Critical: E911 is not optional. Federal law requires all VoIP providers and enterprise phone systems to provide 911 service with location information. Non-compliance can result in FCC fines up to $10,000 per violation per day, plus potential criminal liability if someone is harmed due to failed 911 service.
What is E911? (Enhanced 911 vs Traditional 911)
E911 (Enhanced 911) automatically transmits the caller's location to emergency dispatchers. With traditional landline 911, your address is associated with your phone line in a database. When you call 911, the dispatcher immediately sees your address on their screen.
1 Traditional 911 (Landline)
- Phone number tied to physical address
- Location lookup via ALI database
- Works automatically, no configuration
- Cannot move the phone to another location
2 E911 for VoIP
- Location registered with E911 provider
- Called "Registered Location" or "ELIN"
- Requires configuration and maintenance
- Must update when phone moves
The VoIP Challenge
Unlike landlines, VoIP phones can be used anywhere with an internet connection. An employee could take their desk phone home, or a softphone user could be in a different state than their office. Without proper E911 configuration, a 911 call could be routed to the wrong dispatch center, or dispatchers would have no idea where to send help.
Key Concept: E911 works by associating a physical street address (the "Registered Location") with each phone number or extension. When that number dials 911, the address is transmitted to the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) so dispatchers know where to send help.
Legal Requirements: Kari's Law & RAY BAUM's Act
Two major federal laws govern 911 calling for VoIP and multi-line telephone systems (MLTS). Compliance is mandatory, and the FCC actively enforces these requirements.
Law 1 Kari's Law (Effective February 2020)
Named after Kari Hunt, who was killed while her daughter tried unsuccessfully to call 911 from a hotel phone that required dialing "9" first. Kari's Law has three requirements:
| Requirement | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Direct Dialing | Users must be able to dial 911 directly without any prefix (no "9" or "8" to get an outside line) |
| On-Site Notification | The system must notify a designated on-site person (front desk, security) when 911 is dialed |
| No Blocking | 911 calls cannot be blocked or require additional steps like entering a code |
Law 2 RAY BAUM's Act (Effective January 2022)
RAY BAUM's Act requires "dispatchable location" information to be transmitted with all 911 calls. This goes beyond just a street address:
Dispatchable Location Requirements
- Street Address: Full street address validated against MSAG (Master Street Address Guide)
- Additional Info: Floor number, suite/room number, building name, or other identifying information
- Specificity: Location must be specific enough to dispatch responders to the correct area within a building
Who Must Comply: These laws apply to all "multi-line telephone systems" including VoIP PBX systems (Asterisk, FreePBX, 3CX), hosted PBX services, enterprise phone systems, hotels, hospitals, schools, and any business with more than one phone line.
How VoIP 911 Works
VoIP 911 relies on a chain of components to route the call and deliver location information to emergency dispatchers. Understanding this chain helps you configure it correctly.
User Dials 911
Employee or user dials 911 from their IP phone, softphone, or WebRTC client
PBX Routes to E911 Provider
Your Asterisk/FreePBX/3CX system recognizes 911 and routes it to your E911-enabled SIP trunk
E911 Provider Looks Up Location
Provider matches the caller ID or extension to the registered address in their database
Call Routed to Correct PSAP
Based on the address, call is routed to the appropriate 911 center (PSAP) for that location
Dispatcher Receives Location
911 dispatcher sees the registered address on their screen and dispatches responders
ELIN vs. Dynamic Location
ELIN (Emergency Location ID Number)
A dedicated phone number assigned to a specific location. When 911 is called, this number is sent as the caller ID.
- Simple to configure
- One ELIN per location/zone
- Callback goes to ELIN number
Dynamic Location (P-ASSERTED-IDENTITY)
Location is sent in SIP headers. More flexible but requires more sophisticated configuration.
- Per-extension locations possible
- Works with nomadic users
- Requires PBX support
E911 Setup for SIP Trunks
Setting up E911 for your SIP trunk involves registering your location(s) with your provider and configuring your PBX to route 911 calls correctly.
Step 1: Register Your Location
In your SIP provider's portal (like the IPComms customer portal), you will register the physical address for each phone number or location:
| Field | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Street Number | 123 | Building number |
| Street Name | Main Street | No abbreviations |
| City | Chicago | Full city name |
| State | IL | Two-letter code |
| ZIP | 60601 | 5-digit ZIP |
| Location Details | Floor 3, Suite 301 | RAY BAUM's requirement |
Address Validation: Your address must match the MSAG (Master Street Address Guide) database. The provider will validate the address. If it does not match exactly (e.g., "Ave" vs "Avenue"), you may need to adjust it.
