Lifeline is a federal program that lowers your monthly phone or internet bill if your household income is low or you already receive certain government benefits. It’s run by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) through the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), and it’s been active since 1985 — making it one of the longest-running consumer benefit programs in the country. In 2026, Lifeline gives eligible households up to $9.25 off their monthly bill, or up to $34.25 for households on Tribal lands.
If that sounds a little different from what you’ve heard, you’re not alone. A lot of people confuse Lifeline with the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a separate benefit that ended in June 2024. Lifeline is still here. This guide covers exactly what it offers, who qualifies, and how to apply.
Is the Lifeline Program Still Active in 2026?
Yes. Lifeline has ongoing federal funding through the Universal Service Fund and continues to operate in every state, Washington D.C., and U.S. territories. The confusion usually traces back to the ACP, a different, separate program that offered up to $30 a month toward internet service plus a one-time device discount. The ACP ran out of funding and stopped accepting new applications in February 2024, ending completely for existing participants that June. No federal replacement for the ACP has been enacted as of 2026.
If your ACP discount disappeared and you’re now paying full price for internet, that’s the ACP ending — not Lifeline. It’s worth checking whether you qualify for Lifeline separately, since the two programs have different (though overlapping) eligibility rules.
How Much Does Lifeline Actually Give You?
Lifeline isn’t a free phone by itself — it’s a discount on your service, which participating carriers often turn into a free plan by covering the rest of the cost themselves. Here’s what the benefit is worth:
| Benefit | Amount | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| Standard discount | Up to $9.25/month | Qualifying broadband, or phone-plus-internet bundled service |
| Voice-only discount | Up to $5.25/month | Phone-only service (support is paused through December 1, 2026 — more on that below) |
| Tribal lands benefit | Up to $34.25/month | The standard $9.25 plus up to $25 in enhanced support, for residents of federally recognized Tribal lands |
| Tribal Link Up | Up to $100 (one-time) | Help with service connection charges at a primary residence on Tribal lands |
| Survivor benefit | Up to $9.25/month for 6 months | Survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking, under the Safe Connections Act |
You can apply the discount to a landline, a wireless plan, or home internet — but only one service at a time, not multiple. This is why many providers advertise a “free government phone”: they build a plan around the $9.25 discount and cover the rest, so your monthly cost lands at $0.
What Does the Lifeline Discount Actually Cover?
The FCC sets minimum service standards that every Lifeline-supported plan has to meet, so the benefit isn’t just a token discount on whatever a provider feels like offering. As of 2026, a qualifying mobile plan must include at least 1,000 minutes of voice service and at least 4.5GB of monthly data — though most participating providers offer meaningfully more than the minimum, and many include unlimited talk and text. A qualifying home internet plan must meet a minimum download speed of 25 Mbps and 3 Mbps upload, with at least 1,280GB of monthly usage.
These standards get reviewed periodically, and a scheduled increase to the mobile data minimum has actually been paused — see the December 2026 section below for what that means in practice. If a provider’s Lifeline plan doesn’t meet these minimums, it isn’t a valid Lifeline-supported offer, which is worth knowing if you’re comparing providers and one looks unusually thin on data.
Who Qualifies for Lifeline?
You qualify one of two ways — through a program you’re already enrolled in, or through your household income. You only need to meet one.
Path 1: You already receive a qualifying program
If anyone in your household participates in one of these, you qualify automatically:
- SNAP (food stamps)
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance, including Section 8
- Veterans Pension or Survivors Benefit
- Certain Tribal-specific programs (Tribal TANF, Tribal Head Start, Bureau of Indian Affairs assistance, and others)
Path 2: Your household income is at or below 135% of the poverty level
If you don’t participate in any of the programs above, you can still qualify based on income. For 2026, the 135% threshold works out to roughly $21,546 a year for a single person in the 48 contiguous states, rising with household size — and the limit is higher in Alaska and Hawaii. Our full breakdown of eligibility rules and income limits covers every household size, plus the qualifying-program documents you’ll need.
The household rule
Only one Lifeline discount is allowed per household — not per person. A household is defined as anyone living at the same address who shares income and expenses as one economic unit. If you move, stop qualifying, or discover that more than one person in your household is receiving Lifeline, you’re required to tell your provider within 30 days. Our guide to the one-per-household rule covers exactly how this is decided when roommates or multigenerational households are involved.
How to Apply for Lifeline
Most states use the same federal system. A few states run their own.
In 47 states, D.C., and U.S. territories: apply through the National Verifier, the centralized system USAC uses to confirm eligibility. You can apply online at lifelinesupport.org, by mail, or through a participating provider directly. In many cases, your SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI enrollment is confirmed automatically against a government database, and approval can take just minutes. Our step-by-step National Verifier walkthrough covers what to expect at each stage.
If you live in Texas or Oregon: your state runs its own system instead of the National Verifier. Texas applications go through the Texas Low Income Discount Administrator (LIDA) on behalf of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and eligible Texas residents also receive an additional state Lifeline credit on top of the federal $9.25. Oregon handles eligibility through the Oregon Telephone Assistance Program (OTAP), run by the state’s Public Utility Commission rather than USAC. Check your state’s application steps before starting, since the documents and portals differ from the federal process.
If you live in California: as of February 2026, federal Lifeline and California LifeLine require two separate enrollments — they’re no longer combined into one application the way they used to be. The good news is that California’s state program is unusually generous: eligible residents can receive the state’s $19 monthly subsidy on top of the federal $9.25, for a combined benefit of up to $28.25 a month, one of the highest totals in the country. You’ll need to apply for each program separately and, going forward, renew each one separately too.
