+44 Country Code: Complete Guide to Calling the UK
The 44 country code is the United Kingdom. That includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. To call the UK from the US, dial 011-44, then the UK number (minus the leading zero). Whether you're calling a London office, a Manchester mobile, or a friend in Edinburgh, here's everything you need to know.
What Country is +44?
+44 is the international dialing code for the United Kingdom. It's assigned by the International Telecommunication Union and covers all of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
When you see a phone number starting with +44, you're looking at a UK number. The plus sign represents your country's exit code (011 from the US), and 44 tells the phone network to route your call to the UK.
How to Dial the UK from the US
To call the UK from the US, dial 011 + 44 + the UK number without the leading zero.
Here's the breakdown:
- 011 - The US exit code (or use + on a mobile phone)
- 44 - The UK country code
- UK number - Drop the first zero
Example: A London number like 020 7946 0000 becomes 011-44-20-7946-0000 from a US phone.
From a mobile: Just use the + sign. That London number becomes +44 20 7946 0000.
The Most Common Mistake
Don't include the zero after +44.
- Wrong: +44 020 7946 0000
- Right: +44 20 7946 0000
That extra zero creates an invalid number. Your call won't connect.
UK Area Codes
London uses 020 (or +44 20 internationally). Other major UK cities have their own area codes. Here's a quick reference:
| City | Domestic Code | International Format |
|---|---|---|
| London | 020 | +44 20 |
| Birmingham | 0121 | +44 121 |
| Manchester | 0161 | +44 161 |
| Glasgow | 0141 | +44 141 |
| Edinburgh | 0131 | +44 131 |
| Liverpool | 0151 | +44 151 |
| Leeds | 0113 | +44 113 |
| Bristol | 0117 | +44 117 |
| Cardiff | 029 | +44 29 |
| Belfast | 028 | +44 28 |
Notice the pattern: domestic UK numbers start with 0, but you drop it for international calls.
UK Mobile Numbers
All UK mobile numbers start with 07 domestically, or +44 7 when calling from abroad.
UK mobiles are 11 digits in domestic format. When you see a number like 07700 900123, you'd dial it internationally as +44 7700 900123 (dropping the leading zero, same as landlines).
Mobile prefixes include 071, 072, 073, 074, 075, 077, 078, and 079. If a UK number starts with any of these, it's a mobile.
Quick Reference: Dialing the UK
Here's how to call the UK from different countries:
| Calling From | Exit Code | Example (London number) |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 011 | 011-44-20-XXXX-XXXX |
| Canada | 011 | 011-44-20-XXXX-XXXX |
| Australia | 0011 | 0011-44-20-XXXX-XXXX |
| Most of Europe | 00 | 00-44-20-XXXX-XXXX |
| Any mobile phone | + | +44-20-XXXX-XXXX |
The + method works from any mobile phone worldwide. It's the simplest approach.
Need to Call the US from the UK?
If you're looking at this from the opposite direction---you're in the UK and need to call US numbers---the process reverses. The US country code is +1. From the UK, dial 00-1 (or just +1 from a mobile), then the US number.
Looking to call US numbers from the UK regularly? World Dialer offers $0.02/minute to US landlines. No subscription, no app download---just browser-based calls when you need them.
Ready to make international calls?
Sign up for WorldDialer today and get $10 free credit to start calling.
Create Free Account