Once USA’s largest network, Verizon, also participated in the Lifeline Assistance Program. So, people who are eligible for the program can get a Verizon wireless free government phone.
Unlike other small participants of the Lifeline program, Verizon has both large coverage and a faster net. The company is also strict about the rules and regulations than others.
If you are qualified for the federal government program, you get a free cell phone and a discount on them. Afterward, they provide discounted plans too, which vary depending on your qualification.
Today, I will guide you through how you can get a Verizon wireless free government phone, tell you about their top phones, and the discount on their plan. So, stick with it till the end.
- Top 5 Verizon Wireless Free Government Phones
- 1. Samsung Galaxy A12
- 2. Apple iPhone SE
- 3. Samsung Galaxy A02s
- 4. Apple iPhone XR
- 5. Samsung Galaxy S20
- Where Can I Get a Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone?
- What are The Benefits of Verizon Wireless Free Government Phones?
- What are the Restrictions of Getting a Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone?
- FAQs About the Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone
- How much does a Verizon unlimited plan cost for a single person?
- What Perks Does Verizon’s unlimited plan offer?
- What is the activation fee for Verizon?
- Do other big carriers also offer free phones?
- Should I pick Verizon or T-Mobile?
- Why did you say promotional-free phones aren’t actually free?
- Should I take promotional free phones from Verizon?
- Final Verdict
Who is Qualified to Get a Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone?

Only if you genuinely can’t afford a smartphone will you qualify for the service. As proof, your household income needs to be at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
So, let me give an example. If you are a single person, your earnings have to be $12760 per year or below. And, for every extra member of your family will increase the threshold by another $4480.
Thus, if you have more members in your family, the easier it would be to get a qualification from the program.
Even if your income is more than the requirement, there is another way to get eligibility. That is, if you or a member of your household is enrolled in a few other government programs, you will qualify.
Other Government Programs
Supplemental Security Income
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) gives monthly wages to disabled adults and children who have income below a specific financial limit. The older people without any kind of disabilities are also included in the list if they have low income.
The program has already helped more than eight million of Americans, and the number continues to increase. So, if you are already enrolled in this program, you would get a Verizon wireless free government phone.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
SNAP, a federal government program, provides food-purchasing power to low-income families, disabled persons, and seniors. They give money to those people for purchasing nutritional food and move toward self-sufficiency.
The program is among the most famous assistance programs. And, it is the oldest program and has helped millions of Americans. The participants of the program get $125.51 per person each month. If you are getting help from them, you can also get the Verizon lifeline cell phone qualification.
Public Housing Assistance
To ensure one of the fundamental human rights, the US government introduced the Public Housing Assistance. This provides a house to the homeless people, who don’t have anywhere to go.
Public houses come in many types and shapes. There are single-family houses to high-rise apartments for the seniors.
Tribal Head Start
The Head Start is a federal program for kids who haven’t started schooling yet. The project helps children from birth to age five for school readiness. It is also for the low income families who can’t afford early childhood education services.
If your kid is enrolled in the program, it also has advantages for you. You can get free government cell phones providing the proof.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
TANF was introduced to assist needy families to achieve self-sufficiency. Its time is limited, now help families with children where the responsible person for the family can’t afford the child’s basic needs.
It also helps the household to get a job and end dependency over the government or other organizations.
Medicaid
With 60 years of establishment, Medicaid is the most popular federal program in the US. It helped millions of Americans with health support, including children, adults, pregnant women, seniors. The state directly runs the program.
There are also a few other programs – FDPIR (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations), Veterans Pension, and Survivors Benefit Programs. If you are enrolled in any of the programs, you are eligible for the Verizon wireless free government phone.
What Document Need For Qualify Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone
If the free lifeline service is available in your area, then the next step is applying. But, before applying, prepare all the required documents. Here’s what to need to apply –
- If you are qualified base-on low-income requirements, then prepare –
- Last year’s income statement, federal or tribal tax return.
