Verizon Unlock Rules Changed in 2026 — What It Means for Your Phone

For almost twenty years Verizon was the easy one: your phone unlocked itself 60 days after activation, whether you asked or not. That ended in January 2026.

What changed

The FCC granted Verizon a waiver from the 60-day automatic unlocking requirement. Verizon now follows the voluntary industry code instead, the same one AT&T and T-Mobile follow.

• Activated on or before January 26, 2026: the old rule still applies. Your device unlocked automatically after 60 days.

• Activated on or after January 27, 2026, postpaid: unlocks when the device is paid off in full, not on a timer.

• Prepaid activated under the new policy: 365 days of paid, active service before it unlocks on request.

• Visible and other Verizon brands moved to 365 days for devices bought under the new policy.

Check before you pay anybody

If your Verizon phone was activated before the cutoff and is paid off, it may already be unlocked and you do not need a service at all. Put a non-Verizon SIM in it. If it works, you are done. If you see SIM Not Supported, it is still locked.

Devices nobody can unlock

If a device is reported lost or stolen, or flagged for fraud, no service can unlock it — not Verizon, not us, not anyone charging you for it. Be suspicious of anyone who says otherwise.

Where a service actually helps

The change means far more Verizon devices now sit locked for a year or until they are paid off. If you bought a used Verizon phone, do not have account access, or cannot wait out the window, that is where a third-party unlock is worth looking at.

Not sure which situation you are in? Ask before you order. Call or text (940) 344-3069. Prices and turnaround for every service are shown at cellphoneken.com before you pay.