International Dialing Codes
Find any country’s calling code and see exactly how to dial it from where you are — your exit code, the country code, and the local number with the leading-zero rule sorted out for you.
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- Works worldwide
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Calling codes are from the ITU E.164 standard. Most countries use exit code 00 and drop a leading 0 when called from abroad; North America uses 011 and +1. Some countries have carrier-specific exit prefixes — the +44 form always works from a mobile.
How do I dial an international number?
Dial your country’s exit code, then the destination’s country code, then the local number with its leading 0 dropped (where it has one). From a mobile, just dial + then the country code and number and your network handles the rest. For example, calling a UK number from the US: 011 44 20 7946 0958, or simply +44 20 7946 0958. Pick your countries above for the exact string.
Methodology: Country calling codes are the ITU E.164 assignments, cross-checked against the published international-prefix tables; they are very stable. Each country also has an international-access (exit) prefix dialled when calling out — most use 00, North America uses 011, Australia 0011, Japan 010, and Russia and neighbours 810 — and a national (trunk) prefix, usually 0, that is dropped when the number is dialled from abroad. A few countries (e.g. Italy) have no trunk prefix, so the full number is kept; some also have carrier-specific exit prefixes. The universal +code form works from any mobile. How we test & calculate.
The country code is only half the answer
Knowing that the UK is +44 or Japan is +81 is the easy part. Actually placing the call also needs your own exit code and the right handling of the destination’s leading zero — and both trip people up. This tool puts the whole dial string together for any pair of countries, so you can read it straight off, whether you’re saving a contact, calling a hotel, or reaching home from abroad.
How an international number is built
Every international call is the same three pieces: exit code → country code → local number. The exit code is your country’s “get me out” prefix (00 across most of the world, 011 in North America, 0011 in Australia). The country code identifies the destination. And the local number is dialled with its national trunk prefix — usually a leading 0 — removed, because the country code takes its place. The big exception is the handful of countries with no trunk prefix, like Italy, where you keep every digit; the tool knows which is which.
Just use the “+”
On a mobile, you don’t need to remember exit codes at all. Dial — or save the contact as — + followed by the country code and number, and your network substitutes the correct exit code for wherever you happen to be. That’s why a number stored as +44 20… rings through identically from London, New York or Sydney. It’s the format worth defaulting to, and the one this tool shows first.
When to call, and a cheaper line
Getting the digits right is one thing; catching someone awake is another — pair this with the best time to call tool to land in a civil hour at both ends, and the time zone converter to see the gap. And since network international rates can sting, especially on roaming, many travellers place the call over an internet app on Wi-Fi instead — same person, far smaller bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I call another country?
Three parts: your country’s international access (exit) code, then the destination’s country code, then the local number. For example, to call a UK number from the US you dial 011 (the US exit code), then 44 (the UK), then the number with its leading 0 removed. From a mobile, the simplest universal method is to dial + followed by the country code and number — the phone sends the right exit code automatically wherever you are.
What does the “+” mean?
The plus sign is a stand-in for “whatever the international exit code is here”. When you store or dial a number as +44 20…, your mobile network replaces the + with the correct prefix for the country you’re physically in (011 in the US, 00 across most of Europe, 0011 in Australia). That’s why a contact saved in +country-code format just works wherever you travel, which is the format this tool shows first.
Do I drop the leading zero?
Usually yes. Most countries have a national “trunk” prefix — typically a 0 — used only for domestic calls, and it’s dropped when dialling from abroad because the country code replaces it. So a UK number written 020 7946 0958 becomes +44 20 7946 0958. But not everywhere: a few countries, including Italy, have no trunk prefix and you keep every digit, so an Italian 06… number stays +39 06…. The tool applies the correct rule for each destination automatically.
What’s my exit code?
It’s the prefix you dial to start an international call from your country. Most of the world uses 00. North America (the US, Canada and much of the Caribbean) uses 011. Australia uses 0011, Japan 010, and Russia and a few neighbours use 810. A handful of countries also have carrier-specific exit prefixes. Pick your country in “Calling from” above and the tool shows the right exit code in the dial string.
Why do the US, Canada and Caribbean share +1?
They’re all part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), a shared system that uses the single country code +1 and distinguishes places by their three-digit area code instead. So a US, Canadian, Jamaican or Bahamian number all begin +1 and differ in the area code that follows. From outside the NANP you dial your exit code, then 1, then the ten-digit number.
Does dialling internationally cost more, and is there a cheaper way?
A standard international call over the phone network can be expensive, especially from a hotel or on roaming. The number itself doesn’t change, but the cost does — so many travellers use an internet-based app (WhatsApp, FaceTime, Signal and similar) over Wi-Fi or data, which routes the call for little or nothing. If you do call over the network, check your plan’s international rates first, and use the + format so it connects wherever you are.