diff --git a/lms/envs/aws.py b/lms/envs/aws.py
index fe15f32775..2d4d79606c 100644
--- a/lms/envs/aws.py
+++ b/lms/envs/aws.py
@@ -730,6 +730,7 @@ ADVANCED_SECURITY_CONFIG = ENV_TOKENS.get('ADVANCED_SECURITY_CONFIG', {})
 GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_ACCOUNT = AUTH_TOKENS.get('GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_ACCOUNT')
 GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_TRACKING_ID = AUTH_TOKENS.get('GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_TRACKING_ID')
 GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_LINKEDIN = AUTH_TOKENS.get('GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_LINKEDIN')
+GOOGLE_SITE_VERIFICATION_ID = ENV_TOKENS.get('GOOGLE_SITE_VERIFICATION_ID')
 
 ##### BRANCH.IO KEY #####
 BRANCH_IO_KEY = AUTH_TOKENS.get('BRANCH_IO_KEY')
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index 5dd103c97b..846a71a88d 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -795,6 +795,7 @@ TRACKING_SEGMENTIO_SOURCE_MAP = {
 
 ######################## GOOGLE ANALYTICS ###########################
 GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_ACCOUNT = None
+GOOGLE_SITE_VERIFICATION_ID = None
 GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_LINKEDIN = 'GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_LINKEDIN_DUMMY'
 
 ######################## BRANCH.IO ###########################
diff --git a/lms/templates/main.html b/lms/templates/main.html
index afd20ba32d..e35290e562 100644
--- a/lms/templates/main.html
+++ b/lms/templates/main.html
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.utils.http import urlquote_plus
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from django.utils.translation import get_language_bidi
+from openedx.core.djangoapps.site_configuration import helpers as configuration_helpers
 from openedx.core.djangolib.js_utils import dump_js_escaped_json, js_escaped_string
 from openedx.core.release import RELEASE_LINE
 from pipeline_mako import render_require_js_path_overrides
@@ -122,7 +123,12 @@ from pipeline_mako import render_require_js_path_overrides
   <%include file="widgets/segment-io.html" />
 
   <meta name="path_prefix" content="${EDX_ROOT_URL}">
-  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="_mipQ4AtZQDNmbtOkwehQDOgCxUUV2fb_C0b6wbiRHY" />
+  
+  <% google_site_verification_id = configuration_helpers.get_value('GOOGLE_SITE_VERIFICATION_ID', settings.GOOGLE_SITE_VERIFICATION_ID) %>
+  % if google_site_verification_id:
+    <meta name="google-site-verification" content="${google_site_verification_id}" />
+  % endif
+
   <meta name="openedx-release-line" content="${RELEASE_LINE}" />
 
 <% ga_acct = static.get_value("GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_ACCOUNT", settings.GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_ACCOUNT) %>
diff --git a/themes/README.rst b/themes/README.rst
index 7c5868e6ec..8379801b16 100644
--- a/themes/README.rst
+++ b/themes/README.rst
@@ -179,6 +179,13 @@ In addition, there are some other changes you'll need to make:
   in the Django settings, or by setting the newly-added "GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_ACCOUNT"
   config value in your site configuration.
 
+* You can set the google site verification ID in the GOOGLE_SITE_VERIFICATION_ID
+  in your site configuration. Otherwise, edit the /edx/app/edxapp/lms.env.json
+  file to set the value for GOOGLE_SITE_VERIFICATION_ID. Setting the value for
+  GOOGLE_SITE_VERIFICATION_ID will add the meta tag for google site verification
+  in the lms/templates/main.html which is the main Mako template that all page
+  templates should include.
+
 * If you don't want the Google Analytics JavaScript to be output at all in your
   site, set the "GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_ACCOUNT" config value to the empty string.
   If you want to customize the way that Google Analytics is loaded, set the