Lifeline policy by state — side-by-side comparison
How the federal $9.25 Lifeline benefit gets supplemented (or not) varies sharply by state. This page lays out all 50 US states plus DC and Puerto Rico in one place — the number of Lifeline providers, whether a state-funded supplement applies, the availability of the $34.25 Enhanced Tribal rate, and the most distinctive policy hook in each jurisdiction.
52
Jurisdictions covered
50 states + DC + PR
34
States with supplement
Stack on top of federal $9.25
34
States with full Tribal access
$34.25 Enhanced rate available
10.2
Avg providers per state
530 provider-state pairings total
How to read this table: The first columns show whether a state adds its own subsidy on top of the federal credit (the most important factor for how much you actually pay each month). The Tribal column shows whether the enhanced $34.25 rate is available — "Limited" means only specific reservations within the state qualify. The Application path column shows whether you apply through the federal National Verifier alone or whether there is a state-administered alternative. Click any state name to open its detailed provider page.
| State | Combined benefit (broadband / bundled) | State supplement | Lifeline providers | $34.25 Tribal rate | Application path | Distinctive policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $9.25+ supplement | Surcharge capped at 10% of intrastate revenue | 5 | Yes | National Verifier | Three tiers of Lifeline carrier in one state |
| Arkansas | $9.25+ supplement | Up to $10 monthly on landline service; Link-Up adds up to $30 one-time | 11 | No | National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org) + Access Arkansas | The state supplement is landline-only |
| California | $28.25+ supplement | $19.00 per month, layered on top of the federal $9.25 | 10 | Yes | National Verifier + californialifeline.com | The SSA is the reason California plans look bigger |
| Colorado | $15.75+ supplement | Up to ~$6.50/month additional support on landline; up to $100 one-time via Link-Up | 11 | Yes | National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org) | LITAP supplements landline service — not wireless |
| Florida | $12.75+ supplement | $3.50/month on residential landline; 30% transitional discount for 12 months post-eligibility-loss | 11 | Yes | National Verifier | Transitional Lifeline is unique to Florida |
| Hawaii | $14.50+ supplement | Federal $5.25 + State $9.25 = up to $14.50/month landline; DHHL residents reach $34.25/month | 7 | Yes | National Verifier | Hawaiian Home Lands qualify for the Enhanced Tribal rate |
| Idaho | $11.75+ supplement | $2.50/month on basic residential landline, statutory under Idaho Code §56-902 | 9 | Yes | National Verifier | ITSAP is statutory — but only for landline, and not centrally verified |
| Illinois | $19.20+ supplement | Free tier ≤135% FPL; ~$9.95/month credit between 135–150% FPL | 11 | Limited | National Verifier | HB 4561 expands eligibility to 150% FPL via a state broadband program |
| Kansas | $17.02+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state benefit reaches $17.02/month on bundled plans | 11 | Yes | National Verifier | KUSF $7.77 supplement is voice-restricted, not broadband-restricted |
| Kentucky | $12.75+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state benefit reaches $12.75/month on bundled plans | 11 | Limited | National Verifier | $3.50 state credit on bundled wireless and voice service |
| Maryland | $9.25+ supplement | $0.00 wireless supplement; landline Tel-Life from $0.66 to $10.00 per month | 11 | Yes | National Verifier (federal) with MD state-program cross-checks | Verizon Voice Basic Tel-Life: the cheapest landline Lifeline in the country |
| Massachusetts | $13.16+ supplement | Basic landline as low as $3.91/month in covered ILEC territories | 9 | Yes | National Verifier | M.G.L. Chapter 159 mandates discounted landline rates in specific ILEC territories |
| Michigan | $9.25+ supplement | State-mandated landline rate discounts; combined federal-plus-state support varies by ILEC | 11 | Yes | National Verifier | MLED is a state-side eligibility database that still operates alongside the NV |
| Minnesota | $19.25+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state landline benefit reaches $19.25/month | 10 | Yes | National Verifier | TAP auto-enrolls through major LECs |
| Missouri | $24.00+ supplement | Up to $18.75/month state credit on landline, combined federal-plus-state benefit reaches $24.00 | 10 | Limited | National Verifier | MoUSF pays $18.75 or $14.75 monthly on landline service — wireless gets nothing |
