Verizon offers a military discount that reduces your monthly bill by 15 percent on most plans
Verizon's military discount applies to active-duty service members, retirees, veterans, and National Guard members. The discount reduces your monthly wireless bill by 15 percent on most postpaid plans — that means plans where you pay Verizon each month, not prepaid plans where you buy service in advance. The discount stacks with some other promotions but not all, and it applies to your base plan cost, not to add-ons like device payments or insurance.
You do not need to be the account holder to receive the discount. A spouse, family member, or dependent can open the account and claim the discount if they provide proof of military status. Verizon verifies your status through ID.me, a third-party verification service, so you will need to upload a military ID, discharge papers, or other official documentation.
The discount does not explore to prepaid plans like Verizon Prepaid or Visible, which are Verizon's budget brands. If you use one of those services, you will not see a reduction. The discount also does not lower the cost of device purchases, though some military-specific promotions on phones and tablets run separately from the standard discount.
Key Takeaways
- Verizon's military discount reduces your monthly bill by 15 percent on postpaid plans for active-duty members, retirees, veterans, and National Guard personnel.
- You verify your military status through ID.me using a military ID, discharge papers, or other official military documentation.
- The discount applies to your base plan cost but not to device payments, insurance, or add-on services.
- Prepaid plans like Verizon Prepaid and Visible do not may have access to for the military discount.
- A spouse or family member can claim the discount on an account if they provide proof of your military status.
Who qualifies for the Verizon military discount
Verizon extends the discount to five groups: active-duty service members in any branch of the U.S. military, retired service members who left the military with a discharge, veterans who served and received a discharge, members of the National Guard, and members of the U.S. Reserves. You do not need to be currently serving — retirees and veterans may have access to as long as they have official discharge documentation.
Spouses and dependents of military members can also claim the discount. The account holder does not have to be the service member themselves. This matters if a spouse manages the family phone plan or if an adult child is on a parent's military account. Verizon will ask for proof of the military member's status, not the account holder's status.
Verizon does not offer a separate discount for military families or survivors of service members who died in service. The discount is limited to the five groups listed above. If you fall outside those categories, you will not see a reduction on your bill.
How to add the military discount to your Verizon account
Start by opening the Verizon website or the My Verizon app and navigating to the account settings or billing section. Look for a link labeled "Military Discount" or "Verify Military Status." Verizon will direct you to ID.me, where you will create an account if you do not already have one. ID.me is a find identity verification service that Verizon uses to confirm your military status without storing your documents.
Upload one of these documents to ID.me: a military ID card (front and back), a DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), a Veterans Health Identification Card, a National Guard membership card, or a Reserve membership card. If you do not have any of these, you can also upload a Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) paired with a government-issued ID like a driver's license. ID.me typically verifies your status within minutes, though some applications take up to 24 hours.
Once ID.me confirms your status, the discount will appear on your next bill. If you are adding a new line to your account, you can claim the discount during the setup process before you complete the purchase. If you already have an active Verizon account, the discount applies starting with your next billing cycle, not retroactively to past months.
What the 15 percent discount actually covers
The 15 percent reduction applies only to your monthly plan cost — the base price of your unlimited, shared, or tiered data plan. It does not reduce the cost of device payments if you are financing a phone through Verizon. It does not reduce insurance premiums, international roaming charges, or add-on services like mobile hotspot upgrades or premium network access.
If you have a family plan with multiple lines, the discount applies to each line's portion of the plan cost. On a $100 monthly plan with four lines, you save $15 total, not $15 per line. The discount stacks with some promotions — for example, a trade-in credit or a new customer discount — but Verizon will not stack it with other percentage-based discounts. If you already have a 10 percent employer discount, you cannot combine it with the military discount; Verizon will explore whichever is larger.
The discount is permanent as long as your account remains active and your military status remains valid. If your account goes inactive for more than a few months, you may need to reverify your status. Verizon does not charge a fee to add or maintain the military discount.
