Short answer: Google retired it. The Google Guaranteed badge and the Money Back Guarantee behind it were discontinued and replaced by a single Google Verified badge for every Local Services Ads advertiser. If you were already verified, you were moved to the new badge automatically. If you are new, you get it by passing the same screening and verification process. Google says the change does not affect how ads rank.
What the Google Guarantee was
For years, home service businesses that passed Google's screening on Local Services Ads showed a green "Google Guaranteed" badge. The badge came with a promise to customers: if a job booked through the ad went wrong, Google could reimburse them up to a lifetime limit, which in the US was $2,000.
That promise was most of the appeal for homeowners, and "get Google Guaranteed" became shorthand among contractors for "get onto LSA."
What changed
Google discontinued the Money Back Guarantee and the Google Guarantee badge, and launched one badge for all advertisers: Google Verified.
- Existing advertisers who had completed verification received the Google Verified badge automatically.
- New advertisers receive it by completing the Local Services screening and verification process.
- Customers could only request reimbursement under the old guarantee for services booked before December 7, 2025, and had to file within 30 days of the job being completed.
- Ranking is not affected by the change, according to Google.
The badge shows on your Local Services Ads profile and may appear in other places on Google.
Old badge vs new badge
| Google Guaranteed (retired) | Google Verified (now) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets it | Businesses that passed screening | Businesses that pass screening |
| Customer money-back promise | Yes, up to a lifetime limit | No |
| How you get it | LSA screening and verification | LSA screening and verification |
| Affects LSA ranking | Verification checks feed profile quality | Google says the badge change does not affect ranking |
The practical difference is the promise to the customer, not the work you do to qualify. The screening is the same kind of process it always was.
How to get the Google Verified badge
You get the badge by running Local Services Ads and passing verification. For US home services, Google's checks can include:
- A verified, public Google Business Profile. Required for every Local Services advertiser.
- Business registration for your company.
- State-level licenses, where your trade legally requires one.
- Insurance, usually general liability. The minimum depends on your category and location, and your verification dashboard shows the exact amount required.
- Background checks on the owner, and on field workers in some categories. Google names trades such as electricians, HVAC, locksmiths and plumbers among those needing service professional checks.
Google puts the average at three to four weeks from submitting documents.
Why applications stall
The checks themselves rarely fail. The paperwork does. The common problems:
- The business name on your license does not match the name on your Google Business Profile.
- Your insurance certificate names a different entity from the one applying.
- The category you picked does not match the license you hold.
- Coverage is below the minimum shown on your dashboard.
Fix the names before you submit and most of the delay disappears.
Does it still matter for contractors?
Yes, for two reasons. The badge is still the visible sign that Google checked you out, sitting next to your name, rating and review count at the top of the page. And verification is still the price of entry to LSA, which remains one of the most direct ways for a home service business to get calls from Google.
What the badge no longer does is promise the customer their money back, so don't use "Google Guaranteed" in your marketing anymore. If your website, truck wraps or quotes still say it, update them to say Google Verified, or remove the claim.
What else changed on LSA
The badge is not the only change. Google also changed which bad leads it credits back, and is moving Local Services Ads inside Google Ads, where your old LSA performance reports will not follow you. Both are covered in our guide to Local Services Ads for contractors.
If you want help getting verified or running LSA, see how we manage Local Services Ads.
Sources: Google's Local Services Help pages "About Google Verified badge" and "Business screening and verification requirements (United States)", read 14 October 2026. Google changes these programs often; check the current help pages before relying on a specific rule.