Policy reference
Google Ads Government Documents & Services Policy
Quick answer
This is an independent reference summary of Google’s Government Documents and Services policy, part of its Other restricted businesses policies. It lists the 17 covered categories and their exclusions, and explains who may advertise, the “Not a government website” disclosure, enforcement and appeals, and the October 2026 changes. Google’s own policy page is always the authoritative version.
On this page
- Overview
- Why Google restricts these services
- What is covered
- Government providers
- Authorized providers
- Regional and business exclusions
- Out-of-scope situations
- Certification
- Advertiser verification
- Ad disclosures
- Policy enforcement
- Disapprovals
- Appeals and review
- October 2026 policy update
- How advertisers should monitor policy changes
- Further reading
- Frequently asked questions
- Official Google sources
Key points
- The policy covers ads promoting the direct acquisition of 17 categories of government documents and services.
- Some categories have regional or business exclusions. Three are treated as inherently transnational for targeting.
- Uncertified Search ads in scope show a “Not a government website” disclosure, unless the advertiser is certified as a government provider.
- Google issues a warning at least 7 days before any account suspension for violations of this policy.
- The October 2026 update (enforced from 5 October 2026) tightened the rules for authorized providers.
Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Policy name | Government documents and services (part of Other restricted businesses) |
| Who may advertise | Certified government providers, authorized non-government providers, and advertisers covered by a regional or business exclusion |
| Application | Google certification form, then advertiser verification for most applicants |
| Latest update | Announced 4 August 2026, enforced from 5 October 2026 |
| Official page | Google Advertising Policies Help |
Why Google restricts these services
What Google says
Google restricts certain kinds of businesses “to prevent users from being exploited, even if individual businesses appear to comply with our other policies”.
Our interpretation
Official documents are often free or cheaper from the government. Ads from third parties can lead people to pay more than necessary, or to believe they are dealing with the government. The policy limits who can advertise and adds a disclosure to reduce that risk.
What is covered
As of October 2026, Google lists the categories below. Examples are shortened. Read Google’s policy page for the full wording.
| Category | What it covers (summary) | Exclusions / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Regional identification numbers | Applying for regional proof of identity, benefits identification numbers or cards, national insurance ID (e.g. SSN, PPS, NIF) | — |
| Birth or death certificates | Requesting a copy of a birth or death certificate | — |
| Name or address changes | Applying for a name or address change (e.g. enrolled deed poll, UK) | — |
| Business identifiers | Company registration or business identification numbers (e.g. EIN, CRN, ABN) | Regions: Colombia, France, India, Peru |
| Criminal background checks | Criminal record checks and certificates of conduct (e.g. DBS, Führungszeugnis) | Regions: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Spain |
| Health and welfare assistance programs and benefits | Applying for healthcare, health insurance, disability aid, welfare benefits, or benefit cards | Health insurance in Germany; healthcare in Israel; healthcare and health insurance in Peru |
| Unclaimed tax rebates | Specific, intermittent tax rebates and allowances (not a full tax refund) | Regions: Pakistan |
| Electronic travel visas and authorizations | Travel authorizations, tourism or student visas, reciprocity fees (e.g. ESTA, eTA) | Inherently transnational |
| Passports | Applying for or renewing a passport, expedited passport processing | — |
| Border entrance travel documents | Passenger locator or health control forms (e.g. eTravel, Philippines) | Inherently transnational |
| U.S.-based Trusted Traveler programs | Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST | U.S.-based programs, promoted in any country |
| Driver license | Applying for, renewing or updating a driver’s license | Businesses: driving schools, lessons and training providers. Regions: Israel, Italy |
| Public road access fees and passes | Road tolls, congestion charges, emissions stickers (except vignettes/e-vignettes) | Regions: Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Israel, Peru, Taiwan |
| Vehicle owner registration | Vehicle registration, renewal and associated fees (e.g. SORN, VED, Carte Grise) | Regions: Belgium, Germany |
| License plate number | Applying for or renewing a license or registration plate number | Regions: Belgium, Canada, Germany, Pakistan, United Kingdom |
| Hunting or fishing licenses | Hunting licenses or permits, short-term fishing permits, commercial fishing registration | Fishing licenses in France; Norway |
| Residency lotteries | Citizenship or immigrant visa lotteries (e.g. DV Lottery, UK Youth Mobility Scheme ballot) | — |
Official Google source
Government documents and services (Advertising Policies Help)
Government providers
Federal, state or local governments may advertise once certified as a government provider. They do not need advertiser verification as Step 2, and they do not get the automatic disclosure.
Authorized providers
Non-government advertisers with explicit government permission for a specific document or service. Since 5 October 2026, they must meet three criteria: authorization through an official government website, a service scope limited to the authorized service, and targeting that matches the authorization (except transnational services). See the update section below.
