+856 explained
The Laos country code, 856, is what you dial before a Laos number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Laos dialing code, Laos calling code, or Laos phone code. In the Laos phone number format, +856 comes first, then the area code, such as 21 for Vientiane, then the local number.
- Country code
- +856
- The 00856 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- LA, LAO
- Use the LA country code or the LAO country code on forms and passports. To call Laos, dial +856
- Used in
- Laos
- No other country or territory dials +856
- 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 +856
- Number length
- 8, 9, or 10 digits
- After +856
- Time now in Laos
- Laos mobile number format
- 020 23 123 456
- From abroad: +856 20 23 123 456
- Laos landline number format
- 021 212 862
- From abroad: +856 21 212 862
+856 area codes of main cities
Each +856 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +856, then the city code, then the local number. Inside Laos, callers leave out +856 and put 0 in front of the city code. So Vientiane is +856 21 from abroad and 021 at home.
- Vientiane
- +85621
- Savannakhet
- +85641
- Pakse
- +85631
- Luang Prabang
- +85671
Laos phone number types
The first digits of a Laos 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 Laos phone number, as dialed inside Laos and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Laos
“Sabaidee”
It means hello. No source says Lao speakers use a different phrase to answer the phone, so this is the everyday greeting people use on a call too.
Reply
“Sabaidee”
Emergency number
1191
1190 reaches the fire brigade and 1195 reaches an ambulance. Police also answer at 241162, 241163, 241164, and 212703.
Laotian TimesUntil 1 January 2012, a call to another Laos province needed an operator on 101, and a call abroad needed 100.
Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in LaosVientiane has installed Blue Emergency Poles: press the button and English-speaking staff answer by camera and speaker to send help.
Laotian TimesLaos reserves the 030 prefix on mobile numbers just for prepaid phones, apart from the postpaid 020 range.
Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in Laos
What it costs to call Laos (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.21/minMobile from $0.22/min
Only 53 of 221 countries cost less to call than Laos.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Laos?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Laos fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The 0 is still in the number
A Laos number written 021 212 862 drops its 0 from abroad. Dial +856 21 212 862, not +856 021 212 862.
- Connects
- 011 856 21 212 862
- Does not connect
- 011 856 021 212 862
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from Laos and most of the world. From the US and Canada the exit code is 011.
- Connects
- 011 856 21 212 862
- Does not connect
- 00 856 21 212 862
Questions about +856
Which country is +856?
+856, or country code 856, belongs to Laos, also called the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
What is +856?
+856 is the part you dial before a Laos number when you call from another country. It replaces the trunk 0.
What is the difference between +856 and 00856?
The + stands for your exit code. 00 is the exit code in Laos and most of the world, so 00856 and +856 reach the same number there. From the US and Canada, dial 011 856 instead.
Do I drop the 0 after +856?
Yes. The 0 is the Laos trunk prefix and works only inside the country. Dial +856 21 212 862, not +856 021 212 862.
Can I text a +856 number?
Yes. Write the number as +856 without its first 0, and your phone sends the text abroad at your carrier's international rate.
How much does it cost to call Laos?
The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
What is the emergency number in Laos?
1191 reaches the police. 1190 reaches the fire brigade, and 1195 reaches an ambulance.
Did Laos always allow direct dialing abroad?
No. Until 1 January 2012, callers had to reach an operator by dialing 100 for a call abroad or 101 for another province.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in Laos