California LifeLine
What is California LifeLine?
The California LifeLine Program (California LifeLine) is a state program that provides discounted home phone and cell phone services to eligible households.
Discounted home phone services available to California LifeLine participants may include the following:
Monthly flat rate service discount of up to $14.85*
Monthly cell phone service discount of up to $14.85**
Service connection discount of up to $39
Service conversion discount for home phone services of up to $39
Free from paying the public purpose program surcharges, CPUC’s user fee, federal excise tax, local franchise taxes, and State 911 tax associated with your phone service
Discounts on two telephone lines if you use a teletypewriter (TTY) or are part of the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program. If you use a TTY, you must have immediate and continuous access to it. If the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program did not give you other proof, provide a copy of a medical certificate indicating your need for a TTY is required to receive the discount on the second home phone line.
Who Qualifies for California LifeLine?
Only one California LifeLine discounted phone is allowed per household (except for teletypewriter users and for Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program participants).
The California LifeLine discounts can only be for the individual’s primary residence. An individual can only have one primary residence. Each household must choose to get the discount either on a home phone or on a cell phone, but not on both. Households cannot get the discount from multiple phone companies.
New applicants for the California LifeLine Program must be approved before the California LifeLine discounts are received.
How to Apply
For additional information on consumer support programs visit: