Dataset · v1.0
SMS Verification by Country: SIM Rules, Formats and Apps
A maintained map of how phone verification works in 24 countries: the calling code, the mobile number format, whether a SIM needs an ID or biometric check, the law and regulator behind it, and the local apps that ask for a number. Every row is dated and marked with its confidence level.
Quick answer
Which countries require ID for a SIM card?
Of the 24 countries in this map (version 1.0, 2026-10-25), 18 require an ID to activate a SIM, 3 of them with a biometric check, and 1 requires registration to a national number. 4 have no general prepaid ID rule: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands. Each row adds the number format, regulator and local apps.
The map
Version 1.0 · checked 2026-10-25 · 24 countries. Click a country for the full guide, number format tips and common errors.
Showing 24 of 24 countries
| Country | Code | National format | Digits after code | SIM registration | Law or rule | Regulator | Local apps | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | +1 | (201) 555-0123 | 10 | None | No national SIM registration lawShares +1 with Canada. Many apps run a carrier lookup and may refuse numbers they classify as VoIP or recently used. | FCC | WhatsApp, Google, ChatGPT, Discord | reported |
| United Kingdom | +44 | 07700 900123 | 10 | None | No prepaid SIM registration requirementMobiles start with 07 at home; drop the 0 after +44 (07XXX becomes +44 7XXX). | Ofcom | WhatsApp, Google, Instagram, Discord | reported |
| Canada | +1 | (416) 555-0123 | 10 | None | No national SIM registration lawSame +1 and 10-digit format as the US; apps tell them apart by area code (416, 514, 604...). Pick Canada (+1). | CRTC | WhatsApp, Uber, Google, Tinder | reported |
| India | +91 | 91234 56789 | 10 | Mandatory ID | DoT KYC for new SIMs (Aadhaar eKYC or passport)DoT SIM-binding order for messaging apps reported to apply from January 1, 2027. OTPs come from DLT sender headers. | DoT / TRAI | Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato, Truecaller | reported |
| Philippines | +63 | 0917 123 4567 | 10 | Mandatory ID | RA 11934 SIM Registration Act (2022)Every SIM must be registered to a verified identity; foreigners use a passport. Unregistered SIMs were deactivated in 2023. | NTC | Viber, Shopee, Grab, foodpanda | reported |
| Nigeria | +234 | 0803 123 4567 | 10 | Mandatory ID | NIN-SIM linkage (since December 2020)Lines without a valid NIN link can be barred; a new enforcement wave began in July 2026. Never keep the 0 after +234. | NCC | Jiji, Jumia, Bolt, Truecaller | reported |
| Pakistan | +92 | 0300 1234567 | 10 | ID + biometrics | PTA biometric SIM verification (CNIC or passport)PTA caps SIMs per CNIC. Handsets brought in must be registered in DIRBS within a set period or may be blocked. | PTA | imo, Daraz, Careem, foodpanda | reported |
| Kenya | +254 | 0712 345 678 | 9 | Mandatory ID | Registration of Telecommunications Service Subscribers Regulations, 2025In force since May 30, 2025, replacing the 2015 rules. Mobiles start 07 or 01 at home; both drop the 0 after +254. | Communications Authority of Kenya | Bolt, Glovo, Jumia, Jiji | reported |
| South Africa | +27 | 082 123 4567 | 9 | Mandatory ID | RICA (Act 70 of 2002)RICA registration needs an ID document and proof of address; visitors use a passport. | ICASA | Checkers Sixty60, Mr D, Takealot, Gumtree | verified |
| Australia | +61 | 0491 570 156 | 9 | Mandatory ID | Identity Checks for Prepaid Mobile Carriage Services Determination 2017SMS Sender ID Register mandatory from July 1, 2026: unregistered sender names show as Unverified or may be blocked. | ACMA | Gumtree, Airtasker, Uber, Menulog | verified |
| Malaysia | +60 | 012-345 6789 | 9–10 | Mandatory ID | MCMC prepaid SIM registrationMyKad for citizens; passport, work permit or student ID for foreigners. 011 numbers have one extra digit. | MCMC | Shopee, Grab, Carousell, Mudah.my | verified |
| Hong Kong | +852 | 9123 4567 | 8 | Mandatory ID | Real-name Registration Programme for SIM cards (2021)HKID or passport. Prepaid users are limited to 10 SIMs per operator; a cut to three is proposed for 2026. | OFCA | WeChat, Carousell, HKTVmall, Keeta | reported |
| Israel | +972 | 052-123-4567 | 9 | Unknown | No widely cited SIM registration lawSources disagree; operators usually ask for an Israeli ID or passport. Many codes arrive in Hebrew. | Ministry of Communications | Wolt, Gett, Yad2 | unverified |