If you have chosen the other option, then –
- Pension benefits papers
- Award document of your enrolled program.
- Social security benefits papers
- Veterans Organization benefits papers
- Joblessness restitution benefits statement
- Tribal notification letter of interest in the agency of Indian Affairs General help
- Never send the initial copy. Send a softcopy if you are applying online and print a copy for offline appliers.
Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone Application Process
Start the applying process by checking if your state is enlisted in the lifeline program. Verizon has listed all the names on its website. If you see Verizon service is available in your area, then visit the website to apply or go to the lifeline national verifier.
You can also call the support center at 8000.234.9473 if you don’t have an internet connection. Another way is to download the application from their website and send it via mail.
If you are applying through its website, have a softcopy of all the proof documents and attach them. For offline application, attach a print copy of your documents. Be aware of not submitting the original document. Your submitted papers won’t come back.
After the qualification ends, you will get your free government cell phone Verizon.
Top 5 Verizon Wireless Free Government Phones

1. Samsung Galaxy A12
This year’s Samsung Galaxy A12 is the biggest hype in the Verizon free government phones. With lots of flexibility to the buys, A12 offers six different configurations and four different colors.
It has the MediaTek Helio P35 SoC chipset, which can be found in most new Samsung entry-level phones. The large 5000 mAh battery will last a long time even with heavy use.
As for the design, the phone comes with a 6.5 inches HD+ display, which has an Infinity-V notch. Even with the plastic back of the phone, it gives a premium feeling from far.
For a budget-friendly phone, Galaxy A12 offers a decent camera. It has a 48MP wide lens with ultra-wide, depth-sensing, and macro lenses. The front camera also provides great performance.
2. Apple iPhone SE
If you want a new iPhone at a reasonable price, you may not get a flagship, but the iPhone SE can be away. The SE was released after the flagship of Apple in 2020. The phone’s specs were a little decreased with its performance.
But, the phone has decent cameras, sufficient power, and great software backup to run smoothly for some years. Although Apple hasn’t revealed the battery power, I assume it has similar specs as iPhone8, 1,821mAh.
So, the battery life will disappoint you a little. Another thing that will similarly disappoint you – the screen resolution. It is much less sharp than even some older versions of Apple.
3. Samsung Galaxy A02s
Similar to the Galaxy A12s, A02s also has a variety of configurations and four different colors. It also comes with Android 10, but the Android 11 update is also available.
With the Snapdragon 450 SoC with 4GB ram, you can expect a decent performance from the phone. But, if you are going to play heavy-end games (like Call Of Duty), then you need to look for Verizon free government phone.
Overall, Samsung Galaxy A02s is a good phone. I love its large battery life and efficient energy consumption.
4. Apple iPhone XR
Apple’s most affordable smartphone, Apple iPhone XR, is still in running today. You get a spacious 6.1-inch display, smooth performance with the A12 Bionic processor, decent camera quality, and an attractive design. But, the most important thing is, it’s now under $300.
But, keep in mind, you won’t get some features of advanced phones. As for performance, it does a great job with mid-size apps. But, for high-end gaming, I won’t recommend this phone.
5. Samsung Galaxy S20
Samsung Galaxy S20 offers flagship-like elements at a reasonable price. The phone comes with its ironic design and style. Highlighting a classic combination of glass and metal trim, the phone feels light and doesn’t slip.
Its 6.2 inches screen offers an optimal 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and legless gaming. Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset with 8 GB of RAM makes sure everything runs without issue.
It is the best configuration you can expect from a government-free phone. But, remember, the phones are selected by the authorities.
Where Can I Get a Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone?
To know the availability area for Verizon’s free phone, just call the 1-800-417-3849 number. Currently, their free service is only available in four states, including Iowa, North Dakota, New Your, and Wisconsin. But, not all the areas of these states have the service.
It’s better to contact them or visit their website and check if the service is available in your local area.
What are The Benefits of Verizon Wireless Free Government Phones?
