Why Can't I Get a Google Voice Number?
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Updated March 1, 2025
There are several reasons why you may be ineligible to be assigned a Google Voice inbound telephone number. Qualifying consumer users are only offered one Google Voice number. There is no guaranteed entitlement for anyone to claim a Google Voice number.
Google uses your personal mobile telephone number as a one-time-use "claim ticket" to keep track of eligibility. Once that number has been used by anyone, to claim a Google Voice number, it can't be used again. Removing your personal number from some other Google account does not "reset" or otherwise allow you to claim a Google Voice number. Deleting a Google Voice number or deleting a linked personal number on one Google account does not allow you to claim a Google Voice number on some other account.
NOTE: After you select a Google Voice phone number from the list of available numbers shown, you are asked to submit a personal mobile phone number for eligibility verification. Google Voice performs three separate sets of verification steps on the personal number you submitted.
- Is this a valid 10-digit, 48-state US mobile telephone number that is not another Google Voice number? If not, the Google Voice number you selected will be deleted, and the process will fail.
- Has this mobile number already been used to claim a Google Voice number, or are there any other indications the number's carrier or the user aren't eligible to claim a Google Voice number? If so, the Google Voice number you selected will be deleted at the end of the procedure.
- Is this a new Google account? You will see a "Try again later" message. There may also be other unspecified reasons that make an account temporarily ineligible, including your location.
Here is a complete list of the reasons that you can't claim a Google Voice number, even if your personal number is linked.
- The personal phone number you submitted and linked is from a telephone carrier that is ineligible to be used to claim a Google Voice number. Submit a different forwarding phone number. The number you submit must be from one of the major US mobile carriers (AT&T Wireless, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, etc.) or one of their subsidiary or re-seller (MVNO) brands. Land line or VoIP numbers, or SMS verification service numbers, are ineligible to use for this purpose.
- The submitted number has been previously used by either you, or the previous user of that number, or a scammer, to request a Google Voice number. Submit a different number
- The submitted number is outside the 48 contiguous US states. Submit a 48-state US phone number.
- You very recently created the Google (Gmail) account you are trying to use with Google Voice. You'll need to wait and try again later. This is necessary to reduce the use of "thow-away" accounts for abusive purposes.
- You are physically located outside the 48 contiguous US states, or you only recently arrived in the USA. Consumer Google Voice numbers are issued only to US residents. You cannot sign up for a Google Voice number while outside the USA. Do not try to circumvent this by using a VPN.
- You have tried to submit and link numbers too many times in a short period of time. Wait at least 24 hours before trying again.
- Your Google account has been flagged for some violation of Google's Terms of Service or its Acceptable Use Policy. You are ineligible to get a Google Voice number.
- You are signed-into a Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) account, not a consumer Gmail account. Workspace has its own number assignment procedure, and you cannot assign a consumer Google Voice number to a Workspace account. Workspace accounts don't require linking numbers.
If you simply want to change your Google Voice number, follow these instructions:
These limitations are in place to protect the service from abuse. As such, to limit information which could be used to reverse-engineer the protections, Google will not provide any more-specific details on individual cases where a number request has been denied.
Informational notification.
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Last edited Mar 1, 2025