How do you change your business name or address on Google without losing your reviews?

Ascent Vision · Published October 24, 2026

For a move or a minor rename, edit the profile you already have rather than starting a new one. Google says a business that moves and keeps its name has its reviews transferred automatically, though for some categories, such as hotels, they might not move, and that a minor name change keeps them too. For a bigger rename, Google says to mark the old profile closed and create a new one. Google reviews changes before they go live, and a business that moves after it is verified must verify again.

Moving: edit the profile you already have

Google's page on moving reviews says "Do not create a new Business Profile" because of a change in physical location or ownership. The related answer on why a business is not showing on Google Maps gives the same advice.

Google's steps for a new address: go to your Business Profile, select Edit profile, then Location, select Edit next to Business location, enter the address and save. Google says a business that moves after it is verified must verify again; the related answer on how to verify a Google Business Profile covers that.

As general advice, change it once you serve customers at the new place: Google says the address on a profile is public, and its guidelines say a business that shows its address should keep permanent signage with its name there.

Renaming: a small change or a new business

Google's guidelines say a rename may stay on the same profile when it is minor, with the proper nouns, the services in the name and the category unchanged, or when a business with several locations changes its name; otherwise Google says to mark the existing profile as closed and create a new one, as the related answer on keywords in your business name explains.

For a rename that qualifies, edit the name from Edit profile. Google asks for the name exactly as it appears on your real-world signage and stationery, and says you might need to verify again after the change.

What happens to your reviews

Google's page on moving reviews describes these cases, and says it might remove reviews that no longer apply after significant changes:

Change	What Google's page says
A move, same name	Transferred automatically, though for some categories, such as hotels or golf courses, they might not be
A minor name change, or a name change across several locations	The reviews stay
A new owner or manager, same name	The reviews stay; you can reply to old reviews to explain what changed
A rename that is not minor	It is considered a new business
A new profile made by mistake after a move or change of owner	Contact Google to transfer the reviews from the old profile
Temporarily or permanently closed	The reviews stay; customers can still review a temporarily closed business, not a permanently closed one

If the old profile already says permanently closed

For a move, the one exception, on Google's page about reopening a business, is a profile already marked permanently closed as part of a move or a name change. Google says not to reopen it: add a new business, verify the new profile, and contact Google if you want the reviews moved. The related answer on what to do when Google says your business is closed covers labels set by mistake.

If you are taking over a business, Google's guidelines say the previous owner first needs to add you as an owner and transfer ownership to you; the related answer on giving someone access to your Google Business Profile shows where that is done.

Sources

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