Why claim at all
Your Yelp page exists whether you claim it or not. Customers can add a business, write reviews and suggest edits without the owner ever showing up. Claiming doesn’t create the page; it hands you the keys. After that you can update your hours, add business details, upload photos and answer reviews, and Yelp says claiming opens up more than 20 free tools and metrics.
Unclaimed pages tend to drift. Old phone numbers stay up, hours get guessed by visitors, and a one-star review sits there with no reply. Claiming is the cheapest fix for all of that.
How verification works
Yelp confirms you’re connected to the business by sending a code. You can get it by email, by text, or by a phone call to the number shown on your Yelp page. That last part trips people up: the call goes to the listed number, not the one you type in. If your page shows an old number, the call reaches whoever has that line now.
When phone verification doesn’t work, Yelp prompts you to file a report with its Support team. Include your business details and the time of your attempt, as Yelp asks. As of November 2026, Yelp gives no timeline for that review, so if a week passes without word, follow up through the Support Center.
If your business isn’t listed yet
Search first, including spelling variants and your old name if you’ve rebranded. If nothing turns up, you can add the business during the claim flow. Yelp’s moderators look over new pages before they go live. They want at least a website or a phone number so they can confirm the business is open, and first approval usually takes 24 to 48 hours. Yelp sends a confirmation email with next steps once the page is approved.
Keep the claim alive
A claim isn’t permanent if you vanish. Yelp may switch a page back to unclaimed when nobody has logged in to the business account for 90 days. If your page suddenly shows as unclaimed, that’s the most likely reason. Put a reminder on your calendar to log in monthly, or install the Yelp for Business app so new messages pull you in.
What claiming won’t do
It won’t let you delete reviews, hide reviews, or pick which ones Yelp recommends. It won’t remove the page if you’d rather not be on Yelp. And it won’t move you up in search on its own; Yelp ranks and filters the same way for claimed and unclaimed pages. Think of claiming as getting a seat at the table, not control of the table.
If you’re stuck because a former employee or an outside agency claimed the page years ago and won’t hand it over, Yelp’s business support line at (877) 767-9357 is the route its help page lists.
If it doesn't work
- The phone number on the page is old, so the verification call goes nowhere: use the Support report Yelp offers when phone verification fails, and explain the number changed.
- Your business isn't on Yelp at all: add it. Yelp needs at least a website or a phone number to confirm the business is active, and first approval typically takes 24 to 48 hours.
- Someone else already claimed it (a former manager or an agency): call Yelp's business support line at (877) 767-9357 during its posted hours.
- Your page flipped back to unclaimed: Yelp may do this if nobody has logged in to the business account for 90 days. Log in and claim it again.
Questions owners ask
Does claiming a Yelp page cost anything?
No. Yelp's own guide says claiming is free and only takes a few minutes. You'll see offers for paid Upgrade Package features and Yelp Ads after you claim, but none of them are required to keep or manage the page.
Will claiming my page change my reviews or star rating?
No. Claiming gives you tools, not control over reviews. Yelp's recommendation software treats reviews the same whether a page is claimed or not. Paying doesn't change that; see the free vs paid guide.
Why did my claimed page go back to unclaimed?
Yelp says a page may automatically show as unclaimed if nobody has logged in to the Yelp for Business account in the last 90 days. Logging in now and then, even just to check messages, keeps the claim active.
Can I claim several locations with one account?
Yes. Once you have a business account and one claimed page, add others from Account Settings, under Additional Options, with Add another location. Each location is its own page with its own address.
Sources
- How do I claim a business page? (biz.yelp.com)
- The simple steps to claiming your Yelp Page (business.yelp.com)
- How to Create a New Business Page (biz.yelp.com)
- How do I remove a review? (biz.yelp.com)
Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.