Lifeline eligibility: income limits and qualifying programs
In short
- You qualify if someone in your household gets Medicaid (under any state name, but not Medicare), SNAP, SSI, federal public housing help, or the Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit.
- You also qualify if household income is at or below 135% of the 2026 poverty guidelines. For one person in most states, that is $21,546 a year.
- Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household. A household is people who live together and share income and expenses.
On this page
You can get Lifeline if someone in your household is on Medicaid, SNAP, or another program on the list below. You can also get it if your household income is at or below the limit in the table below.
Either one is enough. You do not need both. This page sets out the rules as USAC publishes them. USAC runs Lifeline for the FCC. The dollar figures are for 2026. To apply, see the main guide. For a quick answer, use the eligibility checker.
What may change. In February 2026 the FCC proposed new Lifeline rules (FCC 26-8). The FCC says Lifeline is already only for US citizens and some lawful immigrants (“qualified aliens” in the law). It tentatively concluded that those immigrants must wait five years before they can get Lifeline, and asked about a transition period before people who have not waited that long are removed. It also asked about collecting your full Social Security number, and whether Texas and Oregon should keep their own systems for checking who qualifies. The FCC has not adopted these rules. As of November 8, 2026, the current rules still apply. Read the proposal in the Federal Register.
Qualifying programs
USAC’s Lifeline Support site lists the programs. It says: “You can get Lifeline if you (or someone in your household) participate in one of these programs.”
| Program | Notes |
|---|---|
| Medicaid | Under any state name, such as AHCCCS or Medi-Cal. Medicare does not count |
| Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | “Formerly known as Food Stamps” |
| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | SSI only. Regular Social Security retirement or SSDI does not qualify on its own |
| Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) | Includes Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-Based Rental Assistance, Public Housing, and Affordable Housing Programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives, or Native Hawaiians |
| Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit | The VA pension, not VA disability compensation |
A child or dependent counts too. The official page says “You can also get Lifeline if your child or dependent participates in a qualifying program.” So a parent whose kids are on Medicaid qualifies, even if the parent is not.
Programs not on this list do not qualify you by themselves. WIC, free school lunch, and Pell Grants count only under the survivor rule below. If no program fits, check the income limit.
Medicaid, Medicare and CHIP
Medicaid counts under whatever name your state gives it. Arizona’s Medicaid program is AHCCCS, California’s is Medi-Cal and Tennessee’s is TennCare. Your state’s page names it, if your state uses its own name. On the Lifeline application, choose Medicaid.
Medicare does not count. USA.gov describes it as “the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 and over,” and for some younger people with a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease or ALS. It is not on the list. Many people have both, and if you do, your Medicaid qualifies you.
CHIP, the health program for children, is not on the list either. Some states run the two under one name: New Jersey’s NJ FamilyCare “includes CHIP, Medicaid and Medicaid expansion populations.” If your children are covered by a program like that, their notice says whether they are in Medicaid or CHIP. Medicaid counts. If it is CHIP and no one else in your household gets a program on the list, check the income limit below.
Tribal programs
If you live on qualifying Tribal lands, every program above still counts. Lifeline Support adds four more:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Head Start, but “only households meeting the income qualifying standard”
People who live on Tribal lands also get a larger discount. It is up to $34.25 a month instead of $9.25. To claim it, you must prove your address is on Tribal lands. The application asks for a map pin or coordinates for your home. A mailing address is not enough.
The income limit: 135 percent of the poverty guidelines
The rule, in the program’s words: “You can get Lifeline if your income is at 135% or less than the 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines.” The Federal Poverty Guidelines are income amounts that change every year. Your limit depends on how many people are in your household and where you live. You do not need to do the math. These are the 2026 figures published on lifelinesupport.org.
| Household size | 48 states, D.C., and territories | Alaska | Hawaii |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $21,546 | $26,933 | $24,786 |
| 2 | $29,214 | $36,518 | $33,602 |
| 3 | $36,882 | $46,103 | $42,417 |
| 4 | $44,550 | $55,688 | $51,233 |
| 5 | $52,218 | $65,273 | $60,048 |
| 6 | $59,886 | $74,858 | $68,864 |
| 7 | $67,554 | $84,443 | $77,679 |
| 8 | $75,222 | $94,028 | $86,495 |
| Each additional person | add $7,668 | add $9,585 | add $8,816 |
These are yearly figures. When the guidelines change each year, USAC updates its table to match. The figures above were in force when this page was checked.
People often miss two points. First, the limit is for household income, not just yours. Lifeline Support’s documents page asks you to show that “your household income is at or less than the amount listed for your state and household size.” Second, household size matters a lot. In the 48 states, a single person earning $25,000 is over the limit. The same person supporting one child is under it.
