---
title: Understanding Taxes and Fees on Your Voiply Bill
description: Wondering why your bill is more than your plan price? Here's why. Learn about the taxes and fees on your Voiply bill, what each charge supports, and how these help maintain emergency services, regulatory compliance, and reliable phone service.
---
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1. [Voiply Knowlege Base](https://kb.voiply.com/)
2. [Getting Started](https://kb.voiply.com/getting-started)
3. [Billing Basics](https://kb.voiply.com/getting-started#billing-basics)
# Understanding Taxes and Fees on Your Voiply Bill
## Your Voiply plan price covers your phone service. Your bill also includes taxes and fees. Some are set by the government, and some are set by Voiply. This guide shows you how to get your bill, how to read it, and what each charge is for.
### **Key details**
| Purpose | Explain the taxes and fees on your Voiply bill |
| --- | --- |
| Who it applies to | All Voiply customers |
| Why they exist | To pay for government programs like 911 and universal service, and to cover Voiply's costs of 911 routing and following telecom rules |
| How they are figured | By your service address and by federal, state and local law |
| Where to see them | On your bill, which you can download from your account portal |
### **Watch: why your bill is more than your plan price**
### **How to download your bill**
1. Sign in at [voiply.com/portal](https://voiply.com/portal) with your Voiply phone number.
2. On your Dashboard, find the Billing card and click Manage.
3. Under Bills, find the bill you want and click Download.
Every bill is also emailed to you.
### **How your bill is laid out**
Page 1 is your summary. It shows the total, what period it covers, how it was paid, the date your service is paid through, and an estimate of your next bill. It also shows your service and 911 address, because your taxes are based on that address.
Page 2 lists every charge in detail. It also explains each tax and fee in plain words and tells you who gets the money.
Page 3 answers common questions and covers important account terms like autopay, cancellation and 911 service.
Your first bill also includes a quick start guide for setting up your Voiply adapter.
### **Two kinds of charges**
Your bill splits taxes and fees into two groups.
Government taxes. Voiply collects these and pays them to the government. Voiply does not set these rates.
Voiply fees. Voiply sets these fees. They are not taxes.
### **Government taxes and surcharges**
The charges you see depend on your service address. Not every charge shows up on every bill, and the names can differ from state to state.
| Charge | What it pays for | Who sets the rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Federal Universal Service Fund | Phone and internet access for rural areas, schools, libraries and low-income households | The FCC, every quarter |
| Federal Carrier Cost Recovery Fee | Federal costs tied to phone service | Federal rules |
| FCC Cost Recovery Fee | The cost of FCC regulation of phone service | Federal rules |
| State universal service surcharge (in California, the California Universal Service Public Purpose Programs Surcharge) | Your state's own programs, like lifeline phone service, relay service for people with hearing or speech disabilities, and phone access in rural areas | Your state utilities commission |
| State public utilities commission fee (in California, the California PUC Fee VoIP) | The state agency that oversees phone service | Your state |
| Emergency 911 surcharge | Your state or local 911 system. It is often a flat amount per line per month. | State or local law |
| 988 Surcharge | The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline | State law |
| State, district and city sales tax | Sales tax on the taxable parts of your service | Your state and local tax agencies |
| Local Utility Users Tax | A city tax on utility services, including phone service | Your city |
### **Voiply fees**
| Fee | What it covers |
| --- | --- |
| Emergency 911 and Information Services Fee | What it costs Voiply to send your 911 calls, with your address, to the right dispatch center. It also covers 411 directory services. |
| Regulatory, Compliance and Intellectual Property Fee | Voiply's costs of following FCC and state telecom rules. This includes number portability, caller ID protections and patent licenses. |
These fees are set by Voiply. They are not taxes.
### **An example**
Here is a real first bill for a Home phone line at a California address, billed every 3 months.
| Charge | Amount |
| --- | --- |
| Home phone service, 3 months | $26.85 |
| Taxes and fees, 3 months | $21.21 |
| Total | $48.06 |
The taxes and fees in this example work out to about $7.07 a month. Your amounts will be different, because they depend on your address and your plan.
### **Why your total can change**
Taxes and fees are figured fresh each time you are billed. Some rates, like the Federal Universal Service Fund, change every quarter. That is why the next bill amount on page 1 is an estimate.
One-time signup items, like your adapter and shipping, only appear on your first bill.
Moving? Update your service address at [voiply.com/portal](https://voiply.com/portal) before you move your adapter. Your taxes are based on this address, and so is the address sent with your 911 calls.
### **Questions about your bill?**
We are happy to walk you through any charge. Call us at [(844) 843-4175](tel:+18448434175), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or email [support@voiply.com](mailto:support@voiply.com). You can also see all your bills any time at [voiply.com/portal](https://voiply.com/portal).
- [Getting Started](https://kb.voiply.com/getting-started#main-content)
- [Account Setup & Verification](https://kb.voiply.com/getting-started#account-setup-verification)
- [Billing Basics](https://kb.voiply.com/getting-started#billing-basics)
- [Calling and Service Limitations](https://kb.voiply.com/getting-started#calling-and-service-limitations)
- [Features & Enhancements](https://kb.voiply.com/getting-started#features-enhancements)
- [Network Setup](https://kb.voiply.com/getting-started#network-setup)
- [Using the Voiply Mobile App](https://kb.voiply.com/getting-started#using-the-voiply-mobile-app)
- [Porting Your Number](https://kb.voiply.com/porting-your-number)
- [Home Phone Service](https://kb.voiply.com/home-phone-service#main-content)
- [Cancellation and Returns](https://kb.voiply.com/home-phone-service#cancellation-and-returns)
- [Troubleshooting](https://kb.voiply.com/home-phone-service#troubleshooting)
- [Billing and Payments](https://kb.voiply.com/home-phone-service#billing-and-payments)
- [Account Management](https://kb.voiply.com/home-phone-service#account-management)
- [Getting Started](https://kb.voiply.com/home-phone-service#getting-started)
- [Kids Phone Service](https://kb.voiply.com/kids-phone-service)
- [Business Phone Service](https://kb.voiply.com/business-phone-service#main-content)
- [Starter Plan](https://kb.voiply.com/business-phone-service#starter-plan)
- [The Essentials](https://kb.voiply.com/business-phone-service#the-essentials)
- [Premier Plan](https://kb.voiply.com/business-phone-service#premier-plan)
- [Number Parking](https://kb.voiply.com/number-parking)
- [Internet Service](https://kb.voiply.com/internet-service)
- [Online Fax Service](https://kb.voiply.com/online-fax-service)
- [Premium Add-ons](https://kb.voiply.com/premium-add-ons)
- [AI Receptionist](https://kb.voiply.com/ai-receptionist)
- [AI Assistant](https://kb.voiply.com/ai-assistant)
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