Country guide · India
Google Ads Government Certification in India
Quick answer
India does not have a blanket certification rule. Google’s policy names the ration card as an Indian example of regional identification numbers, and lists India as a regional exclusion for business identifiers. Other covered services, such as passports, driver licenses, vehicle registration or travel authorizations, follow the general rules. Google also publishes an India-specific list of documents for advertiser verification.
On this page
- Quick summary
- The policy for advertisers in India
- Does India require Google Ads government certification?
- Indian references in Google's policy
- India-specific considerations
- Government providers in India
- Authorized non-government providers
- Advertiser verification: India document requirements
- Certification vs advertiser verification
- Landing page considerations
- Common problems
- Practical preparation checklist
- Next steps
- Frequently asked questions
- Official Google sources
Key points
- India is not subject to a country-wide certification requirement.
- Business identifiers list India as a regional exclusion.
- The ration card is Google’s Indian example of regional identification numbers (covered).
- Passports, driver licenses, vehicle registration and other categories have no Indian exclusion.
- Google’s India document requirements page lists accepted IDs and registration documents for verification.
Quick summary
| Topic | What it means |
|---|---|
| Mentioned in Google’s policy? | Yes: one example and one regional exclusion |
| Indian example | Ration card (regional identification numbers) |
| Regional exclusion for India | Business identifiers |
| Verification documents | India-specific list published by Google (passport, driving license, voter ID, PAN card for individuals; registration documents such as Certificate of Incorporation, GST certificate or Udyam registration for organizations) |
| Country-wide certification rule? | No. It depends on the category and advertiser type |
The policy for advertisers in India
India has a large market of online intermediaries for government-related tasks, from company and tax registration to passports, licenses and travel documents. Google’s policy treats these very differently depending on the category. Understanding that is more useful than any general statement about “India”.
Does India require Google Ads government certification?
India does not have a country-wide rule. Google’s policy may require certification depending on the service, the advertiser type and the policy conditions:
- Business identifier services targeting India: India is a regional exclusion. Advertisers do not need to qualify as government or authorized providers for this category but still apply to be excluded from the policy.
- Ration card and other regional ID services: covered.
- Passports, driver licenses, vehicle registration, background checks and other listed categories: covered, with no Indian exclusion.
- Services outside the categories: this policy does not apply.
Indian references in Google's policy
| Category | India in the policy | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Regional identification numbers | Example: Ration card | Covered |
| Business identifiers | Regional exclusion: India | Apply for exclusion |
Google describes business identifiers as applying for a company registration number or business serial number, obtaining proof of government-certified business identification, or renewing or changing a business identification number. Our interpretation: company incorporation numbers and business tax registration numbers are likely to fall within this description; Google decides how an individual service is classified.
India-specific considerations
Business registration services
Because India is excluded for business identifiers, services promoting company or business registration numbers to users in India can apply under the regional exclusion instead of proving government authorization. The exclusion applies only to that category.
Passport, license and certificate services
Passport, driver license, vehicle registration, birth certificate and similar services have no Indian exclusion. Agents promoting these online should not assume the business-identifier exclusion helps them.
Travel authorizations
Indian travelers apply for e-visas and electronic travel authorizations to many countries, and foreign visitors apply for Indian e-visas. Electronic travel visas and authorizations are a transnational category: authorized providers are not limited by the targeting rule, but authorization is still required.
Government providers in India
Central, state and local government bodies can apply as government providers using their official domains (typically gov.in or nic.in). For advertiser verification in other contexts, Google’s India document list includes an official letter for government departments and agencies.
Authorized non-government providers
For covered categories, an Indian intermediary qualifies as an authorized provider only if an official, publicly accessible government website links to its domain and explicitly references it as authorized for the specific service; its domain promotes only that service; and its targeting matches the authorization (transnational categories excepted). A GST certificate, Udyam registration or trade license is not authorization under Google’s October 2026 criteria.
Advertiser verification: India document requirements
Google publishes a document list for India. The version we reviewed lists:
| Who | Documents listed by Google for India |
|---|---|
| Individuals | Indian government-issued photo ID: Indian passport, driving license, voter ID, PAN card |
| Organizations – registration | Articles of Association, Certificate of Incorporation, GST certificate, Memorandum of Association, Partnership Deed Registration Certificate, Registration of Society, Trust Deed, VAT certificate, Udyam (MSME) registration certificate, Corporate Identification Number (CIN); official letter for government departments and agencies |
| Organizations – representative | Passport, identification card, driving license or permanent residence card of the authorized representative |
Google requires documents to be valid, in color, clear and not photocopies or screenshots, with details that exactly match the payments profile. See verification documents and common verification failures.
Certification vs advertiser verification
The GST certificate or Certificate of Incorporation you use for verification proves identity, not authorization. Exclusion applicants and authorized providers both complete verification as well as certification. See the comparison.
Landing page considerations
We recommend that Indian service pages state clearly that the business is private, show service fees separately from government fees, link to the official government portal for the service and avoid the national emblem or government-style names.
Common problems
- Assuming India is excluded from the whole policy because of the business identifiers exclusion.
- Using a GST, Udyam or trade registration as proof of government authorization.
- Name mismatches between the company name on the Certificate of Incorporation and the payments profile.
- Submitting photocopies or scans that are not in color.
- Bundling excluded business registration services with covered passport or license services on one domain.
Practical preparation checklist
- Separate business identifier services (exclusion) from other government services (covered).
- Apply for the regional exclusion for business identifier ads targeting India.
- For covered services, check for qualifying authorization on an official government website.
- Prepare India-listed verification documents that match your payments profile exactly.
Running government-related services in India and unsure which rules apply?
Next steps
For advertisers in India, these guides and services are the most useful next steps:
- How the government documents and services policy works and our policy reference with all categories
- Government certification options and options for private government service providers
- How certification and verification fit together and the advertiser verification guide
- How all 20 countries compare, category by category, or browse all country guides
- Prepare with the verification checklist or get help: verification support, landing page review, policy compliance audit or contact us
Frequently asked questions
Is India excluded from the Government Documents and Services policy?
No. India is a regional exclusion for one category, business identifiers. Other covered categories apply in India.
Can I advertise company registration services in India?
Business identifiers list India as a regional exclusion, so you do not need government or authorized-provider status for that category, but you still apply to be excluded from the policy.
Can a passport agent in India advertise on Google Ads?
Passports have no Indian exclusion. An agent would need certification, in practice as an authorized provider meeting Google’s criteria.
Which documents does Google accept for verification in India?
Google’s India page lists, for example, Indian passport, driving license, voter ID and PAN card for individuals, and registration documents such as the Certificate of Incorporation, GST certificate or Udyam certificate for organizations.
Official Google sources
Google updates its policies and help pages. Check the current version of these pages before you apply or change your account. We last checked them on the “Last reviewed” date shown at the top of this page.
Keep reading
Related resources
Government Certification
The four certification options and how the process works.
Pakistan
Regional exclusions for unclaimed tax rebates and license plate numbers. No Pakistani examples.
Bangladesh
One reference: a regional exclusion for public road access fees and passes. No Bangladeshi examples.