What is E911?

E911 (Enhanced 911) is the US standard for emergency phone services that automatically delivers the caller’s location to the 911 dispatcher. Originally built for mobile carriers, E911 requirements now apply to VoIP and multi-line telephone systems under the MLTS Act (Kari’s Law) and RAY BAUM’S Act. Business phone systems must provide a dispatchable location (street address plus room/floor/suite) to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) when any user dials 911. Non-compliance carries fines up to $10,000 per violation and creates real safety risk.

Why E911 exists

Traditional landlines were tied to a specific street address. 911 operators could look up the calling number in a database (ALI, Automatic Location Identification) and see the registered address immediately. Dispatch went to the right location even if the caller couldn’t speak.

Mobile and VoIP phones broke that assumption. A phone number isn’t tied to a fixed location. E911 evolved as the regulatory and technical framework to restore that capability for modern phone services.

E911 vs. 911 vs. basic 911

The terms are used loosely, but they describe three different capability levels:

Term	What the dispatcher receives
Basic 911	The call is connected to a PSAP, but no automatic location or callback number — the caller must say where they are
E911 (Enhanced 911)	The call is connected and the caller’s number and a registered location are delivered automatically
Next Generation 911 (NG911)	An IP-based upgrade that adds text, photo, video, and more precise real-time location data

The critical point for a business: connecting a 911 call is not enough. If your phone system reaches a PSAP but cannot deliver a dispatchable location, that is basic 911, and for a multi-line business system it is non-compliant. E911 — automatic, accurate location with every emergency call — is the legal standard, not an upgrade.

Key E911 laws for business phone systems

Kari’s Law (2018)

Named after Kari Hunt Dunn, who was killed in 2013 while her 9-year-old daughter tried to dial 911 from a hotel phone and was blocked by the hotel’s “dial 9 for an outside line” requirement.

Kari’s Law requires all multi-line telephone systems (MLTS), including business PBXs and VoIP systems, to:

1. Allow direct 911 dialing without a prefix (no “dial 9 first”)
2. Simultaneously notify on-site personnel that a 911 call is in progress (front desk, security, management)

Applies to all MLTS installed, manufactured, imported, or upgraded after February 16, 2020.

RAY BAUM’S Act Section 506 (2019)

Requires that 911 calls from MLTS systems include a dispatchable location: more than just a street address, ideally the specific room, suite, floor, or office.

• Fixed MLTS (desk phones): the physical location of the phone
• Non-fixed MLTS (softphones, mobile apps): a location accurate enough to dispatch responders

Applies to MLTS installed or upgraded after January 6, 2022.

What “dispatchable location” means

Per FCC rules, a dispatchable location is: “the street address of the calling party, and additional information such as room number, floor number, or similar information necessary to adequately identify the location of the calling party.”

For a single-location small business, the street address is often sufficient. For larger deployments, floor and suite-level granularity is expected.

E911 and VoIP softphones

Softphones complicate E911 because the user can be anywhere. The FCC’s rules require “reasonably accurate” location. Common approaches:

• User-provided location: prompt the user to confirm their current address on login or at set intervals
• IP geolocation: infer location from IP address (accurate to city, sometimes block)
• Network-aware location: use the enterprise’s Wi-Fi AP or network data to determine floor/suite
• Device GPS: on mobile apps, use GPS when available

DialPhone’s softphone prompts users to confirm and update location when it changes significantly. Large enterprise deployments use network-based location with integration to the corporate WiFi or LAN infrastructure.

E911 setup process

When a number is ported to a VoIP provider:

1. Service address is captured during the port order
2. Provider registers the number with the appropriate ALI database
3. Dispatch is verified (some jurisdictions require a test call)
4. Address propagates to all relevant PSAPs

When a user moves or the service changes location:

1. Admin updates the address in the provider portal
2. Provider pushes the update to ALI
3. Update typically takes 24 to 72 hours to propagate fully

Critical: If an admin doesn’t update E911 when a user moves, 911 calls still route to the old address. Responders show up at the wrong location. This has contributed to deaths.

Kari’s Law simultaneous notification

Kari’s Law requires on-site personnel to be notified when a 911 call is placed. Implementation options:

• Email alert to designated contacts
• SMS alert to security/management
• Dashboard / admin alert
• Integration with physical security systems

DialPhone supports configurable simultaneous notifications (email, SMS, and app alert) for every 911 call, including the user who dialed and their registered location.

E911 non-compliance penalties

• FCC fines: up to $10,000 per violation for willful violations
• State-level penalties vary
• Civil liability: if non-compliance contributes to a harm, civil suits can follow
• Reputational damage: serious incidents get media coverage

Kari’s Law violations have been actively enforced. FCC takes it seriously.

E911 best practices for MLTS administrators

• Verify direct 911 dialing works (no prefix required) on every endpoint
• Verify on-site notification fires for every 911 call
• Confirm registered addresses for every user match actual location
• Require softphone users to confirm location at login / move
• Update addresses in the admin portal the day users move
• Test 911 dialing quarterly, actual test calls where possible (coordinate with local PSAP)
• Document compliance, keep records of testing and address verification
• Train users, teach them to update their location when they move

E911 and remote/hybrid work

Remote work creates E911 complexity:

• Users dial 911 from home offices, coffee shops, hotels
• Their registered service address may not match their current location
• Softphone users are especially hard to locate

Best practices for remote teams:

• Prompt softphone users to confirm/update location at least daily
• Use device GPS on mobile apps when available
• Train users, explain why location matters
• Consider user messaging: “Your 911 calls route to your registered address. If you are somewhere else and need emergency help, use the phone in front of you instead.”

