+218 explained
The Libya country code, 218, is what you dial before a Libya number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Libya dialing code, Libya calling code, or Libya phone code. In the Libya phone number format, +218 comes first, then the area code, such as 21 for Tripoli, then the local number.
- Country code
- +218
- The 00218 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- LY, LBY
- Use the LY country code or the LBY country code on forms and passports. To call Libya, dial +218
- Used in
- Libya
- No other country or territory dials +218
- 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 +218
- Number length
- 9 digits
- After +218
- Time now in Libya
- Libya mobile number format
- 091-2345678
- From abroad: +218 91 2345678
- Libya landline number format
- 021-2345678
- From abroad: +218 21 2345678
+218 area codes of main cities
Each +218 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +218, then the city code, then the local number. Inside Libya, callers leave out +218 and put 0 in front of the city code. So Tripoli is +218 21 from abroad and 21 at home.
- Tripoli
- +21821
- Benghazi
- +21861
- Misratah
- +21851
- Zliten
- +21852
- Al Khums
- +21831
- Az Zāwīyah
- +21823
- Sabha
- +21871
- Al Ajaylat
- +21828
- Al Bayḑā’
- +21884
- Sirte
- +21854
- Sirte
- +21855
- Darnah
- +21881
- Şabrātah
- +21824
- Tarhuna
- +21832
- Al ‘Azīzīyah
- +21827
- Gharyan
- +21841
- Zuwarah
- +21825
- Murzuk
- +21872
- Shahhat
- +21885
- Nālūt
- +21847
- Al Qubbah
- +21882
- Hūn
- +21857
- Yafran
- +21842
- Sidiessaiah
- +21820
- Ben Gashir
- +21822
- Taigura
- +21826
- Rujban
- +21845
- Kabaw
- +21848
- Wodan
- +21858
- Gmines
- +21862
- Benina
- +21863
- Kofra
- +21865
- Elmareg
- +21867
- Tolmitha
- +21868
- Ubary
- +21873
Libya phone number types
The first digits of a Libya 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 Libya phone number, as dialed inside Libya and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Libya
“Marhaba”
It means hello in Arabic. No source names a way Libyans answer the phone, so this is the everyday Arabic greeting from a dictionary
Reply
“Marhaba”
Libya filed its national numbering plan with the ITU in July 2006, and no newer version has been posted since
ITU, National Numbering Plans: LibyaDuring Libya's 2011 war, the government cut the undersea cable linking east and west. Libyana held copies of its home location register, so engineers restored some local service
Wikipedia: Telecommunications in LibyaLibyana, one of Libya's two state owned mobile networks, launched in 2004 and now serves more than 6.3 million subscribers
Wikipedia: Libyana
What it costs to call Libya (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.85/minMobile from $0.83/min
Only 38 of 221 countries cost more to call than Libya.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Libya?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Libya fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The 0 is still in the number
The 0 at the start of a Libyan number is for calls inside the country. From abroad, leave it out: +218 takes its place.
- Connects
- 011 218 21 2345678
- Does not connect
- 011 218 021-2345678
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 is the exit code from Libya, Europe, and most of the world. From the US and Canada dial 011 instead.
- Connects
- 011 218 21 2345678
- Does not connect
- 00 218 21 2345678
Questions about +218
Which country is +218?
+218, or country code 218, belongs to Libya, on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa.
What is +218?
+218 is the part you dial before a Libyan number when you call from another country. It replaces the first 0 of the number.
What is the difference between +218 and 00218?
The + stands for your exit code. 00 is the exit code in Libya, Europe, and most of the world, so the 00218 country code and +218 reach the same number there. From the US and Canada, dial 011 218 instead.
Do I drop the 0 after +218?
Yes. The 0 at the start of a Libyan number works only inside Libya. Dial +218 21 2345678, not +218 021 2345678.
Can I text a +218 number?
Yes. Write the number as +218 without its first 0, and your phone sends the text abroad at your carrier's international rate.
How much does it cost to call Libya?
A call to a Libyan 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.
Which network does a +218 9 number belong to?
It depends on the next digit. Al-Madar uses 91 and 93, Libyana uses 92 and 94, and LibyaPhone uses 95.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
ITU, National Numbering Plans: Libya