In short
- Add the buyer as an owner, transfer primary ownership to them, then remove yourself.
- Reviews and photos stay with the profile when ownership changes.
- If nobody can get in, Google has a request access process, but it takes time.
- Changing the business name or address may mean Google asks to verify the profile again.
Owners, managers and the primary owner
A profile can have several owners and managers, but only one primary owner. The primary owner is the one who can remove other owners, so that’s the role the buyer needs to end up with.
Handing it over
- Make sure you’re signed in to the Google account that owns the profile, and check who else has access.
- Before completion, add the buyer as a manager, using a Google account in their own business’s name.
- On completion, make them an owner, then transfer primary ownership to them. They need to accept the invitation.
- Once they’re primary owner, remove yourself, or let them remove you.
If nobody can get into it
If the profile was set up by someone who has left, or with an email address nobody can use, the buyer or the business can ask Google for access through the profile’s listing. Google contacts the current owner first. If there’s no reply after a set time, it may let you verify and claim the profile instead. This can take a week or more, so start before completion.
Changing the name, address or phone number
If the buyer is renaming the business or moving it, they can update the profile after it’s theirs. Google may ask them to verify the business again, for example by video. Reviews stay with the profile, so it’s almost always better to keep it than to start a new one.
Providers change their settings and menus from time to time. If a step doesn’t match what you see, check the provider’s own help pages, or ask us.