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My Old Marketing Agency Controls My Google Business Profile. How Do I Get It Back?

Ask the agency in writing to make you primary owner. If they ignore you, Google has a request-ownership process for the real business owner. Your profile belongs to your business, not to whoever set it up.

Updated Oct 9, 2026 · by CitedLocal

Step 1: Find out what access you actually have

Sign in to the Google account you use for the business and open your Business Profile. If you can see it, check the people list. Google has two roles: owners, who can add and remove people, and managers, who can edit the profile but can't add or remove users. If you are only a manager, or you can't see the profile at all, the agency holds the keys.

Step 2: Ask in writing

Send a short email to the agency asking them to transfer primary ownership to your email address. Keep it factual: the business name, the profile address, the email you want as owner, and a date. Most agencies hand it over once asked in writing. Keep a copy of the request.

Step 3: If they don't respond, use Google's request-ownership flow

1. Search for your business on Google or Maps while signed in to your own Google account.
2. Choose to claim or manage the profile. Google will tell you someone else may manage it and offer a request form.
3. Fill in the form with your name, your relationship to the business, and how you want to be contacted.
4. Watch your email. Google contacts the current owner and lets you know what happens next, including whether you can verify the profile yourself.

Things not to do

• Don't create a second profile to get around it. Google's guidelines allow one profile per business, and duplicates cause display problems on Maps and Search.
• Don't change the business name, address or category while the request is open. Big edits can trigger re-verification.
• Don't let the next agency own it. Give agencies manager access. You stay primary owner.

Why this matters for AI answers too

Google's own guidance on AI features tells site owners to keep their Business Profile information up to date. If you can't edit your profile, you can't fix wrong hours, categories or services, and those errors flow into what Google and AI assistants say about you.

How Do I Switch Marketing Agencies Without Losing My Google Accounts?

Get yourself made owner of every account before you give notice: Google Business Profile, domain, hosting, website, analytics and ads. Then give notice. Then remove the old agency.

Before you give notice

1. Google Business Profile: confirm you are primary owner. If not, ask for primary ownership in writing.
2. Domain: confirm the registrar account and registrant are yours.
3. Hosting and website: get owner-level logins.
4. Google Analytics and Search Console: make sure your own Google account has full or owner access.
5. Ad accounts: make sure the account is in your name with your payment method, and you have admin access.
6. Reports: download the last 12 months of reports and any ranking baselines.

When you give notice

Ask for a short handover list: every account, its owner, and any assets that belong to you (photos, page copy, citations built in your name). Keep it polite and in writing.

After the switch

• Remove the old agency from each account once the new one has access.
• Give the new agency manager access, not ownership.
• Don't let the new agency rebuild your profile or create a new one. One profile per business.
• Get a fresh baseline in month one so you can measure the new agency fairly.

If the old agency won't hand over the profile

Use Google's request-ownership flow for your Business Profile. For a domain, contact the registrar and follow ICANN's guidance for registrants.

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