| Montana | $12.75+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state benefit reaches $12.75/month (or $37.75 on Tribal lands) | 7 | Yes | National Verifier | MTAP $3.50 supplement requires Medicaid enrollment, not just Lifeline eligibility |
| Nebraska | $12.75+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state benefit reaches $12.75/month (or $37.75 on Tribal lands) | 10 | Yes | National Verifier | Citizenship Attestation Form is the NTAP gate |
| Nevada | $12.75+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state landline benefit reaches $12.75/month | 11 | Yes | National Verifier | Nevada TAP adds $3.50/month — but only on home landline service |
| New Jersey | $19.25+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state benefit reaches $19.25/month — wireless or wireline | 10 | Limited | National Verifier | $10/month state supplement applies to both wireless and wireline |
| New Mexico | $22.00+ supplement | Combined Lifeline benefit up to $12.75 ($37.75 Tribal); LITAP broadband subsidy up to $30/$75 | 10 | Yes | National Verifier | LITAP broadband subsidy: $30 (standard) or $75 (Tribal) on home internet |
| New York | $10.25+ supplement | $1.00 per month, sourced from the Targeted Accessibility Fund | 10 | Yes | National Verifier (federal) with state-program cross-checks | Targeted Accessibility Fund (TAF) underwrites the state $1.00 supplement |
| Ohio | $14.50+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state landline benefit reaches $14.50/month plus surcharge waivers | 12 | Limited | National Verifier | $5.25/month wireline state supplement on landline service |
| Oklahoma | $9.25+ supplement | EUCL waiver on basic landline service plus federal credit | 10 | Yes | National Verifier | EUCL charge waiver under 17 O.S. §139.105 |
| Oregon | $24.25+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state benefit reaches $24.25/month (standard) or $49.25/month (Tribal) | 9 | Yes | National Verifier | Opt-out from the National Verifier |
| Pennsylvania | $15.25+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state benefit reaches $15.25/month | 11 | Yes | National Verifier | $6 state supplement under Chapter 63 of PA Code |
| Puerto Rico | $14.25+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-territorial benefit typically ~$14.25/month | 7 | Limited | National Verifier | FUS adds ~$5 to the federal Lifeline credit |
| Rhode Island | $9.25+ supplement | State-mandated landline tariff discount; no cash supplement on wireless | 12 | Limited | National Verifier | RIBridges-to-NV real-time eligibility check |
| South Carolina | $12.75+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state benefit reaches $12.75/month | 12 | Yes | National Verifier | $3.50 state supplement applies to both wireless and wireline |
| Texas | $12.75+ supplement | Up to $3.50 per month on top of the federal credit (voice only) | 12 | Yes | Texas LIDA (texaslifeline.org) — opt-out from National Verifier | Coordinated Enrollment auto-approves most Texas applicants |
| Utah | $12.75+ supplement | Combined federal-plus-state benefit reaches $12.75/month, automatically applied | 11 | Yes | National Verifier | UTAP $3.50 applies automatically — no separate state application |
| Vermont | $7.00+ supplement | +$7.00 / month on broadband or bundled (total $16.25) — +$4.25 / month on voice-only (total $9.50) | 7 | No | National Verifier OR DCF Form 202 (paper) | State supplement: $7.00 for bundled/broadband, $4.25 for voice-only |
| Washington, D.C. | $12.25+ supplement | $3.00 / month (under 65) or $1.00 / month (65+) flat rate — Verizon DC landline, unlimited local calling | 10 | No | National Verifier (wireless) / DCPSC + Verizon DC (Economy II) | Economy II: $3 a month under 65, $1 a month at 65+ |
| West Virginia | $16.75+ supplement | Rate cap: lower of carrier's lowest local rate or $7.50 / month, including a $2.00 local-call allowance. Eligible to disabled residents or those 60+ enrolled in a qualifying program. | 12 | No | National Verifier (wireless) / DHS Form ES-TA-2 (Tel-Assistance paper track) | Tel-Assistance is wireline-only and 60+ / disabled-only |
| Wisconsin | $9.25+ supplement | Up to $9.25 / month on standard plans (combined cap $18.50) — at least $10 / month on Enhanced Tribal plans (combined floor $44.25) | 11 | Yes | National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org) | Combined benefit up to $18.50 — federal $9.25 + state up to $9.25 |
| Alabama | $9.25 | None | 11 | Limited | National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org) | No wireless supplement — but state oversight is real |
