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In order to show financial services ads of any kind in the UK - including showing ads to UK users who appear to be seeking financial services - advertisers need to be verified by Google. As part of the verification process, advertisers must demonstrate that they are authorized by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (UK FCA) or qualify for one of the exemptions described below. Please note that this requirement covers financial services regulated by and not regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority.
This verification is required for all ad formats and assets. Authorized Buyers and Display & Video 360 accounts that engage in financial services don’t need to get verified at this time.
To complete verification, applications must be submitted by an Authorized Representative.
Definitions
Before you begin verification, it’s important to understand the terms and definitions that will aid you in this process.
FCA: UK Financial Conduct Authority is a financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom.
FCA-authorized advertisers: Financial services advertisers that are authorized by the UK Financial Conduct Authority to undertake financial services activities, or are included on the UK Financial Conduct Authority Financial Services Register as an Exempt Professional Firm or Recognised Investment Exchange.
Approved third parties: Advertisers whose ads are approved by an FCA-authorized firm. Examples: approved resellers, affiliates, marketing agencies for lead generation.
Exempt non-financial services advertisers: Advertisers that do not promote financial services, but that have a compelling reason to target users who appear to be seeking financial services. Examples (non-exhaustive): Search engines, eCommerce platforms.
Exempt government entities: UK government institutions, regulators, or authorities operating with .gov.uk domains, intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations, central banks of UK and Europe, the UK Advertising Standards Authority, or entities any one of these approves for the purposes of this policy.
Verification Requirements for FCA-Authorized Firms:
Step 1: Link your UK Financial Conduct Authority Entity with your Google Ads account
Beginning September 26, before applying for verification, a contact with the same email domain as the FCA registered firm must be included in your Google Ads account.
If you do not have an email address currently registered with the FCA, please add one before initiating verification.
To add a new contact to your account follow these steps:
- Open your Google Ads account and navigate to the Admin menu in the left status bar or to the Tools and Settings in the top status bar. Select Access & Security from the dropdown menu.
- From the “Users” tab, select the plus icon
to add a new user to the account. Choose the level of access you are comfortable with providing to the FCA registered contact (email-level access is required), then select Send Invitation.
- Make sure to get in touch with the new contact to let them know that they will receive an email from Google informing them that they have received a request to be added to your Google Ads account.
- Make sure that your contact accepts the request.
- Once the FCA registered contact accepts, you will be able to see them in your Google Ads account under the Users tab.
Step 2: UK Financial Conduct Authority Authorization
Apply for verification and provide the following information to Google using this form.
- Google Ads account Customer ID
- Name of the Authorized Representative applying for verification
- Your business details (name, address, email address)
- Your domain(s) or website(s) included in the UK Financial Conduct Authority registry and any of your other domain(s) or website(s) used for advertising on Google Ads which are not included in the UK FCA registry
- UK FCA registration number (FRN)
- Warranty that you will comply with any and all obligations that relate to the communication of, approval of, and restrictions on, financial promotions pursuant to applicable legal and regulatory requirements
Please note that the business information you provide during this verification process must exactly match with the business details available on the UK FCA registry or records. For example, your verification may fail if the organization name or UK FCA registration number of your organization is different or not available in the UK FCA records.
Once you successfully complete this verification, a certificate will also be applied to your Google Ads account. We will notify you via email on the status of your request.
Exemptions
Verification Requirements for Approved Third Parties
If you meet the definition of an Approved Third Party above, you will need an FCA-authorized firm to initiate verification for you by submitting a list of domains or websites that you use to promote financial services. Once this is done, Google may contact you to initiate the Advertiser verification program if you have not completed this verification program before. You’ll receive an email and an in-account notification that will guide you through the required verification process.
If you are an FCA-authorized firm, you can initiate verification for an Approved Third Party using this form. You will need to have completed UK Financial Services verification for your business before submitting this form, and you can only vouch for third parties whose financial promotions are approved by you.
Note: Any time you want to add or remove an Approved Third Party, you will need to submit the form again. You must notify us immediately if you cease to approve the promotions of any third party.
You will be required to submit the following information related to the domains or websites of third party financial services advertisers associated with your business.
- Google Ads account Customer ID
- Name of the Authorized Representative applying for verification
- Your Business details (name, address, email address)
- Domains or websites of third party financial services advertisers whose ads are approved by you
- Warranty that you approve the financial promotions the third party runs
Verification Requirements for Exempt Non-Financial Services Advertisers
If you meet the definition of an Exempt Non-Financial Services advertiser above, you can apply for UK Financial Services verification using this form. If your application is approved, you will be permitted to show ads to UK users who appear to be seeking financial services.
You will be asked to provide the following information in the exemption form:
- Your Google Ads account Customer ID
- Name of the Authorized Representative applying for verification
- Your business details (name, address, email address)
- Your business domains or websites you’re advertising on Google Ads
- Brief description of your business and your rationale for targeting keywords related to financial services
- Warranty that you will not use this exemption to run Google Ads promoting financial services
Upon review of your request, Google may require you to complete the Advertiser verification program if you have not completed it before. You’ll receive an email and an in-account notification that will guide you through the required verification process.
Once you successfully complete this verification, you will receive a confirmation and email notification from Google. A certificate will be granted to your Google Ads account that will allow you to show ads to UK users who appear to be seeking financial services.
Verification Requirements for Exempt Government entities
UK financial services regulators with a .gov.uk domain are always exempt from Google’s verification requirement. Most other governmental entities advertisers - such as intergovernmental organizations - that meet the definition of an exempt government entity above will be verified automatically by Google. If you meet this definition but have not been verified automatically, contact your account representative to request UK Financial Services verification.
- If we find that you are promoting financial services after successfully completing verification, you’ve provided false information during the verification process, or you’ve violated our Financial Products and Services policy, your verification will be revoked, and your account may be suspended.
- We may revoke your verification or take action on your Google Ads account based on, for example, adverse regulatory warnings, settlements, or rulings about your business practices, or direct complaints from businesses.
- You’ll need to renew your verification periodically. You’ll receive a notification when this verification is required.
- You may also be asked to re-verify your identity if there are significant changes in your Google Ads account, for example, changes to your payment profile in Google Ads. You’ll receive an in-account notification when this is required.
- Google may update these verification requirements at any time.