Usually, no. The carrier policies reviewed do not establish a universal rule that everyone on a family phone plan must live at one address. But eligibility depends on the specific carrier, plan, and promotion, so confirm the terms before joining. A shared account can have one bill payer and several line users without proving they share a home.
What “family plan” means for address eligibility
“Family plan” commonly means multiple phone lines grouped on one carrier account. It does not, by itself, establish that the users must be relatives or residents of the same household. A secondary overview published by Kiplinger on January 31, 2026 reports that carriers typically do not require proof of family relationship, shared address, or legal ties. Treat that as general reporting, not a guarantee for every plan: the carrier’s current terms control.
It helps to separate three questions: who may be grouped on the account, where each line may be used or billed, and who is responsible for the bill. These are related but not interchangeable.
What carrier examples say
The following are specific prepaid or support-page examples, not universal rules for every plan offered by either carrier.
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| Carrier example | Line limits or eligibility | Address and responsibility details |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon Prepaid Family Account | Verizon says one Account Owner manages and pays for the lines together. The account can have up to nine Account Members and up to 30 total lines across the listed prepaid phone/device and connected-device categories. | The cited support page does not state that all members must live together. These limits apply to this Verizon Prepaid account, not all Verizon postpaid plans. |
| AT&T Prepaid personal Multi-Line account | AT&T says the account can have up to five lines: one owner and four member lines. Each line must use an eligible monthly plan of $45 or more; its data allowance depends on the selected plan. | The cited support page does not state a common-address requirement. This is an AT&T Prepaid example, not a rule for every AT&T plan. |
Verizon’s Customer Agreement calls the Account Owner the person “ultimately financially liable for the account.” It also says billing and shipping addresses and the primary place of use must be within areas Verizon serves. For taxes and surcharges, Verizon uses the service address for each wireless line. Those address provisions concern service area and line-level tax treatment; they do not say that every user must have one shared home address.
AT&T’s FirstNet and Family support page discusses adding lines and notes that customers whose family members have a separate AT&T account may need to visit a store to combine accounts. It does not state a general shared-address condition, and its FirstNet-related context should not be treated as a complete statement of ordinary consumer-plan eligibility.
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- Coverage: Plan starts on the date of purchase. Drops, spills and cracked screens due to normal use covered from day one. Malfunctions covered after the manufacturer's warranty.
- Product Eligibility: Plan must be purchased with a product or within 30 days of the product purchase. Pre-existing conditions are not covered.
- Terms & Details: More information about this protection plan is available within the “Product guides and documents” section. Simply click “User Guide” for more info. Terms & Conditions will be available in Your Orders on Amazon. Asurion will also email your plan confirmation with Terms & Conditions to the address associated with your Amazon account within 24 hours of purchase.
What to check before adding someone who lives elsewhere
- Confirm the exact plan’s eligibility terms. Ask the carrier whether the plan allows a line user at a different address, and whether any promotion or account type adds restrictions.
- Check line limits and plan requirements. Limits differ even between the prepaid examples above; verify the current cap and any required plan for each line.
- Ask how addresses are recorded. Find out whether each line needs its own service address and whether the intended location is within the carrier’s service area. Ask how address information may affect taxes or surcharges.
- Agree on payment responsibility and account control. The owner may be responsible for the whole account and may control account-level decisions. Decide how members will reimburse the owner and what access, if any, they will have to billing and account changes.
- Get the total cost for your situation. Ask for the current estimate including taxes, surcharges, device financing, and discounts. The available carrier examples do not establish comparable current plan prices.
Do not confuse a family-management feature with a phone plan
Verizon Family Plus is a family-management feature or app, not the same thing as eligibility for a billed wireless plan. Its FAQ says some invited adult “members” do not need to be on the Verizon account. That describes membership in the feature; it does not establish who can join a wireless plan.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Bottom line for friends and relatives in another household
A different home address does not automatically rule someone out, but the available information cannot guarantee eligibility across all carriers, postpaid plans, or promotions. Check the precise plan’s terms with the carrier, especially line eligibility, service-address rules, and who is accountable for the bill.
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- Terms & Details: More information about this protection plan is available within the “Product guides and documents” section. Simply click “User Guide” for more info. Terms & Conditions will be available in Your Orders on Amazon. Asurion will also email your plan confirmation with Terms & Conditions to the address associated with your Amazon account within 24 hours of purchase.
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- Coverage: Plan starts on the date of purchase. Drops, spills and cracked screens due to normal use covered from day one. Malfunctions covered after the manufacturer's warranty.
- Product Eligibility: Plan must be purchased with a product or within 30 days of the product purchase. Pre-existing conditions are not covered.
- Terms & Details: More information about this protection plan is available within the “Product guides and documents” section. Simply click “User Guide” for more info. Terms & Conditions will be available in Your Orders on Amazon. Asurion will also email your plan confirmation with Terms & Conditions to the address associated with your Amazon account within 24 hours of purchase.
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