+356 explained
The Malta country code, 356, is what you dial before a Malta number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Malta dialing code, Malta calling code, or Malta phone code. In the Malta phone number format, +356 comes first, then the area code and the local number.
- Country code
- +356
- The 00356 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- MT, MLT
- Use the MT country code or the MLT country code on forms and passports. To call Malta, dial +356
- Used in
- Malta
- No other country or territory dials +356
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- None
- Keep every digit after +356
- Number length
- 8 digits
- After +356
- Time now in Malta
- Malta mobile number format
- 9696 1234
- From abroad: +356 9696 1234
- Malta landline number format
- 2100 1234
- From abroad: +356 2100 1234
Malta phone number types
The first digits of a Malta 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 Malta phone number, as dialed inside Malta and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Malta
“Ħello”
The everyday Maltese word for hello. No source names a special way Maltese people answer the phone, so this is the general greeting from a phrasebook.
Reply
“Ħello”
Malta ties no mobile range to one carrier's brand. Because a number can move between networks, the MCA gives every new mobile operator blocks under 7X or 9X.
Malta Communications Authority, Development of the Numbering PlanThe MCA will not hand you a single memorable Malta number. Numbers go to operators only in blocks, and no operator may charge more for a number just because it looks good.
Malta Communications Authority, Development of the Numbering PlanMalta's 8000 freephone numbers are free from any phone; 8003, 8004, 8006, 8007, and 8009 are free from a landline but cost a landline rate from a mobile.
Malta Communications Authority, Development of the Numbering PlanMalta runs one numbering plan for the whole country. The MCA does not require an area structure for landline numbers, though an operator may add its own within its own blocks.
Malta Communications Authority, Development of the Numbering Plan
What it costs to call Malta (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.45/minMobile from $0.77/min
Only 69 of 221 countries cost more to call than Malta.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Malta?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Malta fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from Malta, Europe, and most of the world. From the US and Canada, the exit code is 011 instead.
- Connects
- 011 356 2100 1234
- Does not connect
- 00 356 2100 1234
You assume every Malta 800 number is free
Malta freephone numbers start with 8. Only the 8000 range is free from every phone; other 800 numbers are free from a landline but can cost as much as a landline call from a mobile.
- Connects
- 011 356 2100 1234
- Does not connect
- 011 356 8007 1234
Questions about +356
Which country is +356?
+356, or country code 356, belongs to Malta, the island country in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily.
What is +356?
+356 is the part you dial before a Malta number when you call from another country. Malta numbers have no trunk prefix to drop first.
What is the difference between +356 and 00356?
The + stands for your exit code. 00 is the exit code in Malta, Europe, and most of the world, so 00356 and +356 reach the same number there. From the US and Canada, dial 011 356 instead.
Can I text a +356 number?
Yes. Write the number as +356 followed by its 8 digits, and your phone sends the text abroad at your carrier's international rate.
How much does it cost to call Malta?
A call to a Malta mobile number typically 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.
Why does a Malta number have no area code?
Malta runs one numbering plan for the whole country. The MCA does not require an area structure for landline numbers, though an operator may add its own within its own blocks.
Can I pick a specific Malta phone number?
No. The MCA gives operators numbers only in blocks. An operator may charge for the work of finding you a number you like, but not for the number itself.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
Malta Communications Authority, numbering plan