E911 and hoteliers, schools, hospitals

Special care for MLTS in hospitality, education, and healthcare:

• Hotels: each room is a potential call origin; FCC has specifically addressed hotel MLTS
• Schools: each classroom or area; many states have additional requirements
• Hospitals: complex multi-building campuses with specific nurse-station and room routing requirements

Kari’s Law was specifically motivated by a hotel compliance failure. Take MLTS compliance seriously if you serve any of these verticals.

Next Generation 911 (NG911)

E911 is itself being upgraded. Next Generation 911 (NG911) replaces the decades-old analog 911 infrastructure with an IP-based system, and it changes what an emergency call can carry:

• Text, photo, and video to 911 — callers can send a text message or media to the PSAP, critical when speaking aloud is dangerous or impossible.
• More precise, real-time location — NG911 supports location data accurate enough to identify a specific floor or room, delivered dynamically rather than from a static registered address.
• Smarter call routing — calls can be re-routed between PSAPs based on real location and load, and overflow handled gracefully.
• Better resilience — an IP-based, geographically redundant network is harder to knock out than legacy analog trunks.

NG911 is being deployed PSAP by PSAP across the US, so coverage is uneven and rolling out over years rather than switching on overnight. For a business, the practical takeaway is that the quality of location data you supply still matters: NG911 makes accurate, granular location more useful than ever, so a phone system that maintains good dispatchable-location data is positioned to benefit as PSAPs upgrade. Choosing a provider that tracks NG911 readiness is part of long-term compliance planning.

DialPhone E911 features

• Address capture at number porting and at user creation
• Admin portal for updating user locations
• Softphone location prompts: users confirm location at login and on detected location changes
• Simultaneous notification: configurable email/SMS/in-app alerts on every 911 call
• Audit trail of 911 calls and location data
• Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’S Act compliant by default on all MLTS deployments

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Example

A 40-branch financial services firm deployed DialPhone across all branches in 7 days. E911 setup was part of the standard deployment:

• Each branch’s street address captured at port time
• Per-floor suite numbers captured for the two multi-floor branches
• Softphone users prompted to confirm home addresses
• Simultaneous notification alerts configured to go to each branch manager plus corporate security

A test 911 call from one branch during deployment confirmed dispatchable location passed correctly to the local PSAP. Deployment signed off and went live.

E911 frequently asked questions

What is the difference between 911 and E911?

Plain 911 (basic 911) connects an emergency call to a Public Safety Answering Point but delivers no automatic location — the caller must tell the dispatcher where they are. E911 (Enhanced 911) connects the call and automatically delivers the caller’s phone number and a registered dispatchable location to the dispatcher.

That location matters most when a caller cannot speak — a child, an injured person, someone in danger. For business multi-line phone systems, E911 is not optional: federal law requires that 911 calls carry a dispatchable location, so a system that only connects the call is non-compliant.

Is E911 required for VoIP business phones?

Yes. Under Kari’s Law and the RAY BAUM’S Act, multi-line telephone systems — which include business VoIP and cloud phone systems — must allow direct 911 dialing without a prefix, notify on-site personnel when a 911 call is placed, and deliver a dispatchable location to the PSAP. These requirements apply to MLTS installed or upgraded after the relevant 2020 and 2022 effective dates. Willful non-compliance carries FCC fines up to $10,000 per violation, plus state penalties and civil liability. Any business deploying VoIP must configure E911 correctly.

What is a dispatchable location?

A dispatchable location is the information emergency responders need to actually find the caller. The FCC defines it as the street address of the calling party plus additional detail such as room number, floor, or suite “necessary to adequately identify the location.” For a small single-floor business, the street address alone is often enough. For a multi-floor office, a campus, a hotel, or a hospital, responders need floor- and room-level granularity — a street address by itself can waste critical minutes while responders search a large building.

How does E911 work with remote workers and softphones?

It works only if location data is kept current. A softphone can be used from anywhere, so the system cannot assume a fixed address. The phone system must collect and update each user’s current physical location — through user-confirmed addresses at login, IP geolocation, network-aware location on corporate WiFi, or device GPS on mobile.

If a remote user’s registered address is stale, a 911 call routes responders to the wrong place. Best practice is to prompt softphone users to confirm location regularly and train them that 911 routes to their registered address, not wherever they happen to be.

Do I need a separate E911 service provider?

Usually not as a separate purchase — a reputable business VoIP or cloud phone provider builds E911 into the service, including ALI database registration, dispatchable-location handling, and Kari’s Law on-site notification. What you should do is confirm the provider’s E911 capability before buying: ask how it captures and updates location, whether it supports softphone and remote-user location, and whether it is compliant with Kari’s Law and the RAY BAUM’S Act by default. DialPhone includes E911 compliance on all MLTS deployments, so no separate E911 provider is needed.

Related guides

• Business phone for healthcare: compliance considerations
• Cloud phone for remote teams
• Number porting — service addresses captured during porting
• Softphone — the endpoint that requires ongoing E911 location management
• VoIP — the technology requiring E911 compliance configuration
• Multi-location phone system — E911 across distributed offices
• FCC Kari’s Law and MLTS guidance