---
title: Exclude DST countries
description: Avoid these unexpected DST charges in your Google Ads account by using Squared.io's location exclusion automation
---

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# Exclude DST countries

## Ensure your ads aren't appearing in untargeted DST countries to prevent unexpected fees

Clicks from countries that charge a Digital Services Tax (DST) can result in additional fees in your Google Ads account ([Google help centre](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9750227?hl=en-GB)). Because of Google's location targeting settings, these clicks can still happen even if you are not actively targeting those countries.

To help avoid these unexpected charges, enable the **Exclude DST Countries** automation (Optimize \> Automation).

Once enabled, the platform will: check the locations you are targeting and exclude the DST countries you are not.

- Check which countries you are targeting and identify any DST countries you are not targeting
- Automatically add those countries as location exclusions in your Google Ads campaigns

For example, if your account targets the United Kingdom, the automation will apply all other DST countries as exclusions.

![](https://help.squared.io/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-20-2026-09-45-28-9605-AM.png?width=670&height=229&name=image-png-Apr-20-2026-09-45-28-9605-AM.png)

You can still manually choose which countries to exclude after the automation has been enabled.

The automation also works at group or [global level -](https://app.squared.io/group/0/optimize/automation)the platform will check the targeting on accounts within the group and apply the location exclusions as needed.

- [Getting started](https://help.squared.io/getting-started?hsLang=en)
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