| Netherlands | +31 | 06 1234 5678 | 9 | None | No general prepaid ID requirementPrepaid SIMs usually sell without ID; postpaid needs a BSN. Typing +31 06 is a common error: use +31 6. | ACM | Marktplaats, Thuisbezorgd, Uber, Bolt | reported |
| Germany | +49 | 0176 12345678 | 10–11 | Mandatory ID | Telecommunications Act (TKG), prepaid ID check since July 1, 2017Mobile ranges 015X, 016X, 017X with no single fixed length. Kleinanzeigen accepts EU numbers only, per its help pages. | Bundesnetzagentur | WhatsApp, Kleinanzeigen, Telegram | verified |
| France | +33 | 06 12 34 56 78 | 9 | Mandatory ID | Operators must identify prepaid SIM buyersMobiles start 06 or 07; drop the 0 after +33. Leboncoin refuses a number already linked to another account. | ARCEP | Leboncoin, Snapchat, Uber, WhatsApp | reported |
| Spain | +34 | 612 345 678 | 9 | Mandatory ID | Law 25/2007, additional provision (prepaid buyer register)DNI, NIE or passport to buy a prepaid SIM. No trunk 0: the 9 digits are the same at home and after +34. | CNMC | Wallapop, Glovo, Cabify, WhatsApp | verified |
| Italy | +39 | 347 123 4567 | 9–10 | Mandatory ID | Decree-Law 144/2005 (decreto Pisanu), art. 6Operators ask for an ID plus a codice fiscale. Mobiles start with 3; landlines keep their 0 after +39. | AGCOM | Subito, Glovo, Just Eat, Vinted | verified |
| Poland | +48 | 512 345 678 | 9 | Mandatory ID | Anti-terrorism rules: prepaid registration since February 2017Unregistered prepaid cards were cut off. No trunk 0; OLX allows one number per account. | UKE | OLX, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger | reported |
| Brazil | +55 | (11) 91234-5678 | 11 | Registration required | Anatel prepaid registration with CPFDDD area code plus 9 digits starting with 9; the ninth digit was completed nationwide in February 2017. | Anatel | iFood, 99, Mercado Livre, WhatsApp | reported |
| Mexico | +52 | 55 1234 5678 | 10 | Mandatory ID | CRT mobile line registration with CURP or RFC (2026)New lines registered since January 9, 2026; unlinked lines suspended from August 2026. No extra 1 after +52. | CRT | DiDi, Rappi, Mercado Libre, Uber | reported |
| Indonesia | +62 | 0812 3456 7890 | 9–12 | ID + biometrics | Komdigi SIM registration (NIK + KK; facial biometrics from July 1, 2026)NIK and KK registration since 2018; visitors register tourist SIMs with a passport. Some apps send the code by WhatsApp first. | Komdigi | Gojek, Grab, Tokopedia, Shopee | reported |
| Vietnam | +84 | 091 234 5678 | 9 | Mandatory ID | Subscriber data must match national ID records; Decree 147/2024Decree 147/2024 (from December 25, 2024) makes social networks verify accounts by Vietnamese number or personal ID. | Ministry of Science and Technology | Zalo, Shopee, TikTok, Facebook | reported |
| Thailand | +66 | 081 234 5678 | 9 | ID + biometrics | NBTC SIM registration rules (biometric liveness checks since 2025)Since May 2026, non-Thai nationals are limited to three SIMs per operator, verified with a passport. | NBTC | LINE, LINE MAN, Grab, Lazada | reported |
What the map shows at a glance
| SIM registration | Countries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory ID | 15 | 63% |
| Mandatory ID + biometrics | 3 | 13% |
| Registration to a national ID or tax number | 1 | 4% |
| No general prepaid ID requirement | 4 | 17% |
| Unclear (sources disagree) | 1 | 4% |
| Rows backed by an official source | 6 | 25% |
How to read each column
- Calling code: The international prefix you select in an app's country picker (E.164 country code).
- National format: How a mobile number is written inside the country, with fictional digits. Drop the leading 0 (where there is one) after the country code.
- Digits after code: How many digits a mobile number has after the country code. A range (for example 9–10) means lengths vary by prefix; both are valid.
- SIM registration: mandatory ID = an ID document is required to activate a SIM; mandatory ID + biometrics = ID plus a fingerprint or facial check; registration required = the line must be registered to a national ID or tax number; none = no general ID requirement for prepaid SIMs; unknown = sources disagree.
- Law or rule: The law, regulation or regulator rule behind the SIM requirement, by its short name. We only name a law that an official source or our fact-checked country guide names.
- Regulator: The national telecom regulator or ministry responsible for numbering and SIM rules.
