TL;DR
A CID number is a unique 64-bit identifier Google assigns to each business listing on Maps and across its services. Unlike Place IDs, CIDs never expire and stay constant even when a business moves or changes name. They matter for data extraction, lead generation, and building reliable store locators.
What is CID Number
What exactly is a CID number on Google Maps? It's a unique 64-bit numeric identifier that Google assigns to every business listing. Think of it as a social security number for businesses, except it doesn't expire and follows you across Google products (Ads, Analytics, Maps, the whole damn ecosystem).
How does Google assign these CIDs? Automatically. You don't do anything to receive one. If your client already has a Google Business Profile or Google Ads profile, they already have a CID sitting in the source code, waiting for you to find it (like my car keys, but actually findable).
Why does the CID number matter for finding businesses? It allows you to locate a specific business across different views on Google Maps. Since the identifier is stable across views, you'll be able to find the business with ease. As DataForSEO explains, Google uses this number to identify a business account and cluster business information across GMB, Ads, Analytics, Maps, and other Google properties.
What about the stability of CIDs compared to other identifiers? CIDs are permanent. A business can move, change names, close and reopen—same CID forever. That's not true for Place IDs, which can expire after 12 months.
CID Stand For
What does CID stand for in Google Maps? Customer ID (sometimes Customer Identification). That's it. Nothing fancy, nothing cryptic—just a customer identifier that Google uses internally.
Where does the CID sit among other Google identifiers? Somewhere in between the API-level Place ID and the internal graph-style /g/... identifiers. According to Thomas Tsoi, it's not part of any official contract, and it lives closer to how Google Maps represents listings internally in its UI layer, but it still works well enough as a direct pointer to a place.
How do you extract the CID from a URL? It's a bit of a scavenger hunt. You need to find the pattern 0x...:0x..., take the second value, and convert it from hex to decimal. For example, 0xa706239755275e73 becomes 120706023975527573. Or you can use the ludocid parameter in the URL source code—it's the long number after ludocid= and before #lrd.
What's the CID format? Always a 64-bit unsigned integer. Examples: 15402384604550917548, 12345678901234567890, 9876543210987654321.
| Identifier | Format | Lifespan | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place ID | Letters + numbers (ChIJ...) | Up to 12 months | Maps APIs, store locators |
| Google ID | Hex pair (0x....:0x....) | Permanent | Cross-service integration |
| CID | 64-bit number | Permanent | Business tracking |
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Why CID Numbers Matter for Data Extraction
Why should lead generation agencies care about CID numbers? Because they provide a stable way to track businesses over time, even when listings get merged, moved, or renamed. A Google Maps CID stands for Customer Identification (ID)—an identification number for a specific business listing on Google Maps.
How does the CID improve data extraction workflows? The CID is especially useful for creating clean links to your listing, for local SEO troubleshooting, and for building spreadsheets that don't break every quarter.
What happens when you combine CIDs with other business data? When you extract CID numbers along with name, address, phone, email, you create a dataset that's actually durable.
How to Find Your CID Number
How do you find your CID number? Open Google Maps (desktop) and search your business. Click your listing so the left panel shows your profile. In the browser's address bar, type view-source: in front of the URL and press Enter.
What's next after viewing the source? Use Ctrl/Cmd + F to find ludocid. Copy the long number immediately after ludocid= (stop before any & or #). That number is your CID.
How do you verify it works? Paste this into your browser and replace NUMBERS: https://www.google.com/maps?cid=NUMBERS. It should resolve to your business profile.
Don't want to tinker with source code? Use the Google Maps URL to Place ID & CID Converter. It extracts cid= or ludocid= in query parameters, a hex token like 0x… from place URLs (converted to decimal), or a plain numeric CID.
Service-area businesses (SABs): some listings don't show a street address. If the method above doesn't surface ludocid, grab the long Maps URL and use a CID converter (it can decode the hex "0x…" part of the URL to the decimal CID).
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CID number on Google Maps?
A CID (Customer ID) number is a unique 64-bit numeric identifier Google assigns to each business listing. It's permanent, never expires, and stays constant even when a business moves or changes name. You can use it to create direct links to business profiles on Google Maps.
How do I find my CID number?
Open Google Maps desktop, search your business, click the listing, then add view-source: before the URL. Use Ctrl/Cmd + F to find ludocid and copy the long number after it. Alternatively, use a CID converter tool that extracts the ID from Maps URLs.
What does CID stand for in Google Maps?
CID stands for Customer ID (sometimes Customer Identification). It's Google's internal numeric identifier for business profiles. As Tony Herman explains, it's useful for creating clean links to your listing, for local SEO troubleshooting, and for review management.
Is CID the same as Place ID?
No. Place IDs start with "ChIJ" and can expire after 12 months. CIDs are 64-bit numbers that never expire. For long-term tracking, use CID. For short-term API calls, Place ID works fine. According to Ibrahim Demol, if you're building something that lasts longer than six months, don't rely on Place ID alone.
How are CID numbers generated?
Google assigns CIDs automatically when a business claims their Google My Business listing. You don't do anything to receive one. The CID becomes the permanent identifier for that business profile across all Google services.
Can I convert a CID to a Place ID?
Yes, using an undocumented Google API endpoint. Add ?cid=YOUR_CID to the Places API Details request. The response includes the Place ID, formatted address, name, and GPS coordinates.
Why are CIDs important for lead generation?
CIDs provide a stable way to track businesses over time, even when listings get merged, moved, or renamed. They make outreach lists durable, store locators reliable, and competitor analysis consistent. Tools that extract CIDs automatically save agencies hours of manual work.