How to Close or Remove a Google Business Profile
Last Updated on 25 September 2025 by Dorian Menard
If you need to close or remove your Google Business Profile, there are three options to consider:
- Temporary Closure: Keeps your profile visible but marked as "Temporarily Closed." Ideal for renovations or seasonal breaks. Reviews and content remain intact.
- Permanent Closure: Marks the profile as "Permanently Closed" while keeping it visible. Useful for business shutdowns or relocations. Reviews are preserved, and reopening is possible.
- Complete Removal: Deletes the profile entirely, including all content. This is irreversible, and reactivation requires full verification.
Each option has different impacts on visibility, data retention, and reopening possibilities. For Australian businesses, it’s crucial to comply with local regulations, such as updating your ABN or GST status when closing permanently. Always back up your data and notify customers of changes to maintain trust.
Quick Comparison:
| Option | Visibility | Reviews Preserved | Reopen Possible | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Closure | Visible with "Temporarily Closed" | Yes | Yes | Renovations, seasonal breaks |
| Permanent Closure | Visible with "Permanently Closed" | Yes | Yes | Shutdowns, relocations |
| Complete Removal | Not visible | No | No | Rebranding, ineligible businesses |
To avoid confusion or compliance issues, ensure your profile is updated correctly, and consider professional help for complex cases or multi-location businesses.
How to Delete Google Business Profile And Why You Should Not
Google Business Profile Removal and Closure Options
Maintaining an online presence is essential, but there are times when you may need to adjust or remove your Google Business Profile. This section breaks down the options for removal or closure, helping you understand what works best for your situation.
Permanent Removal vs Temporary Closure
When it comes to managing your profile, you have three main options, each with different levels of visibility and impact on your business data. Here’s how they compare:
- Temporary Closure: This option keeps your profile active on Google Search and Maps but marks it as "Temporarily Closed." It’s perfect for situations where you plan to reopen, such as during renovations or seasonal breaks. Your reviews and existing content remain intact, and customers can still see your profile.
- Permanent Closure: Choosing this option changes your profile status to "Permanently Closed." While the profile remains visible on Search and Maps, it clearly shows the business is no longer operational. This allows you to preserve your reviews and reputation while informing customers of your closure.
- Complete Removal: This is the most drastic option, as it deletes your profile and all associated content, including photos, posts, and videos. If you ever wish to reactivate, you’ll need to go through the full verification process again.
Here’s a quick comparison of these options:
| Option | Profile Visibility | Reviews Preserved | Can Reopen | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Closure | Visible with "Temporarily Closed" | Yes | Yes | Renovations, seasonal closures |
| Permanent Closure | Visible with "Permanently Closed" | Yes | Possible | Business shutdown, reputation intact |
| Complete Removal | Not visible | No | Must re-verify | Ineligible businesses, major rebranding |
Common Reasons Australian Businesses Close Profiles
Australian businesses often have practical reasons for closing or removing their Google Business Profiles. For instance:
- Seasonal Operations: Many tourism-related businesses, such as those in coastal towns or ski resorts, operate only during specific months. Temporary closure ensures customers are informed without losing visibility during off-seasons.
- Relocation: Moving to a new location, especially across states or regions, can make profile updates tricky. Some businesses prefer to remove and recreate their profiles to avoid confusion caused by outdated information.
- Rebranding: When a business undergoes a significant transformation – such as a name change, new services, or a shift in target audience – it might make sense to remove the old profile and start fresh.
- Compliance Issues: Businesses transitioning from physical locations to online-only operations may need to remove their profiles to comply with Google’s guidelines, as Google Business Profiles are meant for businesses with a physical presence.
Who Can Remove or Close a Profile
Google has strict rules about who can make major changes to a business profile. Only owners and primary owners have the authority to remove a profile, ensuring that unauthorised changes by employees or former staff are prevented.
If you’re a new owner or manager, be aware that Google enforces a 7-day waiting period before you’re allowed to make changes like removing profile content or managers. This safeguard ensures decisions are made carefully and allows time for a smooth ownership transition.
"If you want to remove your Google Business Profile (GBP) so it is no longer visible in Search and Map results, you have a few options. For seasonal or temporary closures, you can mark your profile temporarily closed, letting customers know you’ll be back at a future date. For permanent closures, you can mark the profile permanently closed or request to have it permanently removed from Maps so it is no longer visible." – Colan Diamond, Product Expert
It’s worth noting that even if you remove all content and managers from a profile, Google may still display basic business details sourced elsewhere. For businesses with multiple locations, Google offers bulk removal tools via Business Profile Manager. However, if errors occur, you may need to remove content and managers for each location individually.
