you can rate leads in the feedback survey |
Which contractors can use Local Services Ads?
US home service categories include appliance repair, bathroom and kitchen remodeling, carpenters, carpet cleaning, electricians, fencing, flooring, foundations, garage door, general contractors, handyman, house cleaning, HVAC, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmiths, movers, painters, pest control, plumbers, pool cleaners and contractors, roofers, siding, snow removal, solar, tree services, water damage, and window cleaning and repair. Drain experts and insulation are listed in California and Florida only.
If your trade is on the list, the badge comes through Local Services Ads, because Google shows Google Verified on eligible Local Services Ads profiles.
Is Google Verified worth it for contractors?
The badge is a trust signal, but the real decision is whether Local Services Ads make money for you. They suit contractors who answer the phone, because you pay per lead rather than per click, and some missed calls are still charged.
- Good fit: urgent trades like plumbing, HVAC, electrical and pest control, where callers want help today and you have phone cover.
- Weaker fit: if nobody answers during your ad hours, or your best jobs come from long research, such as large remodels.
- Always pair it with: a strong Google Business Profile, which is free and builds over months. See how to rank on Google Maps.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Guaranteed still available?
No. From October 2025 Google replaced it with the Google Verified badge, along with Google Screened and License Verified by Google.
Can customers still claim the Google Guarantee money back?
Only for services booked through Local Services Ads before December 7, 2025, and only if the request is submitted within 30 days of the initial service completion date.
I had the Google Guaranteed badge. Do I need to do anything?
Google says existing advertisers who completed verification receive the Google Verified badge automatically, with no action needed. It is still worth checking that your license and insurance details are current in your account.
Does Google Verified help my ranking in Google Maps?
Google says the badge change does not affect Local Services Ads ranking. Your regular map and search visibility depends on your Google Business Profile and website, covered in SEO for contractors.
Is Google Verified worth paying for?
Google says the background checks are free to the business, and Local Services Ads charge per valid lead. It is worth it if your cost per booked job beats your other channels.
Read next
Start from the overview: home service marketing for contractors.
Sources
- Google Blog, Introducing Google Verified for Local Services Ads (August 20, 2025)
- Google Local Services Ads Help, Google Guarantee and the Money Back Guarantee ending
- Google Local Services Ads Help, Screening and verification requirements (US)
- Google Local Services Ads Help, How pricing and charges work
- Google Local Services Ads Help, Eligible US business categories
- TechRadar, What is Google Guaranteed? (September 23, 2020)
Sources checked on October 16, 2026. Prices, platform rules and laws change, so check anything important with the official source, and with your state for licensing.