The typical timeline
For most businesses, a flagged review that genuinely breaks a Google policy is removed within 3 to 14 days. Straightforward cases can resolve in a few days; borderline ones can take a few weeks, especially if they require human review.
There's no public 'status tracker', so the practical move is to flag, note the date, and follow up rather than refresh and worry.
What speeds it up — and what slows it down
Unambiguous violations (profanity, hate speech, obvious spam) are caught quickly, sometimes automatically. Reviews that need a human to judge context — 'is this person actually a customer?' — take longer.
Choosing the correct violation category when you flag also matters: a precise, well-evidenced report is actioned faster than a vague one.
The fastest legitimate path
Identify the exact policy the review breaks, flag it once from your Google Business Profile, and if nothing happens in 3–5 business days, escalate through Business Profile support with short, factual evidence.
Flagging the same review repeatedly does not speed anything up and can look manipulative — avoid it.
Why some reviews never come down
If a review is an honest, negative opinion that doesn't break any policy, Google won't remove it no matter how long you wait. That's by design.
For those, stop chasing removal and invest in a professional public reply — it does more for future customers than a removal ever would.