Google allows one Business Profile per business, and says a profile considered a duplicate won't show on Search or Maps. Which fix you need depends on who owns each listing and whether they really are the same business.
Step by step
- List every listing for your business: search your name, old names, phone number and address on Google Maps. Note which is verified and which you manage.
- A duplicate you created yourself: remove it from your account and keep the verified profile. Google's help page links to 'Remove a Business Profile'.
- Duplicates on Maps that you don't control: request a merge by suggesting an edit on Google Maps (on the duplicate, report it as a duplicate of your listing). Google reviews every merge request and says the profiles must represent the same business with the same info. Reviews are combined, but replies may be lost.
- Wrongly marked as a duplicate (two genuinely different businesses at one address): Google says each needs a different name and clearly different signage, and you can contact support to appeal the duplicate status. Expect to be asked for photos of permanent signage for both businesses.
- Someone else verified the listing for your business? See request ownership.
What not to do
- Don't delete the verified listing with the reviews to keep a newer one.
- Don't create separate profiles for each service or department of the same business.
- Don't use different names on the listings to make them look distinct. It needs to match real signage.
Google's official help on this
- Resolve duplicate profiles & ownership issues (Google Business Profile Help)
- Guidelines for representing your business on Google (Google Business Profile Help)
Common questions
Do I lose reviews when profiles merge?
Google says reviews are combined when profiles merge, but replies to reviews may be lost.
Can two businesses share an address?
Yes, if they're distinct, eligible businesses with different names and clearly visible differences in signage, per Google's help page.
Honest note: This page summarises Google's own public help articles (linked above) plus common-sense checks. We are not Google and can't see inside your account, so we can't promise any outcome: Google alone decides suspensions, appeals, verification and rankings. Google changes its tools and wording often, so if anything here differs from what you see, follow Google's current help page.
Other profile problems
- Google Business Profile suspended or disabled: what to do
- Google Business Profile verification failed: what to try next
- Google Business Profile verification pending or stuck
- How to change your Google Business Profile category
- The category you want isn't in Google's list: what to do
- Service-area business vs storefront: hide your address or show it?
- Your business isn't showing on Google Maps: find out why
- Google Business Profile name rules (and why keyword-stuffing gets profiles suspended)
- Google reviews disappeared or not showing: why, and what you can do
- Someone else owns your Google Business Profile: how to request ownership
- Writing your Google Business Profile description (750-character limit)
- Your Google Business Profile edits aren't showing (or Google changed them)
- How to report a fake or unfair Google review (and when it can be removed)
- Add or remove an owner or manager on your Google Business Profile