With these options and controls in mind, the next step is understanding how to implement these changes. We’ll now delve into the detailed procedures for permanent removal and temporary closure.
How to Permanently Remove a Google Business Profile
Before you decide to permanently delete your Google Business Profile, it’s important to understand the process and its consequences. This action is irreversible, so taking the correct steps and being prepared for the outcomes is crucial.
Finding Your Profile and Removal Options
To begin, access your profile using the authorised Google account. Keep in mind that only the primary owner has the authority to remove a Business Profile’s content and managers. If you’ve recently been added as an owner or manager, you’ll need to wait seven days before you can make any changes to content or management permissions.
For a single Business Profile, log in to your authorised Google account, head to your Business Profile, and navigate to More > Business Profile settings. From there, select Remove Business Profile, choose Remove profile content and managers, and confirm your choice by clicking Continue, Remove, and finally Done.
If you’re managing multiple locations, Google provides a streamlined option through the Business Profile Manager. Sign in using the account associated with all your profiles, select the profiles you want to delete, and then click Actions at the top right. Choose Remove businesses and confirm with Remove. If you encounter any issues during bulk removal, you may need to handle each profile individually by removing its content and managers.
Once your profile is removed, it’s important to understand the long-term consequences outlined below.
What Happens When You Permanently Remove Your Profile
Deleting your profile comes with lasting effects, so it’s essential to be aware of the outcomes before proceeding. Permanent removal impacts all owners and managers. Any posts, photos, videos, and review replies created by owners and managers will be permanently deleted. However, user-generated content, such as reviews, will remain visible even after the profile is removed.
Once deleted, the content cannot be recovered or managed. If you wish to manage the business again in the future, you’ll need to go through the verification process to create a new Business Profile. Additionally, removing content and managers doesn’t guarantee that your business will no longer appear on Google Search or Maps.
Record Keeping for Australian Businesses
Before completing the removal process, Australian businesses should ensure they meet local record-keeping and compliance requirements.
Using Google Takeout is a smart way to download a copy of your business data. Choose the appropriate file format and delivery method to suit your needs. This step is especially important for tax purposes, such as claiming business expenses or managing GST obligations.
Make sure to document the removal date in the standard Australian format (dd/mm/yyyy). For example, if you’re removing your profile today, record it as 09/07/2025. Since content cannot be retrieved after deletion, having a complete record beforehand is critical.
If your profile includes high-performing posts that contribute to business reporting, take extra care before deleting them. Removing these posts could create discrepancies in your data, especially if an older post is still generating significant engagement. In such cases, consider keeping the post active for now to preserve accurate reporting.
For businesses undergoing rebranding or relocation, it’s often better to update your profile information rather than delete it entirely. This approach allows you to retain your reviews and established online presence while maintaining control over your business details.
How to Temporarily Close or Mark Your Business as Permanently Closed
Sometimes, businesses need to take a break – whether for renovations, seasonal downtime, or other reasons – without completely deleting their Google Business Profile.
Fortunately, Google offers tools to help you communicate these changes, ensuring customers stay informed while your profile remains active. Here’s how to adjust your business hours and status to reflect temporary or permanent closures.
Adjusting Business Hours and Status
The method you choose depends on the duration of your closure. For short closures (less than seven days), it’s best to use the "Special hours" feature. This option allows you to specify the exact dates your business will be unavailable, without marking it as temporarily closed. Your profile remains fully functional, and customers can see when you’ll reopen.
If your business will be closed for a longer period, marking it as temporarily closed is the way to go. This status informs customers that your business is currently unavailable but will reopen in the future. Importantly, your profile will remain visible on Google Search and Maps, and customers can still leave reviews during this time.
To mark your business as temporarily closed, follow these steps:
- On Google Search, go to your Business Profile and click "Edit profile."
- On Google Maps, select "Edit profile", then "Business information."
- At the top right, click "Hours", then "Edit."
- Choose "Temporarily closed" and save your changes.
"For seasonal or temporary closures, you can mark your profile temporarily closed, letting customers know you’ll be back at a future date." – Sterling Sky Inc
If your closure is permanent, the process is similar. Instead of selecting "Temporarily closed", choose "Permanently closed." This will update your profile to show the "Permanently closed" status on Google Maps and Search. Keep in mind, even with this status, your profile may still appear in search results.
