Free Local Services Ads eligibility checker for UK trades
This free checker tells you whether your trade business looks ready to apply for Google Local Services Ads and the Google Verified badge, based on what Google checks for UK businesses. Pick your trade, answer seven quick yes or no questions and you get an instant answer: likely ready, nearly ready with a list of what to fix, or not yet. It is free, there is no email needed and your answers never leave your browser. Unavoidable Marketing is a UK-wide, Leeds-based agency that sets up and manages Local Services Ads for trades across the UK, and founder Andrew Heppinstall is on every strategy call.
Last updated: 21 October 2026
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What Google checks for a UK trade business
Before your Local Services Ads go live with the Google Verified badge, Google checks that your business is real, insured and allowed to do the work. For UK businesses that means a verified Google Business Profile, a VAT number or Companies House registration number, public liability insurance, and any licence the law requires for the jobs you advertise. You can apply to Google yourself for free, or have an agency do it for you. Either way, the checks are the same and Google makes the decision.
Why matching names matter so much
A frequent hold-up is not a missing document, it is documents that do not agree with each other. If your insurance says “J Smith Plumbing”, Companies House says “JS Heating Ltd” and your Google profile says “Smith’s Plumbers Norwich”, Google has to work out whether they are the same business. Sort the names out first, so every document says the same thing, and the checks have a much better chance of going through without questions.
Trades with extra rules
Some work needs a licence by law, and Google will want to see it for the job types you switch on. Gas work needs Gas Safe registration, air conditioning work needs an F-gas certificate, and taking waste away for customers needs registration as a waste carrier. If you only hold the licence for some of your work, only advertise those job types. Garage door services and locksmiths cannot run pre-badge ads, so for those trades nothing shows until you are fully verified.
After you apply
Checks usually take about 3 to 4 weeks after your documents go in. While you wait, get your profile complete with real photos, ask recent customers for reviews, and set opening hours you can actually answer the phone in. Once you are live, remember that Google no longer lets you dispute bad leads by hand, so the real protection is the set-up: tight service areas, only the job types you actually do, opening hours that match when you can answer, and rating every lead in your dashboard. Google is also moving UK Local Services Ads accounts into Google Ads in 2027, so export your lead history as you go.
Local Services Ads eligibility FAQs
Can I apply for Google Local Services Ads myself?
Yes. Any eligible UK business can apply to Google directly for free. An agency can do the set-up and paperwork for you, but Google runs the same checks either way and makes the final decision.
Does a likely ready result mean Google will approve me?
No. This checker only looks at the main things Google asks for, based on your own answers. Google makes the final decision on every application and may ask for more information or reject it.
How long does Google Verified take?
Checks take about 3 to 4 weeks after your documents go in. Missing documents or business names that do not match can make it take longer.
Do I need to be a limited company?
Google asks for a VAT number or a Companies House registration number, so a limited company or a VAT-registered sole trader can use one of those. If you have neither, check with Google before you apply.
Are my answers stored or sent anywhere?
No. The result is worked out in your browser and nothing you enter is saved or sent to us or anyone else.
What if my trade is not on the list?
Local Services Ads is only offered for certain trades in the UK. Choose Other to check the rest of your set-up, then see whether your trade is listed when you start the sign-up with Google.
Ask us about this for your trade business
Send a quick message and Andrew will come back to you, usually the same working day.