Cannot sign up due to username conflict with account

Problem

When signing up to Google Workspace if the admin email address is already in use because it is associated to a Consumer Google account and error appears.
admin email is already in use

Environment

  • Google Workspace sign up page

Solution

  1. Sign up using a different email address in a domain that is not in use, for example username1@domain.
  2. Proceed with the domain ownership verification as instructed in Protect your domain.
  3. Rename administrator user account to the original email using the steps described in Change a user's email address.
Note: If you prefer to transfer the Consumer Google account to become a user in the Google Workspace account with all the data, you can use the Transfer Tool for Unmanaged users to send an invitation that needs to be approved through email to initiate the transfer of the consumer Google account with its data.

Cause

There cannot be two Google accounts associated with the same email address, for this reason, when you try to create a Google Workspace account, if one Google account already exists with the email address you try to sign up with, it is expected that it gives an error saying it already exist or it is being used by a Google account.