BY BUSINESS TYPE
Car dealerships
What are Google's profile rules for car dealerships?
Google gives car dealerships their own hours rule (use car sales hours, and use the new sales hours if new-car and pre-owned car sales hours differ) and separate guidelines for auto dealers, including which profiles a dealership can have.
The rule
In its guidelines for representing a business, Google lists car dealerships among the industries with their own rule for which hours to use when a business has multiple sets of hours. The rule is to use car sales hours. If new-car and pre-owned car sales hours differ, use the new sales hours. Google's general hours rule asks for your regular customer-facing hours. Google says auto dealers have specific and separate guidelines, and it links to its Business Profile start page for auto dealerships. Its dealership guide says car dealerships can have multiple Business Profiles on Google. Google says it can suspend access to Business Profiles of businesses that violate these guidelines.
Sources: support.google.com/business/answer/3038177 · support.google.com/business/answer/9074301
How to tell if it applies to your profile
The dealership hours rule applies if your dealership has more than one set of hours, for example separate new-car and pre-owned car sales hours. Google says all car dealerships can have a profile for the dealership itself and more profiles for departments such as sales, parts or services. New-car dealerships can also have a profile for each brand of new cars sold. Used-car dealerships can't have profiles per brand of cars sold. If your dealership has a department profile, its name should be the dealership's name with the department name.
Sources: support.google.com/business/answer/3038177 · support.google.com/business/answer/9074301
What to fix before you appeal
Check that your profile uses car sales hours, and the new sales hours if new and pre-owned car sales hours differ. Google says your business name should reflect your business's real-world name, as used consistently on your storefront, website and stationery, and as known to customers. Including unnecessary information in your business name isn't permitted and could result in suspension of your Business Profile. The phone number on your profile must be under the direct control of the business. Google says to keep dealership contact information current, and to keep the information for separate department profiles current too, such as hours or contact numbers for sales and service departments. Google recommends the categories “Car dealer” for sales, “Car service” for maintenance, and “Auto parts business” for parts sales.
Sources: support.google.com/business/answer/3038177 · support.google.com/business/answer/9075680 · support.google.com/business/answer/9074301
Published 20 October 2026 · All guides