How to Port Your Phone Number to Google Voice (2026 Guide)
Porting a number to Google Voice means moving your existing phone number onto Google's service, so calls and texts to it ring in the Google Voice app instead of on a carrier plan. People do it to keep a long-held number without paying for a monthly line.
The process is simple, but two rules catch almost everyone: Google Voice only accepts mobile numbers, and porting out cancels your old plan. Here is the whole process, in order.
Before you start: check that your number qualifies
Google Voice accepts ports from US mobile numbers only. Landline and most VoIP numbers are rejected by the port tool. If you are not sure how your number is classified, run it through our free carrier lookup first — the line type shown (wireless, wireline, or VoIP) tells you whether the port can work.
Your number must also be active until the port completes. Do not cancel your carrier plan first: the port itself is what closes the old account. Cancelling early releases the number back to the carrier and you can lose it permanently.
What it costs
Google charges a one-time $20 porting fee. There is no monthly charge afterwards for personal Google Voice use in the US. Watch for one hidden cost: if your mobile number is still under a device contract, your carrier may bill an early termination fee when the port closes the line.
The port, step by step
The whole flow happens at voice.google.com:
- Unlock your number with your current carrier (most carriers have a "number transfer PIN" you request in their app).
- Gather your account number, transfer PIN, and billing ZIP code exactly as your carrier has them.
- In Google Voice, go to Settings → Phone numbers → Change / Port and enter your number.
- Pass the eligibility check, enter the carrier details, and pay the $20 fee.
- Wait: mobile ports usually complete within 24 to 48 hours. Google emails you when it is done.
Porting a landline: the two-step workaround
Because Google Voice rejects landlines, the classic workaround is to port the landline to a prepaid mobile carrier first (a cheap SIM is enough), wait about a week for the number to register as mobile, then port from that carrier into Google Voice. It adds cost and a second port, but it is the established path for keeping an old family or business landline alive in Google Voice.
After the port
Your old plan ends automatically, texts and calls arrive in the Google Voice app, and you can link a new carrier number for outgoing calls if you wish. If two-factor codes for banks stop arriving, re-verify the number in those services — a few SMS gateways treat VoIP-hosted numbers differently.
Porting for a business? Google Voice personal has no shared inbox or team features — a business phone service may fit better.
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