With the free government phone, Verizon also offers exceptional internet service to its Lifeline users. But, the plans aren’t entirely free. You get a reasonable discount on all the plans.
With the basic phone, you get 250 minutes of talk and 250 texts. After that, Verizon has two plans for the lifeline programs; one is a $25 essential plan and a $19.99 Home Phone Connect Plan. Both will be discounted after your purchase.
We will talk about the plans later in this article.
What are the Restrictions of Getting a Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone?
There are a few restrictions with the Verizon lifeline program. Let me remind you again, Verizon is pretty strict about the rule-breakers.
Firstly, only one person per household can apply for the Verizon Wireless Free Government phone. You aren’t allowed to receive benefits from multi providers’ lifeline programs. That means if you are already getting the benefit of another provider’s lifeline, you shouldn’t apply for Verizon’s service.
- But, switching to Verizon free phones is allowed.
- The lifeline-free phone and benefits aren’t allowed to transfer. Breaking the rule means disenrollment from the program.
- The Home phone plan is only for landlines, so you won’t be able to connect it with DSL or cable TV.
The applicants must provide two pieces of evidence of identification and clarity that they have the mentioned income or are enrolled in a program. The applicant’s current residential address must have to be in the area where Verizon service is available.
Verizon Lifeline Plans
I already mentioned two phone plans for Verizon. You can get those plans at a discount rate with the Lifeline program. But, one thing to keep in mind, Lifeline services don’t include data service and handset insurance.
The $25 Lifeline plan with a discount from the lifeline program cuts down to $15. The plan offers anywhere 1000 minutes, unlimited local mobile to mobile calls, and long-distance calling.
For the Home phone connect plan, you get it at $11 (which usually costs $19.99). It offers unlimited anywhere, unlimited local mobile to mobile calls. But you can’t add DSL or cable TV.
Other Plans
Verizon has so many plans to choose from. If you select other plans, you can use the data too.
Lifeline Discount With Every Plan
You have the lifeline program discount with every plan. Each month, you can have $9.25 off for the assistance program. Those who live in Federally Recognized Tribal Lands can enjoy a $25 discount; additionally, there are 400 anytime minutes.
Verizon Wireless Shared Data Plans
Shared data plans are also a great option when you want the internet at an inexpensive price. The problem here is, your data will be monitored by the authority.
Small Plans: If you use the internet for a few minutes a day, there is no reason for you to purchase an expensive plan. You can just sign-up for a typical inexpensive plan. In this case, Verizon prepaid talk and text only plan for you. The plan you can get at only 35 dollars with 2GB of data. And, then the use of 2GB, you can take an extra 1GB at only $15.
5 GB data plan: Do you need more data than 2 GB? Then, this 5 GB add-on is perfect for you. With the $35 plan, for an additional 5 dollars, you can get a 5 GB plan on top of the 2GB. That means 7GB per month for $40.
Verizon wireless medium plan: The shared 2 GB plan has an upgrade plan, which provides 4 GB instead of 2. But, the price will also increase by 15 dollars. Moreover, if the data finishes early, you can start using it from the next month’s limit. So, the plan charges $20 / month for each additional line adding all the fees.
Verizon Wireless Large Packs: These small packages won’t work at all for the heavy internet users. So, Verizon offers shared wireless for heavy use. The plans include watching online TV, streaming high-quality, playing games, and listening to music with 8 GB of data, and costs $70.
Similar to the previous plans, adding additional lines will cost $20 per line. The plan is suitable for small families.
Verizon Basic Phone Plan: The free government phone you will get won’t be an iPhone or the latest Android. Most likely, it would be a basic phone for talking and texting. And, maybe you can search for something online and read some articles.
So, in that case, you should choose a basic plan. Here’s a basic plan from Verizon –
Verizon Basic Plan: With 30 dollars, Verizon offers a basic plan, only for the basic phones. It includes unlimited talk and text only plan 500MB of of data for searching something online ( I doubt it will last one month). And, if you need more data, for each additional 500MB, you will be charged $5.
