Glossary · definition
Country calling codes: what they are, with a dial code table
Every phone number in the world starts with a country calling code: the 1 to 3 digits after the plus sign that tell the network which country to route to. Getting it wrong is one of the most common reasons a verification code never arrives. This page explains how calling codes work, lists the codes for common countries and shows how to type them correctly.
Quick answer
What is a country calling code?
A country calling code is the 1- to 3-digit prefix, assigned by the ITU under Recommendation E.164, that identifies a country or region in an international phone number. You write it after a plus sign: +1 for the US and Canada, +44 for the UK, +91 for India. Apps usually ask for it separately.
How do country calling codes work?
The International Telecommunication Union assigns country codes as part of its numbering plan, Recommendation E.164 (2010). Codes are grouped by world zone: numbers starting with 1 are North America, 2 is mostly Africa, 3 and 4 are Europe, 5 is Latin America, 6 is Southeast Asia and Oceania, 7 is Russia and Kazakhstan, 8 is East Asia and 9 covers South and West Asia and the Middle East.
No code is a prefix of another, so the network always knows where the country code ends. +1 is shared by the North American Numbering Plan, which includes the US, Canada and many Caribbean countries, each with its own area codes. +7 is shared by Russia and Kazakhstan.
Country dial codes for common countries
These are the calling codes for countries people most often need for verification. The national number that follows varies in length by country.
| Country | Calling code | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States | +1 | Shared with Canada and much of the Caribbean (NANP) |
| Canada | +1 | Same code as the US; area codes differ |
| United Kingdom | +44 | Drop the leading 0 of the national number |
| India | +91 | Mobile numbers have 10 digits |
| Germany | +49 | Drop the leading 0 |
| France | +33 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Spain | +34 | No leading 0 to drop |
| Italy | +39 | Landlines keep their leading 0 |
| Netherlands | +31 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Poland | +48 | No leading 0 to drop |
| Brazil | +55 | Mobile numbers have 11 digits including the area code |
| Mexico | +52 | 10-digit national numbers |
| Indonesia | +62 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Philippines | +63 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Vietnam | +84 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Thailand | +66 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Malaysia | +60 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Pakistan | +92 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Nigeria | +234 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Kenya | +254 | Drop the leading 0 |
| South Africa | +27 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Australia | +61 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Israel | +972 | Drop the leading 0 |
| Hong Kong | +852 | 8-digit numbers, no area code |
| Kazakhstan | +7 | Shared with Russia |
Plus sign, exit code or country code?
The plus sign stands for your international exit code, the digits you dial to leave your own country: 011 from the US and Canada, 00 from most of Europe and many other countries. On a mobile phone, typing + works everywhere, so you never need to remember the exit code.
Many national numbers start with a trunk prefix, usually 0, that you dial only inside the country. When you add the country code, drop it: the UK number 07700 900123 becomes +44 7700 900123. Italy is the well-known exception for landlines, which keep their 0.
Why do country codes matter for verification codes?
A wrong or doubled country code is a top reason codes fail. Typing +1 in the country box and again in the number field, or keeping the leading 0, sends the code to a number that does not exist. Many apps also restrict which country codes they accept, or require a number from the country your account is set to.
TempSMSVerify shows each number with its country already identified, and the catalog lists live stock per app across 140+ countries. If a code does not arrive within up to 20 minutes, you are not charged. Our guide to number formats is at /glossary/e164-format.
FAQ
Country calling code: FAQ
What is my country calling code?
It depends on the country your phone number belongs to, not where you are now. The US and Canada use +1, the UK +44, India +91, Germany +49 and Australia +61. Codes are assigned by the ITU under Recommendation E.164. Check the table on this page or your phone's settings, which usually display your full number.
Why do the US and Canada share +1?
Because both belong to the North American Numbering Plan, a shared system that also includes many Caribbean countries and US territories. Each place has its own 3-digit area codes, so the area code, not the country code, tells you whether a +1 number is in the US, Canada or elsewhere.
What is the difference between a country code and an area code?
The country code routes the call to a country, such as +44 for the UK. The area code, where one exists, routes it to a region or network inside that country. Some countries use area codes only for landlines, and some, such as Hong Kong and Singapore, use no area codes at all.
Do I need the 0 after the country code?
Usually not. Most countries use a leading 0 only for domestic dialing, so you drop it after the country code: 030 in Berlin becomes +49 30. Italy keeps the 0 on landlines, and some countries, such as the US and Spain, have no trunk 0 at all. Leaving an extra 0 is a common reason codes fail.
What does 00 or 011 mean before a phone number?
Those are exit codes, the digits you dial to leave your country before the country code. The US and Canada use 011, while most of Europe and many other countries use 00. On mobile phones, the plus sign replaces the exit code and works from anywhere, which is why numbers are best written with +.
Why won't an app accept my country code?
Some apps only allow numbers from certain countries, or require a number that matches the country of your account or app store. Others block country codes linked to high fraud rates. Check the app's help pages, make sure you have not typed the code twice, and remove any leading 0 from the national number.
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