Step 2: Configure 911 Routing in Your PBX
Your PBX must be configured to:
- Recognize 911 (and 933 for testing) as emergency numbers
- Route these calls out your E911-enabled trunk
- Send the correct caller ID (ELIN or DID associated with the location)
- Not require any prefix to dial 911 (Kari's Law compliance)
E911 Configuration: Asterisk, FreePBX & 3CX
Asterisk Asterisk Dialplan Configuration
In your Asterisk dialplan, create a dedicated context for emergency calls. This example assumes you have an E911-enabled trunk named "ipcomms-e911":
; extensions.conf - Emergency Calling
[emergency]
; Direct 911 dialing (Kari's Law compliant)
exten => 911,1,NoOp(Emergency 911 Call)
same => n,Set(CALLERID(num)=5551234567) ; Your ELIN or registered DID
same => n,Set(CALLERID(name)=Company Name)
same => n,Dial(PJSIP/911@ipcomms-e911)
same => n,Hangup()
; 933 test number (many providers support this)
exten => 933,1,NoOp(E911 Test Call)
same => n,Set(CALLERID(num)=5551234567)
same => n,Dial(PJSIP/933@ipcomms-e911)
same => n,Hangup()
; Include emergency context in all user contexts
[internal]
include => emergencyFreePBX FreePBX E911 Setup
FreePBX handles E911 through outbound routes and the Emergency Notification module:
- Create E911 Outbound Route: Go to Connectivity > Outbound Routes > Add Route. Name it "Emergency" and set it as the highest priority route.
- Dial Pattern: Add pattern
911and933with no prefix requirement. - Trunk Selection: Select your E911-enabled trunk. Set the CID Override to your registered ELIN.
- Enable Notifications: In Admin > Emergency Notification, configure email/SMS alerts when 911 is dialed (Kari's Law compliance).
FreePBX Tip: Use the "Emergency CID" field in extension settings to assign location-specific caller IDs for multi-floor or multi-building setups.
3CX 3CX E911 Configuration
3CX has built-in E911 support with emergency number configuration:
- Emergency Numbers: Go to Settings > PBX > Dial Codes and add 911 to the Emergency Numbers list.
- Outbound Rule: Create an outbound rule matching 911 that routes to your E911 SIP trunk.
- Caller ID: In the trunk settings, set the "E911 Caller ID" field to your registered location's ELIN or DID.
- Notifications: Configure "Emergency Call Alerts" to notify security/reception via email when 911 is dialed.
3CX v20+: The latest 3CX versions support location-based E911 routing where different extensions can be assigned to different emergency response locations.
Multi-Location E911 Considerations
Organizations with multiple offices, floors, or buildings face additional E911 challenges. RAY BAUM's Act requires dispatchable location information, meaning you may need multiple registered locations.
When You Need Multiple E911 Locations
Separate Locations Required
- Multiple office buildings
- Different floors in a high-rise
- Campus with multiple buildings
- Remote/home workers
- Retail stores or branch offices
Single Location May Suffice
- Small single-floor office
- Single building, easy to navigate
- All employees in one area
Implementation Strategies
Strategy 1: ELIN per Zone
Assign a dedicated DID to each floor or building. Configure your PBX to use the correct ELIN based on the calling extension's zone.
Strategy 2: Extension-Based Routing
Group extensions by location (e.g., 1xx = Floor 1, 2xx = Floor 2) and route 911 calls to different trunks or with different caller IDs based on the extension range.
Strategy 3: Dynamic Location Services
For large enterprises, consider E911 services like RedSky or Intrado that integrate with your network to automatically detect phone locations.
Remote Workers: Remote and hybrid employees present a challenge. If an employee uses their office softphone from home, 911 would route to the wrong location. Consider requiring location registration updates or using dynamic E911 solutions for nomadic users.
Testing Your E911 Configuration
Testing is critical. You do not want to discover E911 problems during an actual emergency. There are safe ways to test without making a real 911 call.
Test Methods
| Method | How It Works | What It Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Dial 933 | Connects to E911 test line; plays back your registered address | Location registration, call routing |
| Provider Test Portal | Some providers have a web-based test tool | Address validation, ELIN assignment |
| Non-Emergency Line | Call your local PSAP's non-emergency number and ask to verify E911 | Full end-to-end verification |
Never test by dialing 911 unless it is a true emergency. Even brief test calls to 911 tie up emergency resources and may be illegal in some jurisdictions. Always use 933 or coordinate with your local PSAP for testing.
Testing Checklist
IPComms E911 Service
IPComms makes E911 compliance simple and affordable. Our E911 service is fully integrated with our SIP trunking platform, so you can register locations, manage ELINs, and ensure compliance from a single dashboard.
What is Included
- E911 routing to correct PSAP
- Dispatchable location support
- MSAG address validation
- Kari's Law compliant
- RAY BAUM's Act compliant
- Self-service portal for location management
- Multi-location support
- Setup assistance from our team
Already an IPComms Customer? E911 can be enabled for any existing DID from your customer portal. Go to Phone Numbers > select the DID > Enable E911 and register your address. Changes take effect within minutes.
Get E911 Compliant Today
Protect your employees and meet federal compliance requirements. IPComms E911 service is just $2.50/DID/month with no setup fees.