Verizon Other Free Cell Phones
Without free government phones, Verizon also has other programs for free phones. But, those options are actually not completely free.
Following the other large carriers’ ( AT&T and T-Mobile) free promotional campaign, Verizon also started offering free phones. But, unlike completely free government phones, you need to switch to Verizon free phones and purchase their unlimited plan.
But keep in mind, it has a contract, and if you switch from Verizon before the time agreed, you will be penalized with some money.
However, the best thing is you can find the latest models. Currently, it offers all versions of iPHone13, Apple iPhone 12, Apple iPhone SE, Google Pixel 6, and other flagships.
The terms for this promotional program are simple. And, both the new and existing customers can participate in the Verizon wireless free phone deals.
For new customers picking the best family unlimited data plan, get $1000 for iPhone or $1100 for android phone credit. And, for the existing customers of premium 5G plans are qualified for $700 credit on iPhone and $800 credit on Android if they add a new line.
But, you need to be fast as the plan changes pretty often, and stocks run out pretty quick.
FAQs About the Verizon Wireless Free Government Phone
How much does a Verizon unlimited plan cost for a single person?
The Verizon plans are pretty costly compared to your usual plans. But, similarly, they have several exciting perks with the plans. Anyways, the best Verizon unlimited plan costs $80 per month. But, the price goes down as you add more lines.
What Perks Does Verizon’s unlimited plan offer?
Verizon has a total of four unlimited plans. So, the pricer you go, the more perks you get with the plans. But, know that Verizon has some best perks – like Disney+ for 6 Months, Apple Music for 6 Months, Hulu Basic, ESPN+, HBO subscription, and 600GB cloud storage. All the perks are only included in the most expensive plan.
What is the activation fee for Verizon?
For every device activation or upgrade, Verizon charges $35. The fee is the same no matter what the device type is.
Do other big carriers also offer free phones?
Depending on what you mean by ‘free phones’, the answer is both yes and no. If you are talking about government-free phones, then no. Only Verizon is the participant of the Lifeline program among the big carriers.
T-mobile or AT&T didn’t participate directly. About the promotional free phones, it was started with AT&T and followed by T-Mobile.
Should I pick Verizon or T-Mobile?
Version is the country’s largest network and offers good plans. The company’s internet is fast and consistent. You’ll get the most perks with their plans, which are also expensive.
On the contrary, after merging with Sprint, T-Mobile has become the largest 5G network provider. Their plans may not contain as many perks as Verizon’s, but they offer the most inexpensive plans among the large carriers.
On the other hand, T-mobile’s internet has a similar speed and consistency to the Verizon network. Verizon’s only advantage, the coverage, is now snatched by T-Mobile and Sprint’s merger.
Why did you say promotional-free phones aren’t actually free?
Yes, as I said, promotional free phones are actually not free. And, you shouldn’t choose them if you don’t love the network. Firstly, you have to pay the price of the phone over time. Secondly, the worst of all, this type of event requires you to sign a contract.
And, each contract duration has two to three years duration. So, if you want to switch to other carriers, you need to think twice or pay the penalty. So, do you now think it’s free?
Should I take promotional free phones from Verizon?
Before selecting the phone, ask two questions yourself. First, are you satisfied with Verizon’s service? Can you stay two years with their service? If the question is ‘Yes, then you must take the offer, it’s not that bad.
Final Verdict
Today, I told you the complete guide to getting a Verizon wireless free government phone. To sum everything up, you need to be eligible for the Lifeline program to get the free phone from Verizon.
But, Even if you are eligible, your residential area needs to be in Verizon’s Lifeline service area, which is pretty small. If you meet the two conditions, you can get a free phone by following the simple application process.
There is also another way to get free phones from Verizon. But, that method is only accessible on the top. You need to be careful when choosing the second method.