Regional and business exclusions
Exclusions apply per category: see the table above. Advertisers who qualify still choose the exclusion option on Google’s certification form. Exclusions can change, so check the current policy before relying on one.
Out-of-scope situations
Google’s form lets advertisers state that their ads shouldn’t be in scope because they do not promote government documents and services. Google decides whether it agrees.
Our interpretation
Out-of-scope claims are most credible when neither the ad nor the landing page offers to obtain, apply for, process or pay for a covered document.
Certification
Certification is Google’s permission to advertise in this category. It is typically reviewed within 10–12 business days, according to Google. Read the certification guide for options, steps and common mistakes.
Advertiser verification
Step 2 of certification for most applicants. It is a separate, account-wide Google program. Read the advertiser verification guide and government verification for how the two connect.
Ad disclosures
What Google says
Google automatically generates a “Not a government website” disclosure for Search ads promoting categories enforced under this policy, unless the advertiser is certified as a government provider. Google says the disclosure appears on all Search ad formats.
Practical recommendation
Make your website consistent with this disclosure. State clearly that you are not a government body, avoid official-looking seals or wording, and explain what your service adds. Charging for a service that is available free or for less from the government, without saying so, can mislead users. A landing page compliance review covers these points.
Official Google source
Government documents and services (Advertising Policies Help)
Policy enforcement
- Google states that violations of this policy do not lead to immediate account suspension without prior warning. A warning is issued at least 7 days before any suspension.
- Google reserves the right to deny or revoke certification at any time if a domain violates any of its policies.
- Advertisers must comply with all Google Ads policies, including Misleading representation.
Official Google source
Government documents and services (Advertising Policies Help)
Disapprovals
Ads that promote covered documents or services without certification can be restricted or disapproved. Check the policy named on the disapproved ad in your account. It may be this policy, or a different one such as Misleading representation.
Want your website and ads checked against these rules?
Appeals and review
Google offers two routes for disapproved ads: edit the ad and resubmit it, or appeal the policy decision with the reason “Dispute decision” or “Made changes to comply with policy”. Appeal status is tracked in Policy manager. After certification is approved, Google says you can appeal existing disapprovals or resubmit your ads.
Official Google source
October 2026 policy update
Announced 4 August 2026 · Enforced from 5 October 2026
Google set three criteria that authorized providers must all meet:
- Domain authorization: linked from an official, publicly accessible government website and explicitly referenced as authorized by the relevant government entity.
- Service scope: the domain promotes only the specific document or service covered by the authorization.
- Geographic targeting: ads target regions matching the authorization, except inherently transnational services (electronic travel visas, border documents, U.S. Trusted Traveler programs).
| Evidence of authorization | Google’s view (October 2026 update) |
|---|---|
| Government-managed directory of commercial partners | Valid example |
| Official regulatory portal | Valid example |
| Commercial contract | Not valid |
| Business license or business registry entry | Not valid |
| Government-hosted article or blog post | Not valid |
Official Google source
Update to Government Documents and Services Policy (October 2026)
How advertisers should monitor policy changes
- Check Google’s Upcoming and recent changes page for announcements.
- Re-read the policy page after any announcement. The October 2026 update, for example, was announced on 4 August 2026, two months before enforcement started.
- Watch your account notifications and email for certification or verification requests.
- Follow our policy change tracker, which records changes with links to the official source.
Further reading
Articles that go deeper into specific questions on this topic:
Frequently asked questions
Where is the official version of this policy?
On Google’s Advertising Policies Help center, under Other restricted businesses: Government documents and services. This page is an independent summary. If they differ, Google’s page applies.
How many categories does the policy cover?
As of October 2026, Google lists 17 categories, from regional identification numbers to residency lotteries. See the table on this page.
Which services can be targeted across countries?
Google treats electronic travel visas, border entrance travel documents and U.S. Trusted Traveler programs as inherently transnational, so authorized providers can target outside the authorizing region for these.
Does the policy apply to ads outside Search?
The certification requirement applies to ads promoting covered documents and services. The automatic “Not a government website” disclosure is described by Google for Search ad formats.
Will my account be suspended immediately?
Google states that violations of this policy do not lead to immediate suspension without warning. A warning is issued at least 7 days before any suspension.
How often does this policy change?
There is no fixed schedule. Check Google’s change log and our policy change tracker, and use the “Last reviewed” date on our pages to judge how current they are.
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.
- Government documents and services (Advertising Policies Help)
- Update to Government Documents and Services Policy (October 2026)
- Other restricted businesses (Advertising Policies Help)
- Government documents and services: Apply for certification (form)
- Fix a disapproved ad or appeal a policy decision
- Misleading representation (Advertising Policies Help)
- Upcoming and recent changes (Advertising Policies Help)
Keep reading
Related resources
Government Documents & Services
The main guide: who the policy applies to and what it requires.
Government Certification
The four certification options and how the process works.
Policy Change Tracker
Changes to the policy, recorded from official Google sources.