One important note: avoid using the "Opening date" feature with a future date when marking your business as temporarily closed. Doing so could hide your profile and reviews from view. If your business has moved to a new location, update the address instead of marking it as permanently closed.
Keeping Customers Informed During a Closure
Transparency is key when your business is closed. Update your business description to include details about the closure and any potential delays in shipping or services. For Australian businesses serving customers across states, this is especially important, as delivery times may vary based on location.
If you’re transitioning to an online-only operation, remove your physical address from the profile and set a service area instead. Update your description to highlight that you now serve all of Australia, and select a category like "Online Store" or "E-commerce". However, remember that Google requires online-only businesses to maintain some form of in-person customer interaction to keep their profiles active.
For businesses marked as permanently closed, there’s good news: you can reopen the profile when you’re ready to resume operations. This flexibility allows you to maintain your online presence even during extended closures, while ensuring customers are kept in the loop about your status. By following these steps, you can manage your profile effectively and keep your customers informed without losing visibility.
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Australian Business Requirements and Compliance
Updating your Google Business Profile involves more than just refreshing your online details – it’s also about meeting Australia’s legal and tax requirements. Staying compliant with these regulations is crucial to avoid potential liabilities and ensure your business operates within the law.
Meeting Australian Business Standards
When updating or removing your profile, it’s essential to ensure your Australian Business Number (ABN) and address formatting meet local standards. If you’re closing your business permanently, you’re legally required to cancel your ABN within 28 days of ceasing operations.
Before marking your business as permanently closed on Google, make sure your tax obligations are finalised. For example, cancel your Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration within 21 days of stopping business activities. You’ll also need to lodge your final Business Activity Statements (BAS), income tax returns, and Pay As You Go (PAYG) reports, as well as settle employee-related taxes.
Cancelling your ABN will also cancel other tax registrations tied to it, such as GST, luxury car tax (LCT), wine equalisation tax (WET), and fuel tax credits (FTC). However, before cancellation, you must fulfil all reporting, lodgement, and payment obligations. Any outstanding tax debts, including GST, must be cleared. Additionally, ensure that all employee wages, final pay entitlements, and benefits are settled according to Australian employment laws. Business records must be kept for at least five years, while employee records need to be retained for seven years.
GST and Financial Considerations
Closing your business also involves addressing GST and other financial matters. For instance, when selling business assets, you’ll need to account for GST and possibly Capital Gains Tax (CGT) in the sale price. These obligations should be carefully managed in your final BAS and any remaining asset transactions.
If you still have PAYG instalment obligations at the time of cancelling your ABN, consult a tax agent immediately. They can help adjust your PAYG instalment amount to reflect your current financial situation.
The Australian Taxation Office provides a business viability assessment tool to help determine if your business is financially sustainable. Seeking advice from an accountant or tax agent is highly recommended to ensure you meet all financial requirements.
Avoiding Misleading Practices
Under Australian Consumer Law (ACL), it’s unlawful to mislead or deceive customers. This means you cannot manipulate, filter, or remove negative reviews to create a false impression of your business. If you suspect fake reviews or coordinated attacks linked to competitors, report them to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) with supporting evidence. Penalties for misleading conduct are severe and apply to businesses of all sizes.
To ensure a smooth business closure, create a checklist covering all outstanding obligations. For businesses with complex arrangements or significant assets, professional legal advice can help navigate the process effectively.
When to Get Professional Local SEO Help
Closing or removing a Google Business Profile might seem straightforward, but there are times when the process becomes far more complicated. In such cases, professional local SEO assistance can ensure everything is handled correctly, protecting both compliance and your brand’s reputation.
Situations That Call for Expert Assistance
Multi-location businesses face unique challenges when managing closures. Each location might have different legal requirements, and ensuring consistent branding during simultaneous closures can be a logistical nightmare without expert guidance.
Complex removal issues can arise if your business encounters suspensions, duplicate listings, or technical glitches during the closure process. For instance, since early 2025, our team at Search Scope, through our GBP reinstatement service, has successfully reinstated over 50 Australian Business Profiles within 24–48 hours, highlighting how quickly small issues can escalate into major headaches.
