How to get off your parents' phone plan

Going off on your own can be both terrifying and exhilarating, as it involves different ways of exercising your newfound independence. That might include getting off your parents’ phone plan, but that hard cut-off isn’t happening as early as it used to. Today, 1 in 5 American adults are still on their parents’ phone plan, according to WhistleOut.

While being on your parents’ family plan may seem convenient, it can burden their finances, sacrifice your privacy, and open the door to conflict about usage. Getting your own phone plan could be the solution. So, let us show you how.  

What to do before leaving your parents' phone plan

Here are the things to handle before making the switch:  

1. Make your intentions known

Speak to the family account owner about your intention to leave. Most family plans will only allow the account owner to remove lines from the account (which in turns frees you to take your phone number with you).

Also, their monthly bill may go up if they lose a multiline discount, and they might want time to shop around for a new plan as well. 

2. Find out if you can take your phone with you

Some phone carriers lock phones purchased directly from them to their own network, which bars those phones from being activated with any other carrier. Also, if your phone was bought as part of a promotion or device financing plan alongside the service plan, you may have to pay a lump sum to own it outright. Identify whether your phone is locked or if you have to pay to take it with you.  

3. Pick out your new phone plan

Before you (or the account owner) make the cut, make sure you have a new plan lined up, so you’re not left without service. There are a lot of options to choose from, and it’s important that you know what you’re looking for when selecting the best phone plan. Prepaid plans, especially MVNO phone plans, will always be the cheaper options, with enough to choose from for different data and budget needs. If you’re looking for a plan with specific perks and prioritized data, then you’d be better off looking for a postpaid plan, but these plans are more expensive. It’s wise to have a budget figured out, especially if you’re paying for your own phone plan for the first time.  

4. Learn how to take your phone number with you

All carriers are required to provide port-out information if requested, to allow you to keep your number when switching carriers.

Important note: Only active numbers can be transferred, so make sure you get that information before you leave the family plan and port the number over before your line is shut down.

How to leave your parents' phone plan

If your family phone plan is with Google Fi, Mint Mobile, or Visible, you can leave the plan yourself. Mostly, this is done by either contacting the carrier directly or managing your plan from your account portal online. Otherwise, the only way you can leave the family plan on any other carrier is by asking the account owner to remove you from it.  

How to take your phone number to a new carrier

Porting – or transferring – your number to a new carrier is an altogether easy process that requires you to have your account information on hand to be able to complete the transfer. Different carriers will list this information in different ways – some will have it readily available in your account portal, some will require you to contact them directly – you can use this guide to quickly find where your account information is with your service provider.  

Once you have your account information, simply contact your new provider directly to start the port, or walk through their online process, if available, to complete the port.  

How to get a new phone number

If you do not want to, or are unable to, port your number over to your new provider, you can simply get a new phone number. When you sign up with your new provider, you will be given the choice to either use your own number or get a new one, at which point you can choose to get a new one and complete the account setup to start using it.  

How to take your phone to a new carrier

Taking your own phone with you can be a more complicated process, depending on its standing with your current family plan provider:  

• If your phone is financed through your current plan and has an outstanding balance, you will have to pay that balance before leaving the plan/taking the phone with you.  

• If your phone is locked to the network, you will have to contact the carrier directly to unlock it. Note that this isn’t always possible, but you can check out this guide to find out the unlocking policies of most carriers.  

• If your phone is paid off and unlocked, you don’t have to take any other extra measures other than having the account owner cancel your line.  

Once your family plan line is cancelled, you’re free to take your phone and activate it with your new service provider. This will require you to get a new SIM card, whether a physical one or an eSIM, which will allow you to use the new provider’s network to access your calls, texts, and data.  
 
>> Read more: How to activate a SIM card

How to get a new phone

If you’re unable to take your current phone with you, or wish to upgrade, many carriers will have promotions for new customers that involve either free or deeply discounted phones. You can shop around for the best phone deals in advance and compare prices.  

Note: Buying a new phone outright and choosing a cheaper phone plan might save you more money in the long run. You can compare your savings at the end of a device financing/promotional contract by using a free phone bill calculator.  

Pros & cons of leaving your parents' phone plan

Leaving your parents’ family phone plan is a big, but exhilarating decision. It’s a great way to assert your independence, can help you build your credit in some cases, and gain some privacy with your phone service. But it also comes with its disadvantages, especially if you’re used to getting perks like a streaming service subscription through your current family plan. And you might be dismayed to find out how much a phone bill costs for your single line. 

Frequently Asked Questions about leaving your parents' phone plan