Understanding the Verizon Transfer of Service Process

Life changes, and sometimes that means needing to change who is financially responsible for a Verizon Wireless phone line. Whether a family member is ready for their own account, circumstances require splitting a shared plan, or you need to move a line between personal and business accounts, the verizon transfer of service process (also known as Assumption of Liability or AOL) allows you to move a line—and its associated billing responsibility—from one Verizon account owner to another.

Who Can Transfer and What’s Required?

Before starting a transfer, ensure you meet the eligibility criteria:

Account Roles

• Initiating Party: The transfer request must typically be started by the Account Owner or an Account Manager of the Verizon account that is releasing the phone line(s).
• Approving Party: The Account Owner or an Account Manager of the Verizon account that is receiving the line(s) must formally accept the transfer and associated responsibility.

Account Status

• The account releasing the line(s) must have a current balance (no past-due amounts).
• The phone line being transferred usually needs to have been active on the releasing account for at least 30 days (for personal accounts).
• If the line is being added to an existing Verizon account, that receiving account must also be current.

Assuming Party Requirements

• The person taking over responsibility for the line must be 18 years or older (19 in Alabama and Nebraska).
• They will typically need to pass a soft credit check, especially if establishing a new Verizon account.
• A security deposit might be required based on the credit check results.

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The Verizon Transfer of Service Process: Step-by-Step

The most efficient way to handle a transfer is online through My Verizon.

Initiating the Transfer (Online)

1. Log In: The Account Owner/Manager of the account giving up the line logs into My Verizon (website or app).
2. Navigate: Find the “Transfer Your Service” option. This might be under “Account,” “My Devices,” or a similar management section.
3. Select Lines: Choose the specific phone line(s) you wish to transfer.
4. Enter Recipient Info: Provide the first name, last name, and email address of the person who will be taking over the line(s).
5. Review & Acknowledge: Read through the disclosures regarding billing responsibility, device payments, and potential loss of promotions. Accept the terms.
6. Submit: Confirm and submit the transfer request.

Accepting the Transfer

1. Receive Email: The person assuming responsibility will receive an email from Verizon containing instructions and usually a unique Transfer Request PIN.
2. Follow Link: Click the link provided in the email (“Transfer now” or similar).
3. Verify: Enter the Transfer Request PIN and one of the mobile numbers being transferred to authenticate the request.
4. Log In or Create Account: Choose to either log into an existing Verizon account (if adding the line) or proceed to set up a new Verizon account (this will involve the credit check).
5. Accept Terms: Review and accept the Verizon Customer Agreement and the terms of the service transfer.

Choosing a Plan

• The person taking over the line must select a currently available Verizon wireless plan for that line. It’s often not possible to keep the exact plan the line had on the previous account.

Completion Timeline

• The receiving party typically has 15 days from when the request is initiated to accept and complete the transfer process online. If not completed within this timeframe, the request usually expires, and must be restarted.

Handling Device Payments and Promotions

This is often the most complex part of a transfer:

Device Payment Agreement Options

If the line being transferred has a phone or device still being paid off monthly:

1. Pay Off Early: The person releasing the line can pay off the remaining device balance before initiating the transfer.
2. Transfer the Agreement: The device payment agreement can potentially move with the phone line to the new account owner. This requires the assuming party to pass the credit check and be eligible to take over the financing. The monthly payment amount and remaining term stay the same.
3. Keep on Original Account: In some cases, the device payment agreement might remain on the original account, assigned to another eligible line on that account (if one exists).

Promotional Credits: Will They Transfer?

This can vary and policies sometimes change:

• Device/Trade-In Credits: Recent experience suggests that monthly promotional credits tied to a specific device (e.g., from a trade-in or purchase promo) may transfer with the line, provided the new account owner selects a qualifying plan and meets other terms (sometimes requiring the promo to be active for a certain number of months first).
• BYOD/Other Credits: Promotions like “Bring Your Own Device” credits typically do not transfer.
• Crucial Step: Always verify the status of promotions during the transfer process. Choosing a non-qualifying plan on the receiving account will likely cause any remaining promotional credits to be lost permanently.

What Happens to Voicemail and Other Features?

• Voicemail Setup: The voicemail box associated with the phone number will likely need to be set up again by the new account owner after the transfer. Saved messages from the old account context are usually lost during the transfer.
• Other Account-Tied Features: Services linked to the original account (like Verizon Cloud storage) do not transfer with the line’s billing responsibility.

Is There a Cost to Transfer Service?

• No Transfer Fee (Usually): Initiating and completing the verizon transfer of service online via My Verizon is typically free.
• Billing Responsibility: The original account owner is responsible for all charges up until the transfer is officially completed. The new account owner may see prorated charges for the first partial month on their initial bill, plus the first full month billed in advance.