A suspension stops every ad in the account at once, and Google says it's considered permanent unless the appeal is submitted and the account is successfully reinstated. The instinct is to open a new account and carry on. Don't. Google's policy treats that as circumventing systems, one of the violations that suspends accounts without warning, and it suspends accounts related to the one already suspended. Read the reason, fix the cause, then appeal.
- Read the notification at the top of your account. It names the reason, and its Contact Us link is where you appeal.
- Billing suspensions are fixed by paying or verifying your payment method, not by arguing policy.
- For policy suspensions, fix every violation in the account before you appeal, not just the latest ad.
- Don't create a new account. Google calls that circumventing systems, and related accounts get suspended too.
- You have at least 6 months from the suspension to appeal. Export your reports early.
First, read why
When an account is suspended, Google says all ads in the suspended account will stop running. You can still sign in: the account switches to read-only mode, and you can view it and its reports, make payments, and appeal. Google also warns that you may not be able to access suspended accounts after an extended period, so download the reports you'd want to keep now.
The notification at the top of the account names the reason. That reason decides everything else, because Google suspends accounts for three different kinds of problem.
The kinds of suspension
| Reason | What to do | What Google says |
|---|---|---|
| An egregious violation | Fix the cause across the account, then appeal if you believe it's wrong | Suspended immediately, without prior warning. Includes circumventing systems, coordinated deceptive practices, counterfeit, malicious software and unacceptable business practices |
| A third strike | Fix every ad that broke the policy, then appeal | The first violation of certain policies is a warning; strikes one and two bring account holds of 3 and 7 days; the third suspends |
| Other policy violations | Fix it inside the warning period, before the suspension | A warning at least 7 days before a suspension |
| Billing | Pay the balance or verify your payment method | Promotional code abuse, requesting a chargeback, suspicious payment activity, or an unpaid balance |
Sources: Google Ads Help on account suspensions and the Advertising Policies Help on the strike system, read November 2026.
Google defines an egregious violation as a violation so serious that it is unlawful or poses significant harm to its users or its advertising system. Misrepresentation as a whole isn't on that list, but two parts of it are: unacceptable business practices and coordinated deceptive practices, which Google's misrepresentation policy says are suspended on detection and without prior warning.
Strikes apply to a named set of policies, such as clickbait, misleading ad design, and several restricted products and services. Google's strike system counts a strike when you violate the same policy again within 90 days of the first, so repeat violations of one policy add up quickly.
Circumventing systems, explained
This is the reason many advertisers find hardest to understand, because it's about what they did around their ads, not what the ads said. Google's circumventing systems policy includes:
- New accounts after a suspension. Creating accounts to get back into Google Ads after a previous suspension decision.
- Workarounds for disapprovals. Making variations of ads, domains or content that have been disapproved to get past enforcement.
- Cloaking. Showing Google's review systems different content from what people who click the ad see.
- False verification details. Google says submitting false information during advertiser verification breaks this policy and results in a suspension.
The first item is the trap. Opening a fresh account after a suspension is an obvious reaction, and it is itself a reason for one. The verification point has a twist too: if you simply miss the verification deadline, Google says your account will be paused, not suspended, and the 30-day deadline can't be extended.
Billing suspensions are the quickest to fix
Google lists unpaid balances as a reason an account may be suspended. On monthly invoicing, Google says you need to pay the invoices right away, and if the account still hasn't been reactivated 48 hours after the payment is received, email collections@google.com. Billing appeals may also ask you to verify your payment method within 30 days.
One billing reason catches people out: requesting a chargeback is on Google's list. Take a disputed charge up with Google, not your bank.
Before you appeal
- Fix everything, not just the latest ad. Google's appeal form asks you to be sure you've fixed all the violations in your account before you contact it.
- Check the business as well as the ads. Several of the egregious policies, such as unacceptable business practices, are about the business behind the ad and the page it sends people to, not just the words in it.
- Have your identity documents ready. Google says that if it can't verify your identity after 3 attempts, you won't be allowed to appeal.
