Verizon Teacher Discount: 10% Off Simplicity, Unlimited Savings & ID.me

Verizon runs an official teacher discount as part of its Those Who Serve program, and it works differently depending on which plan you have. Here's what it's worth, who qualifies and how to sign up, based on Verizon's own pages.

How much is the Verizon teacher discount?

After you register, eligible teachers with at least one smartphone or basic phone on a qualifying plan get a monthly discount ¹. The amount depends on the plan:

Several older plans that can no longer be added to an account also qualify, including a list of 5G and "More" Unlimited plans ¹. Verizon's teacher page headlines the mobile offer as 10% off your plan every month ².

Who qualifies?

Verizon's eligibility covers actively employed, certified or licensed K-12 and post-secondary teachers at public or private schools, colleges and universities in all states ². To get the mobile discount you must:

• Have at least 1 smartphone or basic phone on a qualifying Verizon monthly Unlimited plan ¹
• Be the Account Owner or Account Manager ¹
• Be a currently employed teacher, kindergarten to grade 12 or a post-secondary instructor ¹
• Validate your teaching employment when you register, and again about once a year ¹

Some states may require a teaching certificate instead of just employment information; Verizon tells you during validation if that applies ¹.

Who doesn't qualify

• Retired teachers – only active teachers can apply ¹.
• Spouses and family members registering for a teacher – the applicant must be the employed teacher and the Account Owner or Account Manager ¹. If the account is in someone else's name, complete a Transfer of Service first ¹.
• Public employees involved in E-rate or other procurement decisions, or anyone barred by law or employment and ethics rules ².

Which plans are excluded?

• Prepaid plans, already discounted plans and promotional plans ¹
• Go Unlimited and Beyond Unlimited plans bought on or before 6/17/18 ¹

If you're on an excluded plan, you can switch to a current unlimited plan in My Verizon ¹. New customers must choose a current mobile phone plan to qualify ¹.

Can you stack it with other discounts?

The teacher discount can be combined with other offers, but not with the nurse, student, first-responder or military discounts ². If you're also a veteran, you have to pick one; you can switch later by re-registering ¹. Verizon's teacher page also states one offer per account ².

How to sign up

Verizon verifies teachers with ID.me, a secure identity verification tool ².

Existing customers:

1. Make sure you have a qualifying unlimited plan; if not, change it in My Verizon ¹.
2. On Verizon's teacher discounts page, go to the Get your Teachers discount section and choose Check Eligibility ¹.
3. After you're verified, check My Verizon under Plans > Applied Discounts to see the savings ².

You can register before you have a qualifying plan, but the discount only starts once a qualifying plan is active on your account ¹.

New customers: start from the teacher page with Check Eligibility or Get started, then choose New to Verizon after your teaching status is verified ¹. The discount appears in the final step of the online order, not in the shopping cart ².

Either way, expect to see it on your bill in 1-2 billing cycles ².

Renewing the discount

You must renew every year, though Verizon automates it if your ID.me information is up to date ¹. If you don't finish the renewal within 30 days after your annual renewal date, you lose the discount ¹.

If your teaching status changes, the discount should continue for the rest of the year without any action from you; after that, you'd need to reapply if you still qualify ².

Fios home internet for teachers

Teachers may also qualify for a discount on Verizon Fios home internet ¹. Verizon's teacher page advertises Fios plans with the teacher discount starting at $26/mo for Fios 300 Mbps with Auto Pay, a price that includes the 10% monthly Those Who Serve discount on the base rate ². To get that price you need both Auto Pay and paper-free billing, and the fine print adds a $99 setup charge, says availability varies, and notes the service is subject to credit approval and may require a deposit ². Approved verification documents are required ².

Quick tips

• Check that you're the Account Owner or Account Manager before applying ¹.
• Keep your ID.me profile current so renewal happens automatically ¹.
• Compare the teacher discount with any military, nurse or student discount you qualify for – you can only use one ².
• See the Verizon return policy if a new phone doesn't work out, and browse more discounts.