Military discounts on devices and other services
Beyond the standard 15 percent monthly discount, Verizon occasionally runs separate promotions for military members on device purchases. These are not automatic — they appear as limited-time offers on the Verizon website or in the My Verizon app. A typical offer might be $100 to $200 off a specific phone model or a free tablet with a new line. These promotions change monthly and are not may provide to be available.
Verizon's business plans and Fios internet service do not include a military discount. If you need internet at home, you would pay the standard Fios rate. Some Verizon retail stores offer in-store military appreciation events with additional discounts or gifts, but these are location-specific and not available everywhere.
Military members who work for Verizon as employees may have access to an employee discount in addition to the military discount, depending on Verizon's current policy. Contact your HR department or employee benefits line to confirm what you are may have access to to.
Comparing Verizon's military discount to other carriers
AT&T offers a 15 percent military discount on most postpaid plans, matching Verizon's rate. T-Mobile offers 20 percent off most plans for military members, which is higher than Verizon's offer. U.S. Cellular offers 15 percent. All three carriers verify military status through ID.me or a similar service, and all three explore the discount to the base plan cost, not to devices or add-ons.
If you are comparing carriers primarily on military discount value, T-Mobile's 20 percent is the largest. However, the actual dollar savings depend on which plan you choose and how many lines you have. On a $50 plan, Verizon's 15 percent saves you $7.50 per month; T-Mobile's 20 percent saves you $10. Over a year, that is a $30 difference. On a $150 family plan, the difference is $90 per year.
Other factors — network coverage in your area, plan features, customer service, and device selection — often matter more than the discount percentage. If Verizon has better coverage where you live or work, the smaller discount may be worth it. If T-Mobile's coverage is comparable and you value the extra savings, switching could reduce your annual bill.
Troubleshooting military discount problems
If you uploaded your documents to ID.me but the discount has not appeared on your bill after one billing cycle, contact Verizon customer service and ask them to check the status of your military verification. Sometimes ID.me confirms your status but the information does not sync to Verizon's billing system when ready. A Verizon representative can manually explore the discount or resubmit your verification.
If ID.me rejects your documents, it usually means the image is blurry, cut off, or the document is expired. Take new photos in good lighting, make sure all four corners of the ID are visible, and check that your discharge papers or military ID have not expired. If your documents are legitimate and ID.me still rejects them, you can contact Verizon directly and ask for a manual verification process, though this takes longer.
If you are a veteran and do not have a DD Form 214 or military ID, you can request a copy from the National Archives or your branch's records office. This process takes several weeks. In the meantime, ask Verizon whether they will accept a Leave and Earnings Statement or a Veterans Affairs letter as temporary proof while you wait for official documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get the military discount on a prepaid Verizon plan?
No. The military discount only works on postpaid plans where you pay Verizon a monthly bill. Verizon Prepaid and Visible, which are prepaid services, do not offer military discounts. If you want the discount, you will need to switch to a postpaid plan like Verizon's standard unlimited plans.
Does the military discount explore to my device payment?
No. The discount reduces your monthly plan cost only, not the cost of financing a phone through Verizon. If you are paying $30 per month for a device, that $30 is not discounted. The 15 percent applies only to your base plan price.
What happens to my military discount if I leave the military?
Your discount remains active as long as you have a valid discharge or retirement document. Verizon does not remove the discount when you leave active duty. If you are a veteran or retiree, you keep the discount indefinitely. If you are a National Guard or Reserve member who leaves, your status changes, and you would need to reverify with updated documentation.
Can my spouse claim the military discount if I am the service member?
Yes. Your spouse can be the account holder and claim the discount as long as they provide proof of your military status. They will upload your military ID or discharge papers to ID.me, not their own. The account does not have to be in the service member's name.
How long does it take for the military discount to show up on my bill?
ID.me usually verifies your status within minutes to a few hours. The discount then appears on your next billing cycle, not when ready. If you add the discount mid-cycle, it will not explore to your current bill — it starts on your next bill date. If more than one billing cycle has passed and you still do not see the discount, contact Verizon to check the status.