California Lifeline: How To Qualify

 

1. Program-Based

You can qualify for California LifeLine if you or another person in your household is enrolled in any one of the following public-assistance programs:

  • Medicaid/Medi-Cal
  • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Federal Public Housing Assistance or Section 8
  • CalFresh, Food Stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • Federal Veteran’s and Survivor Pension Benefits
  • Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC)
  • National School Lunch Program (NSL)
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
    • California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
    • Stanislaus County Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (StanWORKs)
    • Welfare-to-Work (WTW)
    • Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN)
  • Tribal TANF
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
  • Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
  • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations

 

2. Income-Based

You can qualify for California LifeLine if your household’s total annual gross income is at or less than these annual income limits:

  1. Front page only of prior year’s state (540, 540A, 540 2EZ, 540NR, or 540X), federal (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR, 1040NR-EZ, 1040SS, or 1040X), or tribal tax return,
  2. Income statements or paycheck stubs for 3 consecutive months within the past 12 months,
  3. Statement of benefits from Social Security, Veterans Administration, retirement/pension, Unemployment Compensation, and/or Workmen’s Compensation,
  4. Alimony and/or child support documents, and/or
  5. Other official documents.
California Lifeline Income Limits

(Effective June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025)

Household Size Annual Income Limit
1 $23,400
2 $31,700
3 $40,000
4 $48,400
Each Additional Member $8,400