+61 explained
The Australia country code, 61, is what you dial before a Australia number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Australia dialing code, Australia calling code, or Australia phone code. In the Australia phone number format, +61 comes first, then the area code, such as 3 for Melbourne, then the local number.
- Country code
- +61
- The 0061 country code is the same number
- ISO code
- AU
- The two-letter code on forms and shipping labels
- Used in
- Australia
- Also on +61: Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0 from United Kingdom, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- 0
- Drop it after +61
- Number length
- 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 12 digits
- After +61
- Australia time now
- Australia mobile number format
- 0412 345 678
- From abroad: +61 412 345 678
- Australia landline number format
- (02) 5550 1234
- From abroad: +61 2 5550 1234
+61 area codes of main cities
Each +61 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +61, then the city code, then the local number. Inside Australia, callers leave out +61 and put 0 in front of the city code. So Melbourne is +61 3 from abroad and 03 at home.
- Melbourne
- +61 3
- Sydney
- +61 2
- Brisbane
- +61 7
- Perth
- +61 8
- Adelaide
- +61 8
- Gold Coast
- +61 7
- Newcastle
- +61 2
- Canberra
- +61 2
- Sunshine Coast
- +61 7
Australia phone number types
The first digits of a Australia number tell you what kind of number it is: a landline, a mobile, a free number, or one that costs more to call. Here is a sample of each type of Australia phone number, as dialed inside Australia and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Australia
“How are you going?”
It means how are you, and has nothing to do with going anywhere
Reply
“Good, thanks”
Emergency number
000
112 also works, but only from a mobile phone. If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, call 106 from a TTY text phone.
Triple Zero, Australian GovernmentAustralia began to roll out 000 in 1961. The Postmaster-General's Department chose it partly because 0 sits by the finger stop of a rotary dial, easy to find in the dark.
Wikipedia, 000 (emergency telephone number)ACMA keeps 5550 and 7010 after every area code, such as 02 5550 1234, for films and TV. For mobiles it keeps only 30 single numbers, so other 0491 numbers can be real.
ACMA, Phone numbers for use in TV shows, films and creative worksAustralian phone numbers once started with letters. Essendon's exchange was FU, which is 37 on the dial.
Wikipedia, Telephone numbers in AustraliaBroken Hill, in far western New South Wales, uses 08, the code of South Australia and Western Australia, not 02.
Federal Register of Legislation, Telecommunications Numbering Plan 2025
What it costs to call Australia (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.06/minMobile from $0.10/min
Only 15 of 220 countries cost less to call than Australia.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Australia?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Australia fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The 0 is still in the number
Australian numbers keep a 0 at the start for calls inside Australia. From abroad, leave it out: +61 takes its place.
- Connects
- 011 61 2 5550 1234
- Does not connect
- 011 61 002) 5550 1234
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from New Zealand, Europe, and most of the world. From the US and Canada the exit code is 011.
- Connects
- 011 61 2 5550 1234
- Does not connect
- 00 61 2 5550 1234
The number does not take calls from abroad
Numbers that start with 1800, 13, or 1300 often cannot be reached from outside Australia. Each business decides whether to take calls from abroad, so look for its +61 landline number.
- Connects
- 011 61 2 5550 1234
- Does not connect
- 011 61 1800 123 456
Questions about +61
Which country is +61?
+61, or country code 61, belongs to Australia. Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands use it too. Norfolk Island does not. Its code is +672.
What is +61?
+61 is the code you dial before an Australian number when you call from another country. It replaces the first 0 of the number.
What is the difference between +61 and 0061?
The + stands for your own exit code. 00 is the exit code from most of the world, so 0061 and +61 reach the same number there. From the US or Canada, dial 011 61 instead.
Do I drop the 0 after +61?
Yes. The 0 at the start of an Australian number is for calls inside Australia. Dial +61 2 5550 1234, not +61 02 5550 1234.
Can I text a +61 number?
Yes. Australian mobiles start with 04, so write +61 4 and the rest of the number, without the 0.
How much does it cost to call Australia?
Australian mobiles start with 04 and landlines with 02, 03, 07, or 08. The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
Is the AU country code the same as +61?
No. AU is the ISO code of Australia, used in forms and addresses. The number you dial is +61.
Why do Australian mobile numbers start with 04?
ACMA's numbering plan gives 04 to mobile numbers, and 05 is the only other mobile range. Landlines start with 02, 03, 07, or 08, so 04 shows at once that a number is a mobile.
Why does Australia only have four area codes?
Because of a change between 1994 and 1998: Australia cut its many area codes to four and made local numbers 8 digits long, to make room for more numbers. Each code covers a region, and some regions cross state lines.
Can I call an Australian 1800 number from overseas?
Only if the business allows it. Each 1800 number owner decides whether to take calls from abroad, and from abroad the call is not free.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 25, 2026.
Federal Register of Legislation, Telecommunications Numbering Plan 2025