United States Country Code +1
The international country code for the United States of America (USA) is +1. This page explains how to dial US phone numbers from abroad, how US numbers are structured, which time zones the US uses and what emergency numbers apply nationwide.
US dialing quick facts
- Country name
- United States of America
- Country code (E.164)
- +1
- National prefix
- 1 (NANP)
- Trunk prefix
- 1 (long distance)
- Typical length
- +1 + 10 digits
- Main emergency
- 911
US number format example
+1 212 555 0199
+1 (country code) · 212 (area code) · 555 0199 (local number)
US phone number format
The United States uses the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). US numbers share the same +1 country code with Canada and many Caribbean countries, but each city or region has its own 3-digit area code.
Standard international format
- +1 – country code for the USA and other NANP members
- AAA – 3-digit area code (e.g. 212, 305, 415)
- NNN NNNN – 7-digit local subscriber number
Many US numbers are often written with parentheses and dashes for readability, such as (415) 555-0123 or 415-555-0123. For international systems and CRMs, always store numbers in full E.164 format with the leading plus sign.
Number types you’ll see
- Geographic landlines – area codes tied to cities or regions (for example, 212/646 for New York City, 213/323 for Los Angeles).
- Mobile numbers – share the same format as landlines; mobile vs. fixed cannot be seen from the country code alone.
- Toll-free numbers – start with 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, 833, etc. Example: +1 800 555 0123.
- Premium & special services – may use prefixes such as 900 or short codes for SMS campaigns and two-factor authentication.
How to dial the United States from abroad
To call a US number from another country, you combine your international exit code, the NANP country code +1, the 3-digit area code and the 7-digit local number.
Generic dialing pattern
- Dial your country’s international exit code (e.g. 00, 011, 0011).
- Dial 1 – the country code for the USA.
- Dial the 3-digit area code (e.g. 212, 305, 415).
- Dial the 7-digit local subscriber number.
If you see a US number written as 1-415-555-0123, you can usually replace the leading “1” with your exit code and keep the rest: 00-1-415-555-0123.
Common exit codes when calling the US
| From | Exit code | Example to New York |
|---|---|---|
| UK & most of Europe | 00 | 00 1 212 555 0199 |
| Canada & Caribbean (NANP) | 1 / 011 | 1 212 555 0199 (or 011 1 212 555 0199) |
| Australia | 0011 | 0011 1 212 555 0199 |
| Japan | 010 | 010 1 212 555 0199 |
Many mobile carriers allow you to dial US numbers by simply entering +1 followed by the area code and local number, without manually dialing the exit code.
United States time zones
The US spans multiple time zones. Most business calls focus on the six primary continental and Pacific zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii-Aleutian.
Main US time zones
| Zone | Short | UTC offset | Example cities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern | ET | UTC−5 (standard) / UTC−4 (DST) | New York, Washington D.C., Miami |
| Central | CT | UTC−6 / UTC−5 (DST) | Chicago, Dallas, Houston |
| Mountain | MT | UTC−7 / UTC−6 (DST) | Denver, Phoenix* |
| Pacific | PT | UTC−8 / UTC−7 (DST) | Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle |
| Alaska | AKT | UTC−9 / UTC−8 (DST) | Anchorage, Juneau |
| Hawaii-Aleutian | HAT | UTC−10 | Honolulu |
*Large parts of Arizona (including Phoenix) do not observe daylight saving time and remain on UTC−7 year-round.
Suggested business calling windows
To maximize answer rates when calling US companies, aim for local office hours and avoid early mornings or late evenings.
- Within North America: 09:00–17:00 local time is standard. If you call across time zones (for example, New York → Los Angeles), consider 12:00–16:00 ET to hit 09:00–13:00 PT.
- From Europe: Late afternoon in Europe (15:00–19:00 CET/CEST) overlaps with morning in Eastern and Central US, a common window for B2B calls.
- From Asia-Pacific: Many APAC teams schedule calls for early US mornings, which often fall in late evening in East Asia or early morning in Australia. Using shared calendar tools is highly recommended.
- US holidays & weekends: Avoid major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Year, Independence Day on 4 July) when staffing and answer rates are typically lower.
Emergency numbers & important services in the US
Primary emergency number
The universal emergency number throughout the United States is:
911
Dial 911 from any landline or mobile phone to reach police, fire and ambulance services. The call is free and works even from many locked or out-of-credit mobile phones.
Other useful numbers & notes
• Non-emergency police / city services: many cities use 311 for non-urgent issues.
• Roadside assistance: numbers vary by auto club or insurance; these are not national emergency numbers.
• Poison control: nationwide hotline 1-800-222-1222 (from within the US).
If you are outside the US and need help for someone in the US, contact local emergency services (in your own country) or the nearest US embassy/consulate for guidance.
Example: international calls to the United States
Here are a few complete examples of how to dial US numbers from different parts of the world.
UK → New York (landline)
00 1 212 555 0199
00 (UK exit) + 1 (US) + 212 (New York City area code) + 7-digit local number.
Germany → San Francisco (mobile)
00 1 415 555 0123
00 (Germany exit) + 1 (US) + 415 (San Francisco Bay Area) + mobile or VoIP number.
Japan → Chicago (office)
010 1 312 555 9876
010 (Japan exit) + 1 (US) + 312 (Chicago area code) + local office number.
FAQ: United States country code & dialing
Is +1 only used for the United States? +
No. The +1 code covers all members of the North American Numbering Plan, including the United States, Canada and many Caribbean countries. You can tell which country you are calling by the 3-digit area code and the number ranges your carrier associates with each destination.
How do I know if a +1 number is in the US or Canada? +
The country is determined by the area code. Each area code (like 212, 415, 604, 416, etc.) is assigned to specific regions in the US, Canada or Caribbean countries. Carriers use routing tables to map area codes to destinations and tariffs. If you run your own routing or validation, you should maintain an up-to-date NANP area-code list.
Do I need to dial 1 when calling inside the United States? +
Inside the US, the rules depend on the carrier and local dialing plan. On many landlines, you dial 1 + area code + number for long-distance calls, while local calls may allow 7-digit or 10-digit dialing. On mobile phones, you can usually dial 10 digits (area code + number) or the full +1 format and the network will interpret it correctly.
Are US toll-free numbers (+1 800, 888, etc.) free from abroad? +
US toll-free numbers are designed to be free for callers within the US and sometimes Canada. When dialed from other countries, they may not connect at all, or they may be charged as regular international calls. For global support lines, many companies instead use local access numbers in each country or international toll-free services (UIFN).
What’s the best way to store US numbers in my application? +
Use full E.164 format: always include the leading plus sign, the country code 1 and all 10 digits. For example, store +1 650 555 0100 rather than (650) 555-0100. This ensures compatibility with international SMS gateways, CPaaS APIs and fraud-detection systems.
Need NANP area-code data for the United States?
Download a structured list of US area codes with states, major cities and number formats to integrate with your CRM, dialer, billing or validation engine.