Compliance concerns are another area where professional help is invaluable. Incorrect or outdated information can deter customers, and navigating both Google’s rules and Australian regulations – like privacy laws and ACCC guidelines – requires precision. SEO experts can ensure your closure process adheres to these standards, avoiding unnecessary complications.
Reputation management during closure is crucial. Many customers value businesses that handle online reviews effectively, even during transitions. If negative reviews or complaints arise, professional oversight ensures your responses align with Australian Consumer Law.
Time-sensitive closures also benefit from expert intervention. With many local searches leading to immediate calls or visits, delays or errors during the closure process can create confusion and even legal risks. Professionals can streamline the process, minimising disruptions to your customers.
Key Points for Managing Your Google Business Profile
When it comes to managing your Google Business Profile, there are several critical steps to ensure a smooth process, especially when dealing with closure or removal.
Know your options. If your business has permanently closed, a complete removal will erase it from Google Maps and search results. On the other hand, a temporary closure keeps your profile visible but indicates your current status, which might be helpful for businesses planning to reopen.
Follow Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Any decisions you make should align with ACL, which prohibits misleading or deceptive practices. This is especially important when communicating changes to your customers.
Preserve your data. Before making any permanent changes, secure all your profile data. This includes backing up posts, photos, videos, and customer interactions. Once your profile is permanently removed, this content is gone forever. Keep a record of all changes and communications with Google for your own reference.
Keep customers informed. Don’t stop at updating your Google profile. Use your primary communication channels – like email, social media, or your website – to notify customers about your status or closure. Transparency helps maintain trust.
Manage reviews. Even if your business is closed, reviews don’t disappear. You can’t delete customer reviews directly, so it’s important to monitor and respond to them. This helps protect your online reputation. For complex situations, seeking expert advice may be a wise move.
Consider professional help. If you’re dealing with challenges like managing multiple locations, technical issues, or compliance concerns, professional guidance can save you time and prevent costly mistakes. This is particularly important for businesses with more intricate needs.
The key to effectively managing your Google Business Profile is selecting the approach that fits your situation best. Whether you’re permanently closing, temporarily pausing operations, or transferring ownership, understanding your options and their effects will help you safeguard your business interests and maintain strong customer relationships during the transition.
FAQs
What’s the difference between temporarily and permanently closing a Google Business Profile?
The key difference between these options is how your Google Business Profile appears to customers and its potential for future use.
If you opt for temporarily closing your profile, it tells customers that your business is unavailable for a short time – perhaps due to renovations or seasonal breaks. Your profile will still be visible online, labelled as ‘Temporarily closed’, and you can reopen it whenever you’re ready.
On the other hand, permanently closing your profile communicates that the business has shut down for good. In this case, the profile will display as ‘Permanently closed’ on Google Search and Maps but might still show up in search results. Once marked as permanently closed, the profile can’t be reopened unless updated, and in some cases, it can even be completely removed from view.
Make sure to choose the option that accurately reflects your business’s current status so customers are kept in the loop.
How can Australian businesses properly close or remove a Google Business Profile while meeting local requirements?
How to Close or Remove a Google Business Profile in Australia
If you’re looking to close or remove your Google Business Profile, it’s crucial to follow Google’s official process. For Australian businesses, this might involve marking your profile as permanently closed or updating its details to reflect changes, such as relocating or shifting to an online-only setup. Accuracy is key – incorrect updates could confuse or mislead your customers.
Beyond that, it’s essential to stay on the right side of Australian consumer laws and advertising regulations. This means avoiding misleading information and addressing any issues, like fake reviews, through Google’s official channels. These steps not only ensure compliance but also help safeguard your business’s reputation.
How can I save important business data before permanently deleting my Google Business Profile?
Before you go ahead and delete your Google Business Profile, make sure to back up any important business information you might need later. This includes things like photos, posts, reviews, and other essential details. Once the profile is gone, all of this data will be permanently erased.
To keep valuable insights safe, you might want to export your reviews or save any customer interactions that could be useful for your records. Remember, once the profile is deleted, there’s no way to recover any of the associated data – so take the time to secure anything important beforehand.
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Dorian Menard
https://searchscope.com.auI’m Dorian, founder of Search Scope and an SEO obsessed with ROI and lead generation. After a decade in the trenches, I’ve built and ranked digital assets for businesses across the world. I cut through the noise with data, automation, and strategies that actually convert. When I’m not scaling rankings, you’ll find me on a motorbike or setting chess traps — always planning three moves ahead.