Why a New Ad Account Won't Fix a Disapproval
A small tourism advertiser in Sri Lanka had a Search campaign that kept being disapproved. Three options were on the table: fix the ad copy, launch a new campaign, or open a new ad account.
Why two of those options are traps
Recreating the same ads in a new campaign or account to get around a review is what Google’s Circumventing systems policy is designed to catch. That’s a far more serious violation than one disapproved ad, and it can affect accounts beyond the one you started with.
Finding the actual cause
The disapproval sat under the Government documents and services policy. Google updated it and began enforcing the stricter version on 5 October 2026 (Google policy notice). Under it, only providers explicitly authorised by the relevant government can run ads promoting direct acquisition of covered documents and services.
My working hypothesis: the site mentioned arranging driving permits for visitors, which could fall in scope even though permits were a side offer to the main service.
The two legitimate paths
- If the site arranges permits: remove that offer from ads and landing pages, or meet the authorisation criteria
- If the site only informs visitors about permits: request a review explaining that, through Policy manager
Which one applies depends on what the business actually does. That’s a question for the advertiser, not something to assume.
The lesson
When Google’s policy changes, accounts that were fine yesterday get flagged today. Check the policy change log before you check the ad copy.
Outcome of the appeal not yet confirmed at time of writing.