By Restoration Advertising · 10/07/2026

Local Services Ads for a Restoration Company

What Google checks before a restoration company can run Local Services Ads, how you pay, and what to ready first. Requirements vary by category and place.

A smartphone showing a map on a kitchen counter after a leak

What are Local Services Ads?

Local Services Ads are Google's pay-per-lead format for home service businesses, and a business has to pass Google's screening before its ads can run. Google says you only pay when a customer gets in touch from your ad (Google Local Services Help: How providers qualify for Local Services Ads, page undated). For a restoration company, where the first call often wins the job, that is why owners ask about them. This article covers what Google asks of you, not whether the ads will pay off for your market. For that comparison, see Google Ads, Local Services Ads or SEO: which first.

What does Google check before your ads can run?

Google says every business must pass its screening and verification process, and that the process varies by business category and location. Checks can include background, business registration, insurance and license checks (Google Local Services Help: Business screening and verification requirements, United States, page undated).

One requirement applies to every category: a public and verified Google Business Profile (same page). If yours is not set up yet, start with your Google Business Profile as a restoration company.

Google's United States requirements page lists water damage as its own category, and mentions IICRC certification in that entry. Read your own category's row on Google's page before you plan anything, because the checks differ by category and can change.

What changes when Local Services Ads move into Google Ads

Google is moving Local Services Ads into Google Ads as Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals, in phases from August 2026 (Google Ads Help: Local Services Ads transition to Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals, fetched 11/08/2026). Three things on that page matter to a restoration company already running these ads:

  • Verification carries over. Google says insurance and license reverification are no longer required after the move. If another business-level check is ever needed, a notice appears in your Google Ads account. The screening described above still applies to a business applying for the first time.
  • Your old reports do not. Google says Local Services Ads performance reports will not transition and will no longer be accessible, and the original dashboard closes. Your lead history does move. Download or screenshot the reports you rely on before your account moves.
  • When yours moves. The late-2026 phase names service-area businesses without physical storefronts, which describes most restoration companies, but Google does not list restoration categories by name. Watch for Google's notice in your account.

What to gather before you apply

  • A public, verified Business Profile

    The one requirement Google states for every category. Your name, categories and service areas should already be accurate.

  • Business registration and licenses

    Google lists business and owner license checks for many categories. Have your state-level paperwork current and to hand.

  • Insurance documents

    Most home service categories list insurance checks. Confirm which coverage Google names for water damage and that your policy is current.

  • Who may be checked

    Google marks background checks as applying to select users in many categories. Read your category's row to see who is covered.

  • Certifications you actually hold

    If Google's entry for your category mentions a certification, have the proof ready, and claim nothing you cannot document.

  • A way to answer every lead

    You pay for each contact, so a missed call is money gone. Decide who answers at 2 a.m. before the ads start.

Are the ads worth it for you?

That depends on your market, your capacity and how fast you answer. Google does not promise results, and neither should anyone selling you a number. Track every lead you pay for to a booked job, and judge the ads on cost per booked job, not cost per lead. If you cannot take on more work this month, no ad format fixes that.

Your checklist

  • Business Profile public, verified and accurate
  • Google's requirements page read for the water damage category, in your state
  • Licenses and insurance current, with copies ready
  • A plan for who answers leads, at every hour you advertise
  • A way to tie each lead to a booked job

Want help planning your online presence? See for restoration companies, or check how you appear in the directory.

FAQ

Do Local Services Ads cost money to set up?

Google says you only pay when a customer gets in touch from your ad. Check Google's current pages for any other fees that apply in your area.

Is a Google Business Profile required?

Yes. Google states that Local Services advertisers must have a public and verified Google Business Profile.

Do the requirements differ by state or category?

Yes. Google says the screening process varies by type of service and location, so read the row for your own category and state.

Researched and drafted with AI, then reviewed and edited by the site's editors.