- Write down what you changed. A short, factual account of what you found and fixed is easier to review than an argument.
Appealing, step by step
Sign in to the suspended account
The account is read-only, but the notification at the top of the screen names the reason.
Select Contact Us
Google says to select the Contact Us link in the notification at the top of your screen. The Policy manager is for disapproved ads, not account suspensions.
Verify if asked
You may be asked to verify your identity, or for billing suspensions your payment method. Take the identity step carefully: three failed attempts end the appeal.
Wait for the email
Google emails you the outcome and doesn't publish a review time. If the appeal is rejected, you can re-appeal.
Don't flood it
Google says that if you file too many appeals for the same suspension it may not process them, and it may suspend processing of certain appeals for 7 days.
What not to do
- Opening a new account, or running your ads through someone else's. Google suspends accounts related to the suspended account, such as accounts using the same email or payment method, or linked to the same manager account.
- Uploading the same disapproved ad again with small changes. Google counts variations made to get past enforcement as circumventing systems.
- Appealing before you've fixed anything, or sending appeal after appeal for the same suspension.
- Filing a chargeback against Google. It's one of the listed billing reasons.
- Leaving it too long. You have at least 6 months from the date of account suspension to appeal, and access to the account's data may not last that long.
Stop it happening again
- Make sure policy emails reach someone. For violations that aren't egregious, Google warns at least 7 days before a suspension. That week is the easiest time to fix the problem.
- Treat a disapproved ad as a deadline. For policies under the strike system, a repeat within 90 days of the first strike starts the hold and suspension ladder.
- Finish advertiser verification on time. Missing the 30 days pauses the account, and Google won't extend it.
- Keep billing clean. Pay invoices on time, keep the payment method current, and raise disputed charges with Google, not your bank.
- Know whose manager account you're under. Google suspends accounts linked to the same manager account as a suspended one. The business should own its ad account and give its agency access.
If you're choosing who runs your account after this, how to choose a Google Ads agency covers ownership and access. Meta has its own version of this problem: Facebook ad account restricted? What to do first, and Google Business Profile suspensions run through a separate system: Google Business Profile suspended? What to do first. Policy-safe campaigns on an account you own are part of our Google Ads management.
Questions people ask
Why was my Google Ads account suspended?
There are three main routes. An egregious violation, such as circumventing systems or unacceptable business practices, gets an account suspended immediately with no warning. Other policy violations come with a warning at least 7 days before a suspension, or a run of strikes where the third suspends the account. Billing problems, such as an unpaid balance or a chargeback, are the third. The notification at the top of your account names the reason.
What does circumventing systems mean?
Trying to get around Google's enforcement. Google's policy names creating new accounts after a suspension, making variations of disapproved ads, domains or content to get past review, cloaking, and giving false information in verification. It's an egregious policy, so the suspension comes without a warning.
How long does a Google Ads suspension appeal take?
Google doesn't publish a review time for account suspension appeals. It emails you the outcome. Don't send repeat appeals while you wait: Google says that if you file too many for the same suspension, it may not process them.
Can I just open a new Google Ads account?
No. Google's circumventing systems policy names new accounts created to get back in after a suspension, which makes a second suspension likely. Google also suspends accounts related to a suspended one, such as accounts using the same email, payment method or manager account.
How long do I have to appeal?
Google says every advertiser has at least 6 months from the date of the suspension. Without a successful appeal, Google treats the suspension as permanent.
Can I still see my data while suspended?
For now. Google says you can still view a suspended account and its reports in read-only mode, and make payments and appeals. It also says access may be lost after an extended period, so export what you need early.
When is it worth getting help?
Before you appeal, if you can't tell which ads, landing pages or linked accounts caused the suspension, and after reinstatement, to rebuild campaigns that won't trip the same policy. We can't overturn Google's decisions, and where Google has confirmed an egregious violation it says the advertiser won't be allowed to advertise again.
Account suspended and not sure what triggered it? Book a strategy call and we'll go through the notification, the ads and the landing pages with you before you appeal.
