In July 2023, Google announced a policy update requiring all developers on their Google Play platform to validate their accounts by November 2024. If the account was not validated by this time (or an extension was granted), any apps linked to the account would be removed from the Play store.
This guide takes you through, step-by-step, the information Google requires to reinstate your app back on the Play store.
Prerequisites
There are several items of information Google requires to verify your account. Ensure you have the following ready before starting the verification process:
- Your legal name and address.
- Your organisation's D-U-N-S number.
- A private email address and phone number for Google to contact your organisation. This will be verified by Google using a one-time password.
- An email address and phone number that will be shown on Google Play as part of your developer profile. This will be verified by Google using a one-time password. This is different to the app support email you can provide for each of your apps.
Starting the Verification Process
Only the account owner can start the verification process. Autocab cannot complete any work on your develop account when it relates to verifying owners, business information, payments or any other management of the account.
To start the verification process:
- Open the Play Console Home page.
- Near the top of the page, look for a notification prompting you to verify your account.
- At the bottom of the notification, select Get Started.
- Choose 'Organization account' as your account type and click Next.
- Next, you need to link a Google payments profile that is used to verify your identify. You can either select an existing payments profile, or create a new one.
- To select an existing payment profile:
- In the window, select the profile that matches your business.
- Press Continue.
- To create a new payment profile:
- Highlight the 'Create new payments profile' option and press Continue.
- Enter your D-U-N-S number into the text field.
Important: You have a limited of tries to enter the correct D-U-N-S number for your business. - Click Next.
- Review your D-U-N-S number and press Confirm to continue.
- Carefully review you business information and ensure the legal name and address associated with the provided D-U-N-S number is the same as the legal name and address in your payments profile.
- Click Next.
- To select an existing payment profile:
- Input the required information about your organisation. This information is used to verify your business.
- Once complete, click Next.
- Enter contact details for how Google should contact you about your developer account, if needed. This information is not shown to users on the Play Store. Your email address and phone number will be both verified using a one time password (OTP) so ensure you enter the correct details.
- Click Next.
- Provide a public developer phone number and email address that is shown on the Play Store as part of your business' public developer profile. Again, these will both be verified using a one time password (OTP).
- Click Next.
- Review your public developer profile and ensure all the information you have provided is accurate.
- To finish, click Confirm and Save.
Verifying your Identity and Business With Documents
Once you have provided all of the required information about your business, Google needs to verify your identity and organisation by uploading official documents.
To verify your identity and business:
- In the Play Console, navigate to the prompt to 'Verify your identity' and press Get started.
- Review what you will need for verification and press Start verification.
Important: Do not edit or manipulate documents, as this will cause the verifications to fail. - Verify your organisation by uploading the requested documents.
- Click Next.
- Verify your identity by uploading a valid document. This can be the owner of the Play Console account or any authorised representative of your business.
- Click Next.
- Enter your address (not business address). This can be the address on your ID or your permanent address.
- Review your inputted address and press 'Yes, it's correct'.
- Once complete, press Submit.
- Google will then begin their review of your information. This may take a few days.
When your account has been successfully verified, please email platform.delivery@autocab.com letting us know your account is active again and one of the team will contact you to update your passenger app to the latest released version.
FAQs
What can I do if my verification fails?
If your verification fails, your Play Console home page will display a message explaining why Google could not verify your account. The account owner will also receive emails with more details.
Select the 'View details' button on the prompt for more information and to learn how to fix the issue.
The details page shows why your verifications have failed, how to fix, and how to submit an appeal.
If you choose to appeal, please provide a detailed explanation of the issue. The more information you provide, the better Google can assist you in resolving the problem and getting your apps back on the play store.
My uploaded documents failed verification, what can I do?
If your uploaded documents were not accepted, please carefully review the detailed email that was sent to the account owner. It will contain specific information about the reason for the failure and what steps you can take to resolve the issue.
You have a limited number of attempts to upload your identity documents. If you reach the limit without passing identity verifications, you will have to contact Google's support team to request an additional attempt.
What are the common reasons for verification failure?
- Submitting unsupported, expired, or unclear documents.
- The organisation name on the uploaded identity document does not match the information on your D-U-N-S profile.
- Incorrectly entering the authorised representative's name on the verification form.
I can't locate the account owner to complete the verification process
Only the account owner can complete the verification process. If the owner address is no longer accessible, please contact Google's support as soon as possible.
I'm having trouble verifying my phone number
To verify your contact phone number, you can choose to receive the OTP by SMS message or by receiving a call. Should you have issues with either method, we recommend trying the other one.
If your phone system has interactive voice responder (IVR), you will need to route the OTP calls to a channel where you can pick them up from. Contact Play support if you need to know which Google numbers to route.
If you are still receiving errors when trying to verify your phone number, please contact Google's support.
What is a D-U-N-S number and how do I get one?
A D-U-N-S number is a unique nine-digit identifier for businesses. If you do not have one, apply for one at Dun and Bradstreet free of charge. This can take 30 days or mor to obtain one.
You have a limited number of attempts to enter your D-U-N-S number correctly. To avoid issues, make sure to obtain this number before starting the verification process.
Why do I need to upload my personal ID?
Google states uploading personal ID is necessary to help prevent fraud and abuse on the platform and that your ID document will be securely stored and no shared with users.