The difference between political and brand verifications on Google

If you are looking to launch digital ads on Google and (or) YouTube, verification is required for all clients whether political, advocacy or brand. It is important to note that Verification information is public. 

For Political clients, verification is needed before going live. 

For Brand clients, verification is needed within 30 days of going live. Ads will be shut off if that timeline is not met. 

Here are the requirements for both political and brand verifications:

Political Verification 

• Organization Name (must match form exactly ie - if all uppercase, make all uppercase)
  
  
• Organization Address (must match form exactly)
  
  
• EIN/State Regulators ID/FEC ID
  
  
• Registration Page URL (if applicable)
  
  
• Acceptable methods of verification:
• FEC ID
• State Elections Regulator Registration ID
• Any document, notice, or letter either issued by the IRS or stamped by the IRS that states the Organization’s name and EIN
• Forms submitted to the IRS, such as 8871 or 990, if available on the IRS website
• Certificates of Business Incorporation issued by the state where business activities are conducted that states the Organization name and EIN
• The Organization's most recent SEC filing that state the Organization name and EIN
• Business bank statements dated within the last 3 months if they include the Organization’s name and EIN
• Business credit reports that state the Organization name and EIN from Experian, Equifax, TransUnion or Dun & Bradstreet

Brand Verification

• Organization registration documents (see acceptable docs below)
• Exact name of organization
• Exact address
• EIN
• Government-issued photo ID from an authorized representative (see acceptable docs below)
• Acceptable registration documents:
• Any document, notice, or letter either issued by the IRS or stamped by the IRS that states your Organization name. Some examples are CP575, 147C, CP299, 988, 937, 1050, 5822 etc.
• Forms submitted to the IRS will only be accepted if a copy of the form is available on the IRS website. Some examples are Forms 8871 and 990. See here (political organizations) and here (tax exempt organizations) for ways to search for your organization on the IRS website.
• Certificate of Business Incorporation issued by the state where you conduct business activities that states your Organization name
• Your most recent SEC filing (e.g., 10-K, 10-Q or 8-K forms) that state the Organization name
• Business credit reports that state your Organization name from Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion
• Only for government departments and agencies: an official letter including full name, address and date
• -  Client (or whomever responsible for the ads) must also submit a US government-issued photo ID as part of the verification program. Acceptable documents include:
• Passport
• State identification
• Driving license
• Permanent resident card or Green card