Quick answer: Yes. Buying and permanently holding a US phone number is completely legal. Under the FCC's Local Number Portability rules, the subscriber who controls a number — via its Account Number and Transfer PIN — can keep it for life, move it between carriers at will, and transfer it to someone else. When you buy from GreatNumber (operated by Great Number LLC, a California-registered company), you pay once, receive those credentials within 24 hours, and the number is yours permanently — no rental, no renewal.
What "owning" a number means legally
Technically, numbering resources are administered by the FCC through the North American Numbering Plan. In practice, control equals ownership: the party holding the porting credentials decides which carrier serves the number and who uses it. That control is what you buy. It is the same mechanism businesses have used for decades to keep numbers like 1-800-FLOWERS through many carrier changes.
Is buying and reselling numbers legal?
Yes. The secondary market for memorable numbers has existed for decades in the US. FCC rules prohibit hoarding by carriers, not private parties buying, holding, or selling the numbers they subscribe to. GreatNumber sources numbers through authorized channels, and every sale transfers full usage and porting rights to you. Details: FAQ — legality section.
Your rights after purchase
- Port anywhere: carriers are legally required to release a number when you provide correct credentials — they cannot hold it hostage.
- Keep it forever: as long as the line stays active with any carrier (even a $10/month prepaid), the number remains yours.
- Transfer or sell: ownership passes by handing over the porting credentials; GreatNumber issues a porting certificate with the company's EIN for business registration or proof-of-ownership purposes.
Ways to lose a number (and how to avoid them)
- Letting the line lapse: if service is disconnected too long, the carrier reclaims the number and after an FCC-mandated quarantine it returns to the pool. Keep any cheap plan active.
- Leaking your PIN: anyone with your credentials can port your number away. Never post porting info in public groups; regenerate the PIN (free, instant) if you suspect exposure.
- Port-out scams: enable a port-out PIN with your carrier so social-engineering attacks fail.
Were these numbers used before?
Most marketplace numbers are brand new (never assigned). A minority are recycled after the FCC quarantine period, in which case the previous owner has no claim, though stray calls may occur for a few months. GreatNumber labels number status on each product page.
Bottom line
Number ownership in the US is a mature, FCC-regulated system. Pay once, guard your credentials, keep any active line — and the number is yours for life. Find your number →
