Unable to unlock phone that's been paid off for months

Hello, @Katden522 we're happy to help with information for submitting a unlock request. 

If you are receiving a error that the unlock request review the eligibility requirements to determine if the following apply:

For naturally paid off devices via a monthly bill payment, the contract status is moved to contract is complete in our system at the start of the bill cycle following the payment.

Here are the general requirements for all unlock requests:

• The device must be designed for use on, and locked to, the AT&T wireless network. 
• It must not be reported lost or stolen.
• It’s not associated with fraudulent activity.
• All the device’s service commitments and installment plans are completed, and all early termination fees are paid in full.
• The device is not currently active on a different AT&T customer’s account.
• If you performed an early upgrade, you must wait the 14-day buyer’s remorse period before you can request to unlock your previous device.

For personal device unlock requirements the phone should meet the following eligibility requirements for unlock: 

• Is an AT&T phone or device and isn’t active on another AT&T account.
• Was paid in full when you bought it (not on an installment plan). You won’t have to wait 60 days to unlock it.
• Has a paid-off installment plan.
  • Paid through your monthly bill: Submit your unlock request at the start of your next bill period.
  • Paid off early: The wireless number assigned to the device must be active for at least 60 days. Wait 48 hours after you make your final payment to submit your unlock request. Learn how pay off your installment plan.
• Doesn’t have a past-due account balance. Make a payment to bring your account current. It will take 24 hours for your payment to post. 
• Hasn’t been reported as lost, stolen, or involved with fraud.
• Is an AT&T PREPAID phone that has had paid service for at least six months.

Once you have verified that your account and device meet all the requirements you are then able to:

1. Go to att.com/deviceunlock.
2. Select Unlock your device and follow the prompts.

For more information about unlocking your device check out AT&T Device Unlock Help - Solutions & FAQs. We're here if you have any questions. Thank you for contacting AT&T Community Forums. 

Alasani, AT&T Community Specialist 

The account is mine and my husbands on att network. The device was paid off 11 months ago. The account is in good standing. In other words there are no requirements I do not meet for unlock as you listed. The unlock request persists in saying the account has not been paid off. This is not true. I owe no balance on the phone for almost a year. I posted this information in my initial post. Please help unlock my phone. 

Unlocking is all done online. AT&T reps cannot over ride  the system and manually unlock it. 

So its impossible to unlock the phone? Ive tried online in the myatt app. It gives a message that the device is not paid off, but it is by far.

Did you go to the link that atthelp provided? 

Hello there @Katden522, let’s meet in a Direct Message to discuss/regarding your unlock request. Please check your Direct Message Inbox (it’s the chat icon next to the bell icon in the upper right corner of the Forums)

In the meantime, for personal device unlock requirements the phone should meet the following eligibility requirements for unlock: 

• Is an AT&T phone or device and isn’t active on another AT&T account.
• Was paid in full when you bought it (not on an installment plan). You won’t have to wait 60 days to unlock it.
• Has a paid-off installment plan.
  • Paid through your monthly bill: Submit your unlock request at the start of your next bill period.
  • Paid off early: The wireless number assigned to the device must be active for at least 60 days. Wait 48 hours after you make your final payment to submit your unlock request. Learn how pay off your installment plan.
• Doesn’t have a past-due account balance. Make a payment to bring your account current. It will take 24 hours for your payment to post. 
• Hasn’t been reported as lost, stolen, or involved with fraud.
• Is an AT&T PREPAID phone that has had paid service for at least six months.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Ashley, AT&T Community Specialist  

Yes. I have done the att.com device unlock and followed the instructions prompted. When that said i needed to pay off my installments on device, which had been completed for months, i called att customer service. That was fruitless, i never recd a call back. I called att customer service again in mid april and explained that the device unlock prompts lead to the not paid off message, he saw that this was true and I do neet eligibility for unlock but could not do it, he said he expedited the issue to att customer care team and explained my issue. Depsite that, i received an immediate response saying my device was not paid off. 

I’m afraid at this point you would need to file a bbb complaint which will get you a call from someone who has the authority to do something. 

I am having this same exact issue.. someone needs to update the installment plan as Contract Fulfilled… because I paid mine off but the contract still shows active with no payments due. Account is current and we need my iPhone unlocked. But I’m getting the same error message. This is terrible

Hey there @OVirge, we certainly want to help get your device unlocked. 

Based on your concerns, we want to go ahead and bring you into a DM for further assistance. Check the message icon in the upper portion of the page and reply back to us. 

Go ahead and try using the AT&T Unlock Portal mentioned above to attempt to unlock your device again, and let us know your exact error message. 

We look forward to helping you!

Lynn, AT&T Community Specialist