California LifeLine:
A Phone Service Discount Program
What is the California LifeLine Program?
e California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) California LifeLine
Program helps eligible households lower the cost of their phone bills by providing
a discount on home phone or cell phone services. Only one discount per
household is allowed, either for home phone service or cell phone service. ere
are exceptions to the one discount per household rule for teletypewriter users
and/or Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) participants.
Additionally, the federal government provides discounts with its federal Lifeline
program and Enhanced Lifeline for Tribal Lands. e federal Lifeline program
gives a discount of up to $9.25 per eligible household. Eligible households
living on federally recognized Tribal Lands can receive a larger discount of up to
$34.25. ese federal discounts can be used for phone or broadband service.
e CPUC administers these programs for eligible households in California.
Californians can combine the state and federal discounts to help lower the cost
of phone bills.
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505 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94102
800-848-5580 (Toll Free)
cpuc.ca.gov
0524
Where Can I Apply?
You can apply online or nd out more by visiting
www.californialifeline.com.
Contact the CPUC If You Have Trouble Enrolling in California
LifeLine or Need Assistance
California LifeLine Call Center: 1-866-272-0357
CPUC Consumer Aairs Branch: 1-800-649-7570
You can also qualify for California
LifeLine if your household’s total annual
gross income is at or less than these
annual income limits:
California LifeLine Income Limits
(eective June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025)
Household size
Annual
Income Limit
1 $23,400
2 $31,700
3 $40,000
4 $48,400
Each additional
member
$8,400
How Does California LifeLine Work?
California LifeLine provides various levels of discounts, including the following:
Discount type Discount amount
Monthly at rate service discount Up to $19
Monthly cell phone service discount Up to $19
Service connection discount Up to $39
Service conversion discount for home phone services Up to $39
When you are enrolled in California LifeLine, you can pick a service plan
that is available in your area from a variety of California LifeLine service
providers. To nd the home and cell phone companies approved in your area
visit www.californialifeline.com/en/provider_search.
Who Can Apply?
You can qualify for California LifeLine if
you or another person in your household
is enrolled in any one of the following
public assistance programs:
• Medicaid/Medi-Cal
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance
Program (LIHEAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance or
Section 8
• CalFresh, Food Stamps or
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP)
• Women, Infants and Children
Program (WIC)
• National School Lunch Program
(NSLP)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF)
• Tribal TANF
• Bureau of Indian Aairs General
Assistance
• Head Start Income Eligible
(Tribal Only)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian
Reservations
• Federal Veterans and Survivors Pension
Benet Program
California LIfeLine: A Phone Service Discount Program
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