Service area businesses: how to set up your Google profile
The short answer
A service area business visits or delivers to customers instead of serving them at an address. Google says to hide the address, and lets you list up to 20 service areas, with the whole area no more than about 2 hours of driving from your business. You set it under Edit profile, then Location.
By Reputant · Updated October 31, 2026 · 3 min read
What counts as a service area business on Google?
Per Google's service area help page, a service-area business visits or delivers to customers but does not serve them at a business address. Each one gets one profile for its whole area.
A hybrid business serves customers at its address and also visits or delivers. It can show a storefront address, set staff availability hours and have a service area. Google says a hybrid business with no permanent on-site signage should be listed as a service-area business.
Businesses with age-restricted products, such as alcohol, cannabis or weapons, need a storefront to qualify.
Should I hide my address?
Yes, if customers do not come to you. Google's guidelines say that if you are a service-area business, you should hide your business address from customers. The service area page says to remove the address from your profile if you do not serve customers there.
If you do serve customers at your address and also have a service area, keep both.
Virtual offices are not eligible for a profile, and P.O. boxes are not an acceptable address, per the same guidelines.
How big can my service area be?
Google's service area page gives two limits. You can have up to 20 service areas, based on cities, postal codes or other areas. The overall service area should be no more than about 2 hours of driving from your business.
You cannot set a radius around your business. Areas must be defined by city, postal code or another area type.
| Rule | What Google says |
|---|---|
| Number of areas | Up to 20 |
| Area types | Cities, postal codes or other areas |
| Overall reach | No more than about 2 hours of driving from your business |
| Radius | You cannot set a radius around your business |
How do I set my service area?
These are the steps from Google's page. Menu names can change.
- Go to your Business Profile.
- Select Edit profile, then Location.
- Next to Service area, select Edit.
- Choose a suggested area or enter one. Repeat for each place you serve, up to 20.
- Select Save.
Google says approved edits can take up to 48 hours to appear.
How do I remove a service area?
Follow the first three steps above, then under Selected service areas remove the places you do not serve and select Save. Google says removing all service areas requires a storefront business with its address on the profile.
What should I do after setting it up?
Choose your categories carefully, since they describe the core of the business. See Google Business Profile categories. If you have not verified yet, read how to verify your Google Business Profile.
Our suggestion is to list the places you actually serve and keep the list in step with your website. For ranking across a wide area, read how to rank higher on Google Maps, and for what happens if a profile breaks the rules, see why profiles get suspended.