Google Local Services Ads Adds New Categories for 2026

What categories does Google Local Services Ads support now? Google expanded its Local Services Ads eligibility list on August 24, 2026, adding far more specific categories for restaurants, automotive shops and beauty businesses. The change matters because it lands right as Google begins moving LSA campaign management into Google Ads, a process running through 2027.

Google Local Services Ads categories get more specific

Google previously grouped restaurants under broad labels like “Restaurant” and “Dessert and coffee.” The updated documentation breaks these into dozens of specific types, including American, Chinese, Italian, pizza, sushi, steak house and vegan restaurants. Auto repair shops face the same change. Instead of one general “Auto repair shop” category, businesses can now list themselves under Auto Air Conditioning Service, Auto Glass Repair Service, Brake Shop, Car Battery Store, Car Inspection Service, Oil Change Service, Tire Shop or Transmission Shop. Google told us this specificity is intentional. A transmission shop and a general auto repair shop attract different searches, and separating them helps each business reach the right customer.

Pre-badge ads change how you start receiving leads

The documentation adds a new section called Pre-badge ads. If your business passes preliminary checks, you can start receiving Local Services Ads leads while you finish the remaining steps for the Google Verified badge. These listings appear below businesses that have completed full verification. This gives newer or slower-to-verify businesses a way to generate leads without waiting for every requirement to clear first.

Google Verified badge rules widen to auto and beauty

Google also changed where the Verified badge applies. The previous documentation said the badge was unavailable only for dining businesses. The current version says it’s unavailable for auto, beauty and dining categories. If you run a business in one of these three categories, you won’t see the Verified badge option, regardless of how the rest of your account looks. Getting these category and verification details right is its own kind of audit, and it’s the same discipline that matters on the technical side of your site. Tools like Labrika are built to catch the kind of configuration gaps, whether in indexing, crawlability or site setup, that quietly undercut visibility even when everything looks fine on the surface.

Google Local Services Ads migration timeline into Google Ads

Google confirmed it’s moving Local Services Ads campaign management into Google Ads in phases. The first phase started with select U.S. home and storefront service advertisers in August 2026. More advertisers join later this year. Non-U.S. accounts and remaining categories move in 2027. Google says the core setup won’t change during this shift. You’ll keep paying for valid leads instead of clicks, campaigns stay keywordless, meaning you don’t choose specific search terms to target, and ads keep appearing only on Google Search and Google Maps in their current local placements. Google also told us existing campaigns will migrate automatically, so you won’t need to rebuild anything just because the management platform changes.

What this means for your Local Services Ads setup

The expanded categories give you a more precise way to describe your business before the platform change happens. If you run a restaurant or auto shop that previously fell into a broad category, this is your chance to select a listing that matches what you actually do.

Check your current category assignment now and update it if a more specific option fits your business better. Watch for communication from Google about when your account moves into the Google Ads migration, since the timing depends on whether you’re a U.S. home service advertiser or fall into a later group. Confirm whether your business type falls under the expanded Verified badge restrictions, since auto, beauty and dining businesses now face different rules than before. While you’re reviewing your Local Services Ads categories and Verified badge eligibility, it’s worth running a broader technical check on your site too, since tools like a Labrika site audit can catch indexing and crawlability gaps that quietly limit visibility alongside your ad campaigns.