There is no single nationwide 911 fee for cell phones, landlines, and VoIP. The amount and how it is charged depend on your state and sometimes your local emergency communications authority, as well as the service category and billing model. An exact figure requires checking the current fee schedule for your location and the type of service shown on your bill.
Why is there a 911 fee on my cell phone bill?
A 911 line item is generally a government-authorized surcharge that a telephone or wireless provider collects and passes on for emergency communications. The National 911 Program explains that state and local governments authorize collection through service providers, then distribute the money to 911 call centers to help pay for 911 operations: National 911 Program: 911 fees.
Governments may use these fees alongside general funds to support 911 technology, operations, training, and administration. The FCC reports to Congress annually on how states and territories collect and distribute 911 fees, including whether funds are used for purposes other than 911 services: 911.gov: 911 Fee Reports.
Check the exact wording of the bill line. A provider’s plan charge, tax, or other fee is not necessarily the government 911 surcharge; a similar label alone does not establish what kind of charge it is.
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Do landlines and VoIP have the same 911 charge?
Not necessarily. Jurisdictions choose their own service categories and charging bases. A fee may be calculated per access line or subscriber, vary by the number of lines on an account, or be set locally. VoIP may be grouped with wireline service in one place and handled separately in another.
These examples show why the service label and the jurisdiction matter. They are not a complete price comparison or a national average.
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| Example and period | Service category and charge | Charging basis and authority |
|---|---|---|
| Texas; Comptroller information accessed in 2026 | $0.50 per month for each local exchange access line or equivalent line in areas served by a regional planning commission | Monthly per line; emergency communication districts set rates in their own areas. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts |
| Connecticut; FY 2026/27 schedule | Wireline and VoIP: $0.74 for one line; $0.56 per line for two; $0.50 for three; $0.44 for four to five; $0.37 for six to ten; $0.30 for 11 to 25; $0.24 for 26 to 50; $0.19 for 51 to 99; $0.15 for 100 or more | Monthly per line, with the per-line amount declining as the account’s line count rises. Connecticut DESPP 911 surcharge schedule |
| Connecticut; FY 2026/27 schedule | Wireless: $0.74 per subscriber line | Monthly per line; the progressive multi-line discount for wireline and VoIP does not apply. Connecticut DESPP 911 surcharge schedule |
| Colorado; NENA comparison dated 2025 | $0.12 hybrid state/local charge for listed postpaid wireline and wireless categories; $2.09 for prepaid wireless | The prepaid figure is a transaction charge, rather than a monthly subscriber-line fee. This is a secondary compilation; verify rates with the state authority. NENA 911 surcharge comparison |
| California; NENA comparison dated 2025 | $0.41 state-only charge across listed postpaid categories | Secondary compilation; verify rates with the state authority. NENA 911 surcharge comparison |
How do cell phone and prepaid 911 charges work?
Postpaid wireless
Wireless service often carries a recurring monthly assessment for each line, but rates and rules are jurisdiction-specific. Connecticut, for example, lists $0.74 per wireless subscriber line per month for FY 2026/27; that schedule does not apply its wireline and VoIP account-size discount to wireless lines.
Prepaid wireless
Prepaid service may be charged at the point of sale instead of through a recurring monthly subscriber assessment. In the 2025 NENA comparison, Colorado is listed with a $2.09 prepaid transaction charge, separate from its $0.12 hybrid state/local charge for listed postpaid wireline and wireless categories. The prepaid amount is an example of a different collection model, not a rule for all states.
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How do I find the 911 surcharge for my city or state?
- Identify your jurisdiction. Start with your state; check your county, municipality, or emergency communication district if local charges may apply.
- Read the bill label and service category. Determine whether the line is listed as wireline, postpaid wireless, prepaid wireless, or VoIP, and whether the charge appears monthly or at a prepaid transaction.
- Open the current official fee schedule. Compare your service category and billing basis with the state or local authority’s published rate. If the bill or schedule does not make the category clear, ask your provider or the relevant emergency communications authority how that line item is classified.
A national comparison can help identify what to look for, but it should not replace the current official schedule. The amount on one bill may also differ from another service type or account size in the same state.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why there is no universal phone-type ranking
Landline, wireless, and VoIP fees cannot be ranked as universally cheaper or more expensive. A jurisdiction may charge by access line, subscriber line, account-size tier, or prepaid retail transaction; it may also add a local charge or let a local authority set the rate. The exact total remains location- and service-specific, and the cited figures do not establish a reliable national average.
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These fee rules concern how 911 costs are funded. They do not establish whether a particular VoIP service has the same emergency-calling capabilities as a traditional landline; that is a separate question about the service itself.
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