Brazil Country Code +55
The international country calling code for Brazil is +55. Brazil’s phone system uses a two-digit area code followed by an 8-digit landline or 9-digit mobile number. When formatted for international use, fixed lines look like +55 11 2345 6789, while mobiles take the pattern +55 11 9 8765 4321, with the extra digit 9 in front of the subscriber number.
Inside Brazil, long-distance dialing also includes a carrier selection code: people often dial 0 + carrier code + area code + local number, for example 0 21 11 2345 6789. From overseas, however, you simply dial your own international access code, then 55, then the area code and local number – no carrier code needed.
This page explains how Brazilian phone numbers are structured, how to call Brazil (+55) from abroad, how to interpret Brazil’s four time zones (most people live on Brasília Time, UTC-3), and which emergency numbers (190 / 192 / 193) are essential when working with clients in São Paulo, factories in Minas Gerais, tech hubs in Florianópolis or agribusiness operations in Mato Grosso.
Example landline (intl.)
+55 11 2345 6789
+55 (country) · 11 (São Paulo area) · 8-digit subscriber – typical Brazilian fixed-line format.
Example mobile
+55 21 9 8765 4321
+55 · 2-digit area code · 9 + 8-digit subscriber – all Brazilian mobiles now carry the extra “9”.
Time & daylight saving
No DST · Main zone UTC-3 (BRT)
Brazil has four time zones (UTC-2 to UTC-5). Daylight saving time was discontinued nationwide in 2019.
Overview – where +55 is used
The country code +55 belongs exclusively to Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy and the world’s fifth-largest country by area. +55 numbers appear on export contracts from São Paulo, agriculture and mining companies in the interior, oil & gas operators along the Atlantic coast and tourism businesses in Rio de Janeiro, Bahia and the Amazon region.
Brazil’s numbering plan is defined by the national regulator ANATEL. All standard numbers combine a two-digit area code (often written in brackets like (11), (21), (31), (61)) and a local number. For landlines, the local part has 8 digits; for mobile services it has 9 digits and always starts with 9. This gives fixed lines a total of 10 digits after +55, and mobiles 11 digits.
From within Brazil, long-distance calls use an open plan with a trunk prefix and carrier selection: callers dial 0 + carrier code (two digits) + area code + local number. International callers do not use this carrier code; they dial only their own exit prefix, then 55 + area code + local number. For CRMs and phone validation logic, it is safest to normalise everything to the E.164 format starting with +55.
Typical +55 use cases in business & travel
- Industrial & logistics hubs – factories and warehouses in São Paulo state, Minas Gerais, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul.
- Agribusiness & commodities – grain, beef and mining operations in Goiás, Mato Grosso, Pará and beyond.
- Tech & services – fintech and SaaS in São Paulo, Rio, Recife and Florianópolis, plus shared service centres across the country.
In many sectors, mobiles (+55 XX 9XXXX-XXXX) are more commonly used than fixed lines, so international callers and systems must handle the 11-digit format correctly.
Brazil phone number formats (+55)
Landline: +55 · AA · XXXX-XXXX · Mobile: +55 · AA · 9XXXX-XXXXBrazilian phone numbers are built from three main parts: country code (+55), two-digit area code, and the local subscriber number. The structure differs slightly for fixed and mobile services:
- • Landline (fixed) numbers: (AA) XXXX-XXXX – 2-digit area code + 8-digit local number. Example: (11) 2345-6789 → +55 11 2345 6789.
- • Mobile numbers: (AA) 9XXXX-XXXX – 2-digit area code + digit 9 + 8-digit local part, for a total of 9 local digits. Example: (21) 9 8765-4321 → +55 21 9 8765 4321.
- • Area codes (AA): range from 11 (greater São Paulo) to 99, mapped to states and regions across Brazil.
- • Public utility & emergency numbers: short 3-digit codes starting with 1 (e.g. 190, 192, 193).
- • International access from inside Brazil: 00 + carrier code (e.g. 21, 15, 14) + destination country code + number.
For databases and applications, treat +55 AA XXXX-XXXX as a landline and +55 AA 9XXXX-XXXX as a mobile. Any local formatting like parentheses or hyphens can be removed as long as the digit sequence is preserved.
Sample Brazilian numbers
Illustrative onlyArea code 11 covers greater São Paulo. Local format: (11) 2345-6789.
Area code 21 is used for Rio de Janeiro and nearby municipalities.
11-digit mobile with area code 31 (Belo Horizonte / Minas Gerais). Domestic: (31) 9 8765-4321.
How to dial Brazil (+55)
1. From the USA or Canada
To call Brazil from North America, use the international prefix 011, then 55, then the area code and local number.
- Dial 011 – US/Canada exit code.
- Dial 55 – Brazil country code.
- Dial the 2-digit area code.
- Dial the 8-digit landline or 9-digit mobile.
Example (New York → São Paulo landline (11) 2345-6789): 011 55 11 2345 6789.
2. From the UK, EU or other countries
In most of Europe, Asia and Africa, the exit code is 00. The rest of the sequence is the same.
- Dial 00 – international access code.
- Dial 55 – Brazil country code.
- Dial the area code (2 digits).
- Dial the local number (8 or 9 digits).
Example (London → Rio mobile (21) 9 8765-4321): 00 55 21 9 8765 4321.
3. Dialing within Brazil
- Local call (same area code): just dial the 8-digit landline or 9-digit mobile as written (no 0, no area code).
- Long-distance (different area): 0 + carrier code (e.g. 21, 15) + area code + local number.
- International from Brazil: 00 + carrier code + foreign country code + number.
Example (São Paulo → Brasília fixed line (61) 3333-4444 via carrier 21): 0 21 61 3333 4444.
