Google Place ID Finder
Paste the Google Maps link of a business (the long one from your browser's address bar) and get its Place ID, its CID and its direct review link. Most people have the Maps link, not the ID, so this finder starts from the link. It runs in your browser and sends nothing to us.
Check the result: open the review form or the Maps link and make sure it shows your business name before you print or share anything.
What the finder reads, and why it works without an API key
A Google Maps link to a business carries the place's feature ID, two hexadecimal numbers written as
0x...:0x.... A Place ID that starts with ChIJ is the same two numbers, packed and
encoded. So the finder can turn one into the other with no lookup, and the second of the two numbers, written
in decimal, is the CID that some Maps links use (maps.google.com/?cid=).
| Form | Example (Google Sydney) | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Feature ID | 0x6b12ae37b47f5b37:0x8eaddfcd1b32ca52 | Inside the Google Maps link of the place |
| Place ID | ChIJN1t_tDeuEmsRUsoyG83frY4 | Review links, Google Maps Platform tools |
| CID | 10281119596374313554 | Some Maps links and SEO tools |
Our take: a Place ID is an address for a record, not a fixed fact about your business. Google's Place ID documentation says Place IDs may change over time, can become obsolete when a business closes or moves, and should be refreshed when they are more than 12 months old. The ID to trust is the one in today's Maps link. If a review link you printed last year opens a different listing, a move or a merge of duplicate listings is the usual reason.
Two limits. IDs that do not start with ChIJ, which Google uses for some addresses and areas, are not
decoded here. And a CID alone cannot be turned back into a Place ID, because it is only half of the pair, so the
finder shows the Maps link for it instead.
Other ways to find a Place ID
| Method | Best when |
|---|---|
| This finder | You have the business open on Google Maps and want the ID, the CID and the review link at once. |
| Google's own Place ID finder | You want to search by name: it sits on Google's Place ID page and looks up one place at a time. |
| Your Business Profile | You own the profile: its "Ask for reviews" option hands out a short review link, which our review link generator also accepts. |
What to use it for
The direct review link (search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=) is the most common reason
owners look for a Place ID; see how to get more Google reviews.
The CID helps when you suspect duplicates: two CIDs for one business means two records on Google Maps, and our
guide to finding and fixing duplicate listings covers what to do.
For the definitions, see Place ID and Google CID
in the glossary, and the Google Business Profile guide for everything else
about the profile.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Google Place ID?
Google defines it as a textual identifier that uniquely identifies a place. Most business Place IDs start with ChIJ and are about 27 characters long. Google uses it in its Maps and Places tools, and the direct review links most review tools hand out are built from it.
How do I find the Place ID of my business?
Open your business on Google Maps in a browser, copy the full link from the address bar and paste it into the finder above: it reads the place reference in the link and returns the Place ID, the CID and the review link. Google also offers its own Place ID finder on its Maps Platform documentation page, where you search for the place by name.
Does a Place ID ever change?
It can. Google's documentation says Place IDs may change over time, that one may become obsolete if a business closes or moves, and recommends refreshing Place IDs that are more than 12 months old. After a move, a merge of duplicate listings or a long gap, run the current Maps link through the finder again.
What is the difference between a Place ID and a CID?
Both point at the same place. The Place ID is the identifier Google documents for developers and review links. The CID is a long number that appears in some Google Maps links, for example maps.google.com/?cid= followed by the number. For a ChIJ Place ID, the CID is one of the two numbers the ID encodes, which is how the finder shows both.
Why does the finder say my link has no place reference?
Short share links (maps.app.goo.gl) only redirect, so a page cannot read where they lead: open the short link, wait for Google Maps to load the business, then copy the long link from the address bar. A search results link, or a link to a street address rather than a business, carries no place reference either.
Is this Place ID finder free, and does it send my link anywhere?
It is free with no signup and no API key. The conversion runs in your browser: nothing you paste is sent to us or to Google. The links it builds open Google only when you click them.