You cannot create a Pokéstop yourself — Niantic, the company that makes Pokémon GO, creates them based on nominations you submit

A Pokéstop is a real-world location in Pokémon GO where players walk up and spin a virtual disc to collect items like Poké Balls and potions. You cannot build one or place one on the map yourself. Instead, you nominate a real location — a park, mural, library, or landmark — and Niantic's review team decides whether it meets their criteria. If approved, that location becomes a Pokéstop for all players in the game.

The process takes weeks or months, not days. Niantic receives thousands of nominations and reviews them slowly. Your nomination might be rejected, and you will not always know why. But if you own or manage a location that fits their guidelines, or if you know a local landmark that should be included, submitting a nomination is free and straightforward.

Key Takeaways

  • You nominate a real-world location through the Pokémon GO app, and Niantic's team reviews it against their published criteria — you do not create the Pokéstop directly.
  • The location must be a real place of interest like a public art installation, library, park, or historical landmark, not a private residence or business storefront.
  • You need to be at least level 38 in Pokémon GO and have access to a camera to submit photos and a description of the location.
  • Approval takes anywhere from a few weeks to several months, and rejected nominations do not always include an explanation.
  • Once approved, the Pokéstop appears on the map for all players and cannot be removed by the person who nominated it.

What locations Niantic will and will not accept

Niantic publishes guidelines for what qualifies as a Pokéstop. They accept public art, libraries, parks, historical markers, community centers, schools, and landmarks that are genuinely interesting or important to the community. The location must be a real place you can physically visit — not a business that exists only online, not a private home, and not a chain restaurant or gas station.

They reject nominations for private residences, banks, police stations, hospitals, cemeteries, and locations that are primarily commercial (like a Starbucks or McDonald's). They also reject duplicate nominations — if a Pokéstop already exists very close to your suggested location, your nomination will be denied. Before you nominate anything, walk around the area in the game and check whether a Pokéstop is already there.

Niantic's full criteria are available in the Pokémon GO app under the nomination section, and they update these rules occasionally. Reading them before you submit saves time, because nominations that clearly violate the guidelines are rejected quickly.

How to submit a nomination through the Pokémon GO app

Open Pokémon GO and tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and select "Nominations" (this option only appears if you are level 38 or higher). Tap the plus sign to start a new nomination. The app will ask you to confirm your location — you must be physically near the place you are nominating, within about 40 meters.

Take a clear photo of the location or landmark using your phone's camera. The photo should show what makes the place interesting — if it is a mural, photograph the mural itself; if it is a park sign, photograph the sign. Blurry photos or photos of yourself in front of the location are less likely to be approved. Add a title for the location (for example, "Riverside Community Garden" or "Historic Train Station"), then write a description explaining why this place is worth visiting. Be specific: mention if it is a public art piece, a historical site, or a community gathering place.

You will also be asked to select a category — choose the one that best fits (park, art, landmark, library, and so on). Then submit. You will receive a confirmation that your nomination was received, but Niantic does not send updates as it moves through review. Check back in the app every few weeks to see if it has been approved.

Why nominations get rejected

The most common reason for rejection is that the location does not meet Niantic's criteria — it is too commercial, too close to a private home, or not genuinely a place of community interest. The second most common reason is that a Pokéstop already exists very nearby. The third is poor photo quality or a description that does not explain why the location matters.

Sometimes nominations are rejected because other players or Niantic's automated systems flagged them as inappropriate or inaccurate. If your nomination is rejected, you can submit it again after waiting a set period (usually at least a week), but you should revise your description or photo based on what might have gone wrong. If you nominated a business, nominate a public landmark near it instead. If your photo was blurry, take a clearer one. If your description was vague, be more specific about what the location is.

What happens after your nomination is approved

Once Niantic approves your nomination, the location appears on the Pokémon GO map as a Pokéstop within a few days. All players in the area can now spin the disc and collect items there. You do not control the Pokéstop after it is created — you cannot remove it, change its name, or move it. If the location closes or the landmark is removed, you can report it to Niantic through the app, and they may delete it.

Approved Pokéstops sometimes become Gyms (locations where players battle) if they are far enough apart from other Pokéstops. This happens automatically based on Niantic's algorithm, not because of anything you did. Your role as the nominator ends once the Pokéstop is live.

Requirements you need to meet before nominating

You must be at least level 38 in Pokémon GO. This means you need to have played the game long enough to reach that level by catching Pokémon, completing research tasks, and battling. There is no way to skip this requirement or nominate on behalf of someone else. If you are below level 38, you cannot access the nominations feature at all.

You also need a working camera on your phone and the ability to be physically present at the location. Niantic verifies that you were near the place when you submitted the nomination by checking your GPS location. You cannot nominate a location from home or from a photo you found online — you must be there in person.

How long approval takes and what to expect

Niantic does not publish a timeline, but most nominations take between two weeks and three months to be reviewed. Some take longer. During this time, you will see no updates in the app — it will straightforward show "in voting" or "under review." You cannot check the status or contact Niantic to ask about a specific nomination.

In some regions, Niantic uses a community voting system where local players help review nominations before Niantic makes a final decision. In other regions, Niantic's team reviews everything directly. You have no control over which process your nomination enters. If it is rejected, you will see a rejection notice in the app, though the reason is often generic and not specific to your submission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I nominate a location that is on private property?

No. The location must be accessible to the public without trespassing. A mural on a public building or a park on public land is acceptable. A landmark on someone's private property is not, even if the owner would allow players to visit.

What if I nominate the same location twice because my first nomination was rejected?

You can resubmit after waiting, but Niantic may reject it again if the location still does not meet their criteria. Resubmitting with a better photo or clearer description increases your chances, but submitting the exact same nomination multiple times will not help.

Can I get paid or rewarded for creating a Pokéstop?

No. Niantic does not pay nominators or offer in-game rewards for successful nominations. Creating a Pokéstop is a way to contribute to the game and improve the experience for your local community, but there is no financial benefit.

What if the location I nominated closes down after it becomes a Pokéstop?

You can report it to Niantic through the app using the "Report a Problem" feature. Niantic may remove the Pokéstop if the location no longer exists or is no longer accessible to the public, but this process is slow and not may provide.

Do I need to be the owner of a location to nominate it?

No. You can nominate any public location that meets Niantic's criteria, whether you own it or not. You just need to be physically present at the location when you submit the nomination.