Once you’re approved, the next step is picking a provider. Coverage, devices, and exact plan details vary quite a bit by company and by state — see our Lifeline provider comparison for a breakdown of who offers what.
Recertifying Your Benefit Every Year
Lifeline isn’t a one-time approval — you have to confirm you still qualify once a year, a process called recertification. Since February 16, 2026, USAC has been running automatic checks on current subscribers using the same databases used for the original application. If the automatic check confirms you still qualify, you don’t have to do anything and your benefit continues without interruption.
If USAC can’t confirm your eligibility automatically, they’ll reach out by mail or email, and you’ll have 60 days to respond with proof that you still qualify — through the same National Verifier portal, by mail, or by calling the Lifeline Support Center. Missing that 60-day window means losing your benefit and having to reapply from scratch, so it’s worth watching for that notice rather than assuming silence means everything’s fine. Our full recertification guide covers what documents to have ready if you’re asked for them.
What’s Changing in December 2026
The FCC has paused two scheduled changes to Lifeline’s minimum service standards through December 1, 2026: the phase-out of the $5.25 voice-only discount, and a planned increase to the required 4.5GB monthly data minimum for mobile plans. In practical terms, this means voice-only Lifeline plans are still supported for now, and providers aren’t yet required to bump up their minimum data allowance. Both of those pauses are set to expire at the end of this year, so it’s worth checking back closer to that date for any updates. We’re tracking this deadline in detail here.
Lifeline vs. ACP: What’s the Actual Difference?
Since this is the single biggest source of confusion, here’s a direct side-by-side:
| Lifeline | ACP | |
|---|---|---|
| Status in 2026 | Active | Ended June 1, 2024 |
| Monthly benefit | Up to $9.25 (up to $34.25 on Tribal lands) | Up to $30 ($75 on Tribal lands) |
| One-time device discount | No | Up to $100 |
| Funding source | Universal Service Fund (ongoing) | Congressional appropriation (not renewed) |
| Administered by | USAC, under the FCC | USAC, under the FCC |
If you were relying on the ACP’s larger discount and it disappeared from your bill, that’s expected — it isn’t a sign that Lifeline is also going away. See our full ACP wind-down explainer for what, if anything, has stepped in to help fill that gap in your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lifeline free money, or a bill discount?
It’s a bill discount, not a cash payment. The $9.25 (or $34.25 on Tribal lands) is applied directly to your phone or internet bill by your provider. Many providers build a plan specifically sized to that discount, which is why the result often looks like a completely free phone plan even though technically it’s a subsidized one.
Who runs the Lifeline program?
The FCC created and oversees Lifeline, but day-to-day administration — processing applications, running the National Verifier, and managing recertification — is handled by USAC, a private, not-for-profit corporation designated by the FCC for this purpose.
Can I get Lifeline and ACP together?
No — the ACP ended in June 2024, so there’s nothing to combine it with anymore. If you’re seeing “get Lifeline and ACP” offers advertised anywhere, that content is out of date.
Can two people in the same house both get Lifeline?
Generally no. Lifeline allows one discount per household, where “household” means everyone living together and sharing income and expenses. Two unrelated roommates who keep their finances completely separate may each be able to qualify as separate households, but a family or couple living together as one unit gets a single benefit.
Is Lifeline available in every state?
Yes. Lifeline operates in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and U.S. territories, plus enhanced benefits on Tribal lands. The core federal rules are the same everywhere, though Texas, Oregon, and California each run their state-level piece differently, and a handful of states add extra funding on top of the federal benefit.
Do I have to pick a specific phone to get Lifeline?
No. Lifeline is a service discount, not a device program by itself. Many providers offer a free phone as an enrollment incentive, but you can typically also apply the discount to a phone you already own, if your provider supports bringing your own device.
What happens if I don’t recertify on time?
If you miss the 60-day window after being asked to recertify, your Lifeline benefit is suspended and your bill returns to full price. You aren’t permanently barred from the program — you can reapply once you’re ready — but you’ll need to go through the application process again rather than simply picking back up where you left off.
When did the Lifeline program start?
The FCC created Lifeline in 1985, originally to help make basic landline phone service affordable. It’s been expanded over the decades to cover wireless service and broadband internet, and it remains active and federally funded in 2026.
Is Lifeline the same thing as Assurance Wireless or SafeLink?
No — those are individual companies, not the program itself. Assurance Wireless, SafeLink Wireless, Q Link Wireless, and similar companies are Lifeline providers: they’re approved to offer the federal Lifeline discount, usually bundled into a free phone plan. The Lifeline program is the underlying federal benefit; the provider is just who delivers your service.
Can I use my Lifeline discount for internet instead of a phone?
Yes. Lifeline can be applied to qualifying home or mobile broadband service instead of phone service — you just can’t apply it to both at once. If internet access matters more to your household than a phone plan, ask a participating provider about their internet-focused Lifeline options.
Does receiving Lifeline affect my taxes or other benefits?
No. Lifeline is a service discount, not income, so it doesn’t count as taxable income and doesn’t reduce your eligibility for SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, or other benefit programs. In fact, being enrolled in most of those programs is exactly what qualifies you for Lifeline in the first place.
Verify With Official Sources
Program rules and benefit amounts can change, and the specifics matter when you’re relying on this discount. For the most current, authoritative information, go directly to:
- LifelineSupport.org — the official consumer site, run by USAC
- FCC.gov Lifeline page — the federal regulator’s official program page
- USAC.org Lifeline section — program administration details, including recertification and the National Verifier