To keep your money safe and comply with regulations, Google Pay may need to verify your identity. This article explains why we might ask you to verify and how to complete verification.
Why we might ask you to verify your info
Important:
- If we ask you to verify your account, any pending transactions are canceled.
- Transactions placed on hold are returned to your account within 14 working days.
We might ask you to verify your identity and payment information to:
- Confirm that your info is correct before you access specific content.
- Confirm your identity when you buy from Google.
- Confirm your identity when you add a new payment method to Google Pay.
- Secure your account if we notice any strange activity with your account.
- Ask for additional info when we need them for legal or regulatory reasons.
Verify your info
- Go to payments.google.com.
- Sign in to your account.
- At the top right, click Alerts
Verify.
- If there are no alerts, click Payment methods.
- Next to the card that must be verified, click Verify.
- To verify your info, follow the onscreen instructions.
- To verify other payment methods, repeat the same steps.
Learn how to verify your identity or payment info.
Different ways to verify your info
To complete verification, you can use one of these methods:
Get a verification code- Click Get code.
- Go to your bank’s website.
- Sign in to your account.
- On your recent transactions, you should find a temporary charge from Google for less than $1.95.
- The last 6 digits are your verification code.
- The amount of the charge depends on the type of currency you use.
- You’ll get the code right away, but it can take up to 7 days.
- Enter the 6-digit code into the box.
- Click Verify.
Tips:
- The charge or hold on your account is temporary. Charges are refunded within 30 days.
- In some cases, you might initially receive a 5-digit code. You'll have the full 6-digit code once the bank approves the transaction. If you don't receive the 6-digit code, contact your bank.
Important:
- The info you upload is used only to verify your identity.
- This method isn’t available for YouTube and Google Store purchase verification.
What info you might need to provide:
- Your legal name and the name on your Payments profile
- Your address
- Your date of birth
- An image of your government ID
- Proof of address
- An image of your payment method
Upload your documents:
- To find accepted document types:
- Find the verification request.
- Use the link available in the request.
Make sure your documents:
- Use the same full name on all of the documents you upload
- Are up to date and not expired
- Are easy to read
Make sure the image that you upload:
- Is just a picture of the document
- Is easy to read
- Is in color, not black and white
- Doesn’t have blurry parts, or glare
- Shows all four corners of the document
To cover up info on your documents
- Draw a dark box over any sensitive information.
- If you upload bank statements, cover:
- Your full account number. Keep the last 4 digits visible.
- Your account balances or any transactions. This information isn’t required for verification.
Tips:
- Make sure your name, address, and payment info are up to date at payments.google.com.
- After you upload your documents, the review process can take 1–7 days.
How Google uses your info
- To confirm your identity and verify if your payment method is correct.
- Protects against fraud and abuse.
- For all Google products, it improves the verification process.
- Stores your verified info, like the name and address in Google Account.
- You can manage your verified info at payments.google.com.
We use your info in compliance with Google Privacy Policy and the Google Payments Privacy Notice.
Fix issues with verification
Fix issues with verification codes & temporary holdsIf you encounter verification problems, complete the troubleshooter or find your issue below.
Fix issues with document verificationIf you need to verify your payment method, we might put a temporary hold or charge on your card transaction history or statement If you have issues with verification codes, follow these steps.
Important: The code might not show up in your transactions right away. Wait a couple of days before you try to fix the problem.
To fix the problem quickly, you can
- If the option is available you can, upload documents to verify.
- The “Upload document” method isn't available for YouTube and Google Store purchase verification.
- Use a different payment method .
For more info, go to fix issues with payment method verification codes.
Verification failed- If you get an email or an error message, follow the instructions in the message.
- If you have issues when you submit documents, contact support.
- If you need help from our team to fix the problem, we’ll contact you after we look at your info.
Fix issues with the image of your payment methodIf your verification fails, you'll receive an email after the decision. To appeal the decision, follow the instructions in the email.
If you're asked to provide an image of your payment method and you have a numberless card, you can complete verification once you submit:
- A screenshot of the last 4 digits of your account on your mobile or desktop application.
- A copy of your recent statement with a valid government ID.
Related resources
Need more help?
If you still have issues or any questions, you can ask the community or contact us.