+256 explained
The Uganda country code, 256, is what you dial before a Uganda number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Uganda dialing code, Uganda calling code, or Uganda phone code. In the Uganda phone number format, +256 comes first, then the area code, such as 41 for Kampala, then the local number.
- Country code
- +256
- The 00256 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- UG, UGA
- Use the UG country code or the UGA country code on forms and passports. To call Uganda, dial +256
- Used in
- Uganda
- No other country or territory dials +256
- 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 +256
- Number length
- 9 digits
- After +256
- Time now in Uganda
- Uganda mobile number format
- 0712 345678
- From abroad: +256 712 345678
- Uganda landline number format
- 031 2345678
- From abroad: +256 31 2345678
+256 area codes of main cities
Each +256 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +256, then the city code, then the local number. Inside Uganda, callers leave out +256 and put 0 in front of the city code. So Kampala is +256 41 from abroad and 041 at home.
- Kampala
- +25641
- Mbarara
- +256485
- Gulu
- +256471
- Masaka
- +256481
- Lira
- +256473
- Mbale
- +25645
- Jinja
- +25643
- Arua
- +256476
- Fort Portal
- +256483
Uganda phone number types
The first digits of a Uganda 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 Uganda phone number, as dialed inside Uganda and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Uganda
“Hello”
No source describes a distinct way people in Uganda answer the phone, so this is the everyday English greeting. English is one of Uganda's two official languages.
Reply
“Hello, who is calling?”
Emergency number
999
The number 999 also reaches the fire brigade and the ambulance service. Uganda's telecom regulator lists 999 as the country's number for all emergency services. The police also run a toll free information line, 0800 300 102.
Uganda Communications CommissionUganda's own numbering plan keeps short codes three or four digits long, shorter than an ordinary phone number.
Uganda Communications CommissionMTN Uganda's newest mobile numbers run from 0790 000000 to 0790 999999, on top of its older 076, 077, and 078 ranges.
The ObserverUganda's police keep a toll-free information line, 0800 300 102, alongside the short number 999 for emergencies.
Uganda Police Force
What it costs to call Uganda (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.81/minMobile from $0.64/min
Only 49 of 220 countries cost more to call than Uganda.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Uganda?
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Why a call to Uganda fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The 0 is still in the number
The 0 at the start of a Ugandan number is for calls inside the country. From abroad, leave it out: +256 takes its place.
- Connects
- 011 256 31 2345678
- Does