Survivors of domestic violence and related crimes
A separate rule covers survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking and related crimes. Lifeline Support says “If you are a survivor, you can participate in the Lifeline program if you provide proof of an attempted line separation request and if you are experiencing financial hardship.”
For survivors, hardship has a wider meaning. Any program listed above still counts. So does any one of these:
- Income at or below 200 percent of the poverty guidelines
- Enrollment in WIC
- Free or reduced-price school meals
- A Federal Pell Grant in the current award year
Qualifying survivors “can receive up to 6 months of emergency Lifeline support.”
What counts as a household
This is where applications get tangled. Lifeline Support defines a household in one sentence: “A ‘household’ is a group of people who live together and share income and expenses.” And the limit is firm: “Only one discount is allowed per household.” Family ties do not decide who is in your household. Money does. USAC’s application errors page says: “Consumers are only allowed one Lifeline benefit per household, not per person.”
Some cases:
- Married couple, shared bank account. One household. One benefit.
- Roommates who split rent but keep separate money. Separate households. Each can apply.
- Someone at your address already has Lifeline. The system flags a duplicate address. USAC says the consumer “must prove they are an independent economic household by submitting a Household Worksheet.” That form shows you keep your money separate.
Two benefits in one household break a federal rule. USAC cites it as 47 CFR 54.400(g). If you break it, you lose the benefit.
Documents USAC accepts
The National Verifier is the federal system that checks Lifeline applications. USAC runs it. It first tries to confirm everything from databases, including HUD (housing), Medicaid, VA, and state records. If it finds you, you need no paperwork. If not: “If a consumer is not found in an automated database, they will need to provide documentation for manual review.”
Here is what Lifeline Support lists as acceptable. Every document must show your name.
| To prove | What it must show | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Program participation | Program name, the agency that issued it, and “An issue date within the last 12 months or expiration date in the future” | Benefit award letter, statement of benefits, benefit verification letter, screenshot of an online benefits portal |
| Income | Annual income and an issue date within the last 12 months | Prior year’s tax return, current income statement from your employer, Social Security benefits statement, unemployment or workers’ comp statement, divorce decree or child support award, or “official documents showing your income for three months in a row” |
| Date of birth | Name and date of birth | Unexpired driver’s license, U.S. birth certificate, unexpired passport, government, military, state, or Tribal ID, Certificate of Naturalization, Permanent Resident Card |
| Last four of SSN | Name and last four digits | Social Security card, SSA-1099, W-2 “from the last 2 years,” prior year’s tax return |
| Address | Name and address | Government ID, utility bill (not your internet bill), lease or mortgage statement, most recent W-2 or tax return, or a map pin in the online tool |
| Proof of life | Name and “An issue date within the last three months” | Current utility bill, pay stub, lease statement, retirement statement, or a notarized letter |
| Emancipated minor | “Confirmation of emancipated minor status” | Court document or certificate of emancipation |
A benefit card is not among the program documents. A Medicaid card or an EBT card usually has no issue date, so it cannot show that your benefit is current. Send your award or renewal letter, or a screenshot of your state’s online benefits account. If all you have is a health plan’s card, ask the plan or your state Medicaid office for a letter that names the program. USAC accepts program documents from “the managed care organization (MCO)” (USAC).
One pay stub is not enough. You need three months in a row, dated within the last 12 months. A full tax return from last year avoids the problem. Send copies, never originals. Online uploads during support center hours are “reviewed within minutes.” Mail takes seven to 10 business days.
Why applications get rejected
USAC publishes the errors the National Verifier returns. It also gives the fix for each one.
| Error | What went wrong | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility not verified | Your program or income could not be confirmed from a database | Upload proof of program participation or income |
| Identity not verified | Name, date of birth, or last four of SSN did not match | Send official, unexpired documents that prove both your date of birth and the last four digits of your SSN |
| Address not verified | USPS could not match your address | Online, drop a pin on the map tool. By mail, send a government ID, utility bill, lease, or a printed map with coordinates |
| Duplicate address | Someone at your address already has Lifeline | File a Household Worksheet showing you are a separate economic household |
| Duplicate subscriber | You already appear in the system | Usually the new company transfers the benefit. If you suspect fraud, call the Lifeline Support Center |
| Proof of life | USAC needs to confirm the applicant is alive and active | Send two documents: one showing DOB and SSN4, and a second unexpired one that “proves recent life activity within three months” |
| Under 18 | Applicant is a minor | Only emancipated minors qualify, with “a copy of a court document or certificate” |
Three habits avoid most of these. Type your name and date of birth exactly as they appear on your ID. Use the address on your ID or lease. Send whole documents, dated, with your name visible.
Next step
If you qualify, the main guide walks you through the application. It also covers the 90-day window to pick a company after you are approved. Your state page, such as the Texas page, covers state rules. Oregon and Texas run their own checks instead of the National Verifier. California moved onto the federal system on February 1, 2026.