| Arizona | $9.25 | None | 12 | Yes | National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org) | AHCCCS and DES databases enable instant eligibility checks |
| Connecticut | $9.25 | None | 9 | Yes | National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org) | SB 545 banned remote reconnection fees and gave PURA enforcement teeth |
| Delaware | $9.25 | None | 8 | Yes | National Verifier (CheckLifeline.org) | SB 307 ended the FCC-only ETC designation bottleneck |
| Georgia | $9.25 | None | 13 | Limited | National Verifier | Pathways Medicaid work requirement breaks Lifeline auto-renewal |
| Indiana | $9.25 | None | 13 | Yes | National Verifier | ICDPA gives Lifeline subscribers real data rights |
| Iowa | $9.25 | None | 13 | Yes | National Verifier (CheckLifeline.org) | Local cooperatives are often the only ETC for wireline Lifeline |
| Louisiana | $9.25 | None | 13 | Yes | National Verifier | LA CAFE / DCFS-LDH integration enables real-time eligibility checks |
| Maine | $9.25 | None | 8 | Yes | National Verifier | No direct state cash supplement, but wraparound utility programs are real |
| Mississippi | $9.25 | None | 11 | Limited | National Verifier | C Spire is Mississippi's home-state alternative to national MVNOs |
| New Hampshire | $9.25 | None | 8 | Limited | National Verifier (CheckLifeline.org) | No state Lifeline supplement — federal $9.25 is the entire monthly subsidy |
| North Carolina | $9.25 | None | 9 | Yes | National Verifier | Medicaid expansion broadened the Lifeline-eligible population |
| North Dakota | $9.25 | None | 8 | Yes | National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org) | No state cash supplement — federal $9.25 is the entire monthly subsidy |
| South Dakota | $9.25 | None | 8 | Yes | National Verifier (federal default state) | No state Lifeline supplement and no state USF |
| Tennessee | $9.25 | None | 13 | Limited | National Verifier | ~65% auto-verification rate is among the highest nationally |
| Virginia | $9.25 | None | 11 | Limited | National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org) | No state cash supplement — coverage is the variable, not subsidy |
| Washington | $9.25 | None | 11 | Yes | National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org) | No state supplement — WTAP ended in 2015 and was not replaced |
| Wyoming | $9.25 | None | 9 | Limited | National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org) | No state supplement — what you see federally is what you get |
Data compiled from each state's regulatory filings, ETC certification records, and the USAC National Verifier program documentation, current as of 2026. Plan details and supplement amounts are subject to change — click into each state for the full policy context, including consumer-protection rules, eligibility programs, and provider-by-provider coverage notes.
How states differ — the dimensions that matter
State supplement amount
The federal Lifeline credit is $9.25 / month for a broadband or bundled plan. A handful of states fund their own additional supplement on top of that, paid from a state Universal Service Fund or equivalent mechanism. California ($19), Wisconsin (up to $9.25), Vermont ($7.00), and Texas ($3.50) are the largest. For most states the federal amount is the entire benefit.
Enhanced Tribal rate availability
The $34.25 Enhanced Tribal Lifeline benefit applies on federally recognized Tribal lands. Most western states (CA, AZ, NM, NV, OK, WA, SD, MT, ND) have substantial qualifying acreage; the East has narrower coverage (Pamunkey in Virginia, Eastern Cherokee in North Carolina). DC, West Virginia, and Vermont have no qualifying Tribal land at all.
Application path
Most states route all applications through the federal National Verifier (lifelinesupport.org). A few maintain parallel state-administered tracks — Texas has the LITE database, California runs the LifeLine Specific Support Amount portal, Vermont uses DCF Form 202 on paper, West Virginia uses ES-TA-2 for its Tel-Assistance program. The dual-track states are slower but recognize more state-specific qualifying programs.
Provider count and coverage
The number of Eligible Telecommunications Carriers operating in a state ranges from 3 (Alaska, where local facilities-based carriers dominate) to 13 (West Virginia, Wisconsin, etc., where every major national MVNO operates). More providers means more competition on plan terms — but the network underneath each plan (T-Mobile vs. Verizon vs. AT&T) matters more than the number of options in rural areas.