See If You Qualify for Free Phone Service
Millions of U.S. households qualify for free or heavily discounted phone and internet service through the federal Lifeline program — and never claim it. Find out where you stand in about two minutes.
Free to check. No obligation. We are not a government agency.
Monthly Lifeline discount toward phone or internet service
Enhanced monthly discount for households on Tribal lands
Household — the benefit is limited to one service per household
How the Lifeline program works
Three steps stand between most eligible households and a working phone. Here is the whole process, without the jargon.
Confirm you qualify
You qualify on income (at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines) or by participating in a program such as SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit.
Verify your identity
Applications run through the National Verifier, which checks your eligibility against federal and state databases. Most applicants only need an ID and proof of program participation.
Choose a provider
Once approved, you pick a participating provider in your state. Coverage, device options, and data allowances differ, so the right provider depends on where you live.
Two ways to qualify
You only need to meet one of these. Most approved households qualify through a program they are already enrolled in.
By program participation
By household income
- At or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
- Counted across everyone in your household
- Proven with a tax return, pay stubs, or a benefit statement
- Recertified once a year to keep the benefit active
How to know you can trust this
We are not a government agency
Lifeline Access is a private website. We do not process applications or decide eligibility — the National Verifier does. You never pay a fee to apply.
We say when we get paid
Some provider links earn us a commission. That funds the site and never changes our eligibility guidance, which follows the FCC's published rules.
We date and update our guides
Every guide shows when it was published and last reviewed. When the rules move — as they did when the ACP ended in 2024 — we update the pages.
Common questions
Is the phone itself actually free?
Is this the same as the ACP?
Can I get Lifeline and a regular phone plan?
Does applying cost anything?
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Not sure where you stand?
Start with your household's situation, not a provider's sales page. Our guides walk through eligibility, documentation, and provider differences state by state.