LSA Verification Status
What AdGradr checks
Section titled “What AdGradr checks”AdGradr looks at the verification status of every artifact attached to your LSA account: business license, insurance, background check, and any category-specific credentials Google requires for your service vertical.
Each artifact has a status: PASSED/ACTIVE, FAILED, or EXPIRED. AdGradr counts how many are in each state. Any failed or expired verification triggers a finding because the consequence is direct: your Google Verified badge can be suspended and your ads can stop serving until the verification is renewed.
This check only runs when your account has active LSA campaigns and Google has returned verification data via the API.
Why this matters
Section titled “Why this matters”The Google Verified or Google Screened badge is the single biggest LSA differentiator. Prospects choose verified providers over non-verified ones because Google literally puts the green checkmark next to your name. Lose the badge and conversion drops noticeably the same week.
Verifications expire on their own schedule (insurance annually, background checks every two years, licenses on whatever cycle your local jurisdiction uses). They do not auto-renew. Most accounts that suddenly stop serving turn out to have an expired verification that nobody noticed.
What good looks like
Section titled “What good looks like”- All required verification artifacts in PASSED/ACTIVE state
- Calendar reminders set 30 days before each known expiration date
- Background check refreshed within Google’s required cycle
- Insurance certificate uploaded and current
- Business license uploaded and current
Common mistakes
Section titled “Common mistakes”- Setting up LSA, getting verified, then never checking the dashboard again. This is the most common failure mode. By the time the badge disappears, the verification has been expired for weeks.
- Updating insurance with the carrier but never re-uploading to LSA. Google does not pull your insurance from the carrier. You have to upload the new certificate every renewal.
- Missing category-specific requirements. Some verticals (locksmiths, plumbers, electricians, others) require additional credentials. Adding a new service category can trigger a new verification requirement that you did not know about.
- Letting background checks lapse for new staff. If you list specific employees on the LSA profile, each may need their own background check.
How to fix it
Section titled “How to fix it”- Open the LSA dashboard, go to the Profile and Verifications section.
- Identify any artifact in EXPIRED or FAILED state. The dashboard will tell you what is needed (new document upload, new background check, license number correction, etc).
- Submit the renewal immediately. Verification reviews can take three to ten business days. Until they pass, you are at risk of badge suspension.
- Calendar every expiration date 30 days out. Future-you will not remember without a prompt.
- For staff background checks, use Google’s third-party vendor. It standardizes the process and reduces the chance of a failed submission.
When to ignore this check
Section titled “When to ignore this check”There is no good reason to ignore an expired verification on an active account. The cost of a one-week badge suspension is almost always larger than the time it takes to upload a fresh document.
Want someone to handle this? The Click Makers team manages Google Ads accounts for companies spending $10K+/month. Get in touch to see if we are a fit.