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Find the right eligibility pathway.

Phone & Mobile Service and community solar use different rules. You can explore either one independently, or both.

A preliminary check is guidance, not approval.

Compare household guidance Explore assistance options

Two programs. Separate rules.

Phone & Mobile Service

A phone paid for by us. A qualifying mobile service plan with no monthly bill.

Community Savings covers the phone and our activation assistance. Assurance Wireless provides the qualifying $0 monthly Lifeline mobile plan. This offering is for a phone and mobile service, not home internet.

Lifeline’s separate eligibility rules

Under USAC’s rules, you may qualify through household income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or through participation in one of these standard programs:

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • Medicaid
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Federal Public Housing Assistance
  • Veterans Pension or Survivors Benefit

Additional qualifying programs apply on Tribal lands. Lifeline is limited to one benefit per economic household: people who live together and share income and expenses.

Approval, provider address coverage, device availability and plan terms apply. Continued eligibility, recertification when required and use at least once every 30 days are important for a qualifying free service. Optional purchases are outside the included plan.

Read USAC’s qualification rulesRead the full phone-service guide

Community solar

Some solar programs reserve access or offer different terms for income-qualified households.

A regular subscription may have no income requirement.

The project’s rule comes first

Eligibility can depend on household size, local income limits, specific benefit programs or where you live. The electric account, utility territory and project capacity also matter.

HUD 80% of area median income
The county lookup provides this general comparison.
200% Federal Poverty Guidelines
This comparison may be relevant to certain state routes.

Neither figure is a universal solar eligibility test. Do not use the solar threshold or a solar qualifying-program list to decide Lifeline eligibility. The program administrator or provider checks the actual criteria and any required proof.

Understand solar credits and costsRead your state’s program guidance

Compare household guidance for 2026

Use the optional household-size and location choices to read relevant published comparisons. You do not need to enter your exact income or upload documents. Skip a question if you are unsure.

Optional comparison only. Choose a household size to see annual figures; you do not need to enter your income or share documents.

For Lifeline, count people who live together and share income and expenses. Solar programs may define a household differently. For more than 12 people, use the official lookup.

Limits can differ within a county. Select the actual HUD area for your town; if unsure, use HUD’s official lookup rather than a nearby area.

Choose a household size to display comparisons, or skip. Official eligibility information remains available.

Federal poverty figures here are 2026 references for the 48 contiguous states and DC. Alaska and Hawaii have different figures; other areas may need separate guidance. Use USAC’s applicable guideline before relying on an income route. Solar limits and assistance pathways vary by state and project.

Local HUD data is not established for this state selection. No guessed county limit is shown.

Sources: HUD FY2026 income limits ; HHS 2026 poverty guidelines; USAC Lifeline eligibility.

Local solar rules can differ

Choose a state in the comparison above to see its income-rule context. If your state is outside the listed information areas, use the official resources and ask the actual program which criteria apply.

Explore all seven state information pages
Does a comparison below an income limit mean I qualify?

No. A comparison is preliminary. The provider or administrator must confirm household definitions, the applicable rule, proof, service availability and approval. A figure above a general HUD comparison also does not rule out every solar pathway.

What if I already receive a benefit?

Check the benefit’s exact name against the actual program’s approved list. A benefit can create a Lifeline pathway without creating a solar pathway, or the reverse. The two programs make separate decisions.

What if my electricity is included in rent?

You can still explore phone assistance without a utility account. For solar, ask the housing manager and project how the electric account could participate and how any benefit would reach residents.

Where should I provide proof or apply?

Use the official Lifeline application route and the participating provider’s authorized process. For solar, use the identified project’s approved enrollment process. Do not send Social Security numbers, benefit documents or utility-account records through a general email inquiry.

Read USAC’s application stepsCheck Assurance Wireless availability

Choose your next step

You can browse official rules without contacting us. If you want help understanding a pathway, prepare a general question through the optional email route. It does not submit an application.

Ask about phone assistanceAsk a separate solar question

Sources and review date

Comparisons are labelled 2026. Guidance reviewed November 3, 2026 using HUD income limits, HHS poverty guidelines and USAC’s Lifeline rules. State-specific solar sources are linked with the local guidance. The published program rule controls any final decision.