How to delete a business from Google Maps

Google Maps is closely tied to Google My Business (now called Google Business Profile), which is widely used by local businesses to attract customers and manage their online reputation. That’s why, if you want to remove a business from Google Maps, you’ll need access to your Google My Business account.

Here’s how to proceed, plus answers to some common questions.

Can you delete a Google My Business account?

Google My Business is an excellent tool for attracting local customers and improving your reputation online, thanks to its customer review system.

Still, some businesses prefer not to appear on Google My Business—either because they don’t actually operate locally, or because they’ve faced a reputation issue and want to remove their profile quickly.

The good news: you can delete your Google My Business account, just like other Google services. But deleting the account does not automatically remove your business listing from Google Maps or Google Search.

How to remove a business from Google My Business

If you delete your Google My Business account, the business information may still appear publicly. What changes is that you’ll no longer manage it, leaving your profile vulnerable to edits from outside users and reviews you can’t respond to.

If you still want to proceed, here’s how:

1. Sign in to Google My Business with the account linked to your business.
2. On the left-hand menu, click Info.
3. Select Close or remove this listing and then Remove listing.
4. Google will ask you to sign in again to confirm the process.
5. Read the warning message and accept if necessary.
6. Finally, click Delete account.

Keep in mind: once you request deletion, it can take up to 60 days for the listing to disappear completely from Google services.

How to delete a business from Google Maps

If your business still appears on Google Maps after deleting your account, you can request its removal—even if you don’t manage the listing.

Here’s how:

1. Open Google Maps on your browser or app.
2. Search for the location you want to remove.
3. Click Suggest an edit.
4. Select Close or remove, then choose a valid reason.
5. Click Submit.

That’s it—the location will be reviewed for removal.

Marking a business as “permanently closed”

In many cases, it’s better to mark a business as Permanently closed rather than deleting the listing entirely. Why?

• Customers will immediately see that your business has closed.
• You keep all the historical data and reviews in case you ever reopen.
• It avoids long waiting times (full deletion can take months).

To mark your business as permanently closed:

• Open Google Maps on your computer or phone and search for your business.
• Click Suggest an edit > Close or remove.
• Choose Permanently closed.
• Click Save to send the request.

For seasonal businesses or temporary closures longer than 7 days, you can also mark your business as Temporarily closed.

How to report duplicate listings on Google Maps

Duplicate business listings can confuse customers and harm your brand. They may occur if you accidentally create multiple locations or if Google automatically generates a duplicate.

Duplicates hurt your business because:

• Customers may get confused and go to the wrong location.
• You can lose reviews.
• Your brand loses authority and credibility.
• Google may penalize your account.

To fix duplicates you created:

1. Log in to your Google account.
2. Go to Locations and look for duplicates.
3. Select the duplicate you want to delete.
4. Remove the selected listing.

If a duplicate was created by someone else, you’ll need to report it to Google and wait for their team to remove it.

When does it make sense to delete a business from Google Maps?

For most businesses, being listed on Google Maps is an advantage. But there are situations where removing your listing makes sense:

• Relocation: if your business moves, update your address so customers can find you.
• Closure: if your business has shut down, remove the listing to avoid confusion.
• Rebranding: if you switch from a flower shop to a bakery, remove the old listing and create a new one.
• Nonexistent business: if you mistakenly added a business that never existed, delete it to avoid misinformation.
• Wrong address: if the address is incorrect, fix it—or delete the listing and recreate it with the right location.

Key takeaways

Deleting a business from Google Maps isn’t always necessary, and in many cases marking it as Permanently closed is the better option. But if you’ve decided removal is the right step, Google offers ways to manage or request it.

If you find the process complicated or need assistance managing your online presence, don’t hesitate to contact Repscan. Our team specializes in online reputation management and can help you handle removals efficiently while protecting your brand’s image.