- Local apps: Apps commonly verified with a number from that country, taken from the country guide.
- Confidence: verified = an official source (law text, regulator or government register) backs the SIM rule; reported = the fact-checked guide and consistent secondary sources agree, but no official page was reachable; unverified = sources disagree.
Methodology and confidence levels
Each row starts from our country guide for that country, which was fact-checked before publication, so the map and the guides never disagree. For the SIM rule we then looked for the official text: the law on a government legislation portal, the regulator's own page or an official gazette. When we could open that page and it states the rule, the row is marked verified and the source is listed.
When the official page was unreachable or does not state the rule clearly, but the guide and consistent secondary sources agree, the row is marked reported. When sources disagree, the SIM registration field says unknown and the row is marked unverified. We do not name a law that no source names; in those cases the field describes the rule in plain words.
Number formats follow each country's numbering plan as described in the guide. Example numbers use fictional digits, including the ranges that regulators such as Ofcom and ACMA reserve for drama and documentation. Local apps are the ones the guide lists as commonly asking for a number from that country.
SIM registration rules apply to SIM cards that local operators issue to subscribers. They describe the country, not the numbers sold on this site. The map is reviewed at least quarterly and sooner when a country changes its rules; corrections are welcome at [email protected] with the country, the field and the source.
How to use the map with a temporary number
Find the country the app expects, check the calling code and how many digits follow it, then type the number without the domestic 0. If the country requires an ID or biometric check for SIM cards, that rule covers SIMs that local operators issue; it is a reason to keep banking, wallet and long-term accounts on a SIM in your own name.
For a one-time code on an account you own, TempSMSVerify offers numbers from 140+ countries. The number is reserved for up to 20 minutes, and if no SMS arrives the frozen amount returns to your balance automatically. Each country link in the table opens the full guide with format tips and common errors.
How to cite this map
Reuse the data with attribution under CC BY 4.0. The JSON file at https://tempsmsverify.com/sms-verification-by-country/data.json has the same rows as the table, with field definitions and a link to each country guide. Suggested citation:
TempSMSVerify, "SMS Verification by Country: SIM Rules, Formats and Apps", version 1.0, updated 2026-10-25. https://tempsmsverify.com/sms-verification-by-country (data: https://tempsmsverify.com/sms-verification-by-country/data.json, CC BY 4.0).
See also the SMS verification requirements index, which covers the same questions app by app.
Sources used
- Philippines: Lawphil: Republic Act No. 11934
- South Africa: Department of Justice: RICA, Act 70 of 2002 (PDF)
- Australia: Federal Register of Legislation: Determination 2017
- Malaysia: MCMC: prepaid registration documents
- Germany: Gesetze im Internet: TKG § 172
- Spain: BOE: Ley 25/2007, de 18 de octubre
- Italy: Normattiva: D.L. 27 luglio 2005, n. 144, art. 6
- Brazil: Anatel: nono dígito (number format)
- Mexico: Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in Mexico (format)
- Vietnam: Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in Vietnam (format)
FAQ
Country verification map FAQ
Which countries require ID to buy a SIM card?
In this map, 18 of 24 countries require an ID document to activate a SIM. Pakistan, Indonesia and Thailand also require a biometric check (fingerprint or facial verification), and Brazil requires registration with a CPF. The filter above the table lists each group.
Can you buy a prepaid SIM without ID?
Among the countries in this map, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands have no general ID requirement for prepaid SIMs, although some providers still ask for details when you activate online and postpaid contracts usually need identification. Israel is marked unknown because sources disagree.
Do SIM registration laws apply to temporary numbers?
They apply to SIM cards that local operators issue to subscribers. The numbers on TempSMSVerify are temporary provider lines for one verification, not SIMs registered in your name. Use them only for accounts you own, and keep banking, government and long-term accounts on a SIM registered to you.
How many digits come after the country code?
It depends on the country: 8 in Hong Kong; 9 in France, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, Australia, Kenya and Thailand; 10 in the US, Canada, the UK, India, Mexico and Nigeria; and 11 in Brazil. Germany, Italy, Malaysia and Indonesia use more than one length. The Digits after code column gives each country's value.
What does the confidence level mean?
Verified means we opened an official source, such as the law on a government legislation portal or the regulator's own page, and it states the SIM rule. Reported means our fact-checked guide and consistent secondary sources agree but no official page was reachable. Unverified means sources disagree.
Can I reuse this data, and how often is it updated?
Yes. The JSON file is published under CC BY 4.0: reuse it with attribution to TempSMSVerify and a link to this page. Every row carries its check date (currently 2026-10-25), and we review the whole map at least quarterly. Send corrections with a source to [email protected].
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