Normalisation tip: whenever you capture a Brazilian number, strip spaces, brackets and hyphens, confirm the pattern AA + 8 or 9 digits, and convert it to +55AAXXXXXXXX / +55AA9XXXXXXXX on the backend. This avoids confusion around 0 and carrier codes.
Time in Brazil – four time zones, no daylight saving
Brazil spans four official time zones, all on standard time throughout the year: UTC-5, UTC-4, UTC-3 and UTC-2. The vast majority of the population (around 90%+) lives on Brasília Time (BRT, UTC-3), which covers São Paulo, Rio, Brasília and most coastal states.
Moving west, the Amazon region uses UTC-4, while the far-west state of Acre and part of Amazonas operate on UTC-5. To the east, the Fernando de Noronha archipelago runs one hour ahead of Brasília at UTC-2.
Brazil previously used daylight saving time in some states, but the policy was suspended nationwide and clocks now stay on standard time all year. That means the time difference between Brazil and countries that still use DST (like the US or much of Europe) can shift when those countries change their clocks, even though Brazil does not.
Brazil’s time zones at a glance
| Zone | UTC offset | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| BRT – Brasília Time | UTC-3 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Salvador, Recife, Belém. |
| AMT – Amazon Time | UTC-4 | Manaus, Cuiabá and large parts of the central-west and north. |
| ACT – Acre Time | UTC-5 | Acre state, western Amazonas (Rio Branco, Cruzeiro do Sul and surroundings). |
| FNT – Fernando de Noronha Time | UTC-2 | Fernando de Noronha archipelago (Atlantic islands off the northeast coast). |
For most business use cases, you can treat Brazil as UTC-3 unless you explicitly work with Acre, parts of the Amazon or Fernando de Noronha.
Emergency numbers in Brazil
Brazil uses three-digit public utility codes starting with 1 for emergencies and key services. For visitors, the most important numbers are 190 (police), 192 (ambulance) and 193 (fire department). There are also numbers such as 191 (federal highway police) and 199 (civil defense) that may be relevant for road travel and natural disasters.
Police
190
Military Police – main emergency number for crimes, violent incidents and urgent threats to safety. Often the first number locals dial in any emergency.
Ambulance / medical
192
SAMU – mobile emergency care service. Call 192 for serious medical issues, accidents or when someone needs urgent transport to a hospital.
Fire & rescue
193
Fire department – for building fires, car crashes, rescues and other situations requiring firefighters or specialized rescue teams.
Roads & civil defense
191 – Federal Highway Police
199 – Civil Defense
Use 191 for federal highway incidents (major routes and long-distance buses) and 199 for civil defense issues such as floods and landslides.
In some areas, GSM codes like 112 or 911 may be redirected to 190 for the benefit of foreign visitors, but you should not rely on this behaviour everywhere. Prefer the official Brazilian numbers above.
Examples: calling +55 numbers
US (Los Angeles) → São Paulo office (fixed)
Office number shown as: (11) 2345-6789.
- Remove formatting: 1123456789.
- Add country code 55 → 55 11 2345 6789.
- From the US, dial: 011 55 11 2345 6789.
Result: 011 55 11 2345 6789
Germany (Berlin) → Rio de Janeiro mobile
Mobile listed as: +55 21 9 8765-4321.
- From Germany, dial 00.
- Dial 55.
- Dial 21 9 8765 4321.
Result: 00 55 21 9 8765 4321
São Paulo → Manaus mobile (domestic)
Manaus mobile: (92) 9 1234-5678.
- Choose a carrier, e.g. code 21.
- Dial 0 21 92 9 1234 5678.
Full domestic long-distance format: 0 21 92 9 1234 5678 .
Brazil country code +55 – FAQ
How many digits are in a Brazil phone number?
A standard Brazilian landline has 10 digits after the +55 (2-digit area code + 8-digit local number). A mobile number has 11 digits after the +55 (2-digit area code + digit 9 + 8-digit local number).
What is the 9 in Brazilian mobile numbers?
The leading 9 in mobile numbers was added to increase capacity as mobile adoption exploded. Today, Brazilian mobiles follow the pattern (AA) 9XXXX-XXXX, so the extra “9” is always present and should be included when you store or dial those numbers internationally.
Do I need to include a trunk prefix or carrier code when calling from abroad?
No. Trunk prefixes and carrier codes (0 + carrier) are used only within Brazil for long-distance and international calls. From overseas, you simply dial your own exit code (011, 00, +) followed by 55 + area code + local number.
Does Brazil still use daylight saving time?
No. Brazil has not used daylight saving time since 2019, so clocks remain fixed at UTC-2, -3, -4 or -5 depending on the region. However, if your country uses DST, the time difference with Brazil will still change when your own clocks move forward or back.
Which emergency number should I use as a visitor?
In most situations, you will use one of three short codes: 190 for police, 192 for ambulance (SAMU) and 193 for fire brigade. If you are on a federal highway, 191 connects to the Federal Highway Police. Some mobile networks also redirect 112 or 911 to 190, but you should not rely on this everywhere.
Are WhatsApp numbers the same as Brazil mobile numbers?
In practice, yes. Most Brazilians use their standard mobile number as their WhatsApp ID. For international messaging and API integrations, always register the number in full +55AA9XXXXXXXX format and ensure your system supports 11-digit mobiles for Brazil.
Download the Brazil (+55) dialing & time zone cheat sheet
Save a one-page PDF with Brazil’s +55 country code, landline and mobile formats, examples for São Paulo, Rio, Brasília and Manaus, plus time zone and emergency numbers – ideal for customer support, sales and operations teams working with Brazilian partners.