+86 explained
The China country code, 86, is what you dial before a China number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the China dialing code, China calling code, or China phone code. In the China phone number format, +86 comes first, then the area code, such as 21 for Shanghai, then the local number.
- Country code
- +86
- The 0086 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- CN, CHN
- Use the CN country code or the CHN country code on forms and passports. To call China, dial +86
- Used in
- China
- No other country or territory dials +86
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- 0
- Drop it after +86
- Number length
- 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 digits
- After +86
- Time now in China
- China mobile number format
- 131 2345 6789
- From abroad: +86 131 2345 6789
- China landline number format
- 010 1234 5678
- From abroad: +86 10 1234 5678
+86 area codes of main cities
Each +86 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +86, then the city code, then the local number. Inside China, callers leave out +86 and put 0 in front of the city code. So Shanghai is +86 21 from abroad and 021 at home.
- Shanghai
- +8621
- Beijing
- +8610
- Chongqing
- +8623
- Guangzhou
- +8620
- Tianjin
- +8622
- Chengdu
- +8628
- Wuhan
- +8627
- Nanjing
- +8625
- Xian
- +8629
China phone number types
The first digits of a China 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 China phone number, as dialed inside China and from abroad.
Good to know before you call China
âåâ
WÊi
Wei means hello, said when you pick up a call
Reply
âåâ
WÊi
The person who placed the call often says wei back
Emergency number
110
119 reaches the fire service and 120 reaches an ambulance.
Shanghai Municipal People's GovernmentChina rolled out new mobile prefixes in stages: 15x numbers in 2006, 18x and 14x in 2008, 17x in 2013, and 16x and 19x in 2017.
Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in mainland ChinaChina Mobile's 13-digit internet-of-things numbers start with 144, but only the 1440 and 1441 blocks inside that prefix are issued.
Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in mainland ChinaEvery mobile number in mainland China has been registered to a real name since December 2016.
Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in mainland ChinaChina's 400 numbers split the bill: the caller and the business both pay, and either a landline or a mobile can dial one.
Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in mainland China
What it costs to call China (using Suparelay)
Landline from $1.06/minMobile from $1.06/min
Only 22 of 220 countries cost more to call than China.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call China?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to China fails
You call from: đēđ¸ United States
The exit code is wrong for your country
China's own exit code is 00. From the US and Canada, dial 011 first, then 86. Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan use +852, +853, and +886 instead of +86.
- Connects
- 011 86 10 1234 5678
- Does not connect
- 00 86 10 1234 5678
The number does not take calls from abroad
China's 800 numbers are toll-free only from a landline or a China Telecom mobile. A number that starts with 800 usually will not connect from outside the country.
- Connects
- 011 86 10 1234 5678
- Does not connect
- 011 86 800 123 4567
Questions about +86
Which country is +86?
+86, or country code 86, belongs to mainland China. Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan each dial with their own code.
What is +86?
+86 is the part you dial before a China number when you call from another country. For a landline, it replaces the long-distance 0 in front of the area code.
What is the difference between +86 and 0086?
The + stands for your own exit code. 00 is China's exit code and also the exit code across most of Europe and Asia, so 0086 and +86 reach the same number there. From the US or Canada, dial 011 86 instead.
Can I text a +86 number?
Yes. Write the number as +86 followed by the mobile number, and your phone sends the text abroad at your carrier's international rate.
How much does it cost to call China?
A call to a Chinese mobile costs more than a call to a landline. The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
Is Hong Kong's country code the same as China's?
No. Hong Kong uses +852 and Macau uses +853, both separate from mainland China's +86.
What does 400 or 800 mean before a China number?
A number starting with 400 splits the cost between the caller and the business, while one starting with 800 is toll-free only within China.
Is the CN country code the same as +86?
No. CN is the ISO code of China, used in forms, addresses, and domain lists. The number you dial is +86.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China's national numbering plan filed with the ITU