Boost Mobile has two sets of unlock rules. A postpaid phone becomes eligible as soon as it’s paid in full or its financing plan is complete, and Boost says it then unlocks the phone remotely, by itself, within two business days at no charge. A prepaid phone has to wait one year from activation and have its balance paid off, and the account has to be active, not suspended. That is Boost’s unlocking policy as updated on November 10, 2025, and read by us on October 2, 2026.
Boost’s rules side by side
| Postpaid phone | Prepaid phone | |
|---|---|---|
| When it qualifies | Once paid in full, or the financing plan is complete | One year after activation |
| Money owed | Nothing outstanding on the phone | The device balance paid off in full |
| Account | In good standing | Active; a suspended account doesn’t qualify until it’s restored |
| Who starts it | Boost, automatically | You, once it qualifies |
| How long | Within two business days | Processed on request |
There is one exception. Active-duty military personnel deployed overseas can ask Boost for an expedited unlock where it’s technically feasible, as long as the account is in good standing and they can show valid deployment documents. Everyone else waits for the rule that applies to their phone.
How to check whether it’s unlocked
- 1iPhoneSettings → General → About → Carrier Lock. “No SIM restrictions” means unlocked.
- 2AndroidRecent Samsung phones show a network lock status under Settings → Connections → More connection settings. Other Android phones: try a SIM from another carrier, or run an IMEI check.
- 3Ask BoostBoost’s policy gives one number for unlock questions, 833-50-BOOST (833-502-6678). Have the phone’s IMEI ready; dial *#06# to read it.
- 4IMEI checkOur IMEI check shows the carrier and lock details on record, which is the way to check a phone you don’t have the account for.
Postpaid: when the unlock doesn’t arrive
Boost says eligible postpaid phones unlock by themselves within two business days of being paid off. If yours hasn’t, the usual reasons are a small balance still owed, a plan that isn’t marked complete yet, or an account that isn’t in good standing. Fix that first, then give it the two business days again before calling. Our guide to how long unlocking takes sets out what each carrier’s timing really means.
Prepaid: the one-year wait
A prepaid Boost phone can’t be unlocked by Boost until a year after it was activated, and the balance on the phone has to be paid in full. The year is counted on the phone’s activation, so a phone you bought secondhand may be months into its year already, or months short of it, and you can’t tell without the original account.
The faster route
If the phone is still financed, still inside its first year on prepaid, or you bought it used and can’t reach the account, an IMEI unlock is the other option. Our Boost Mobile unlock page lists the Boost unlocks we offer by brand, each with its live price and delivery estimate. Read each service’s notes before you order; some take only phones with a clean record. The guide to how carrier unlocking works explains what an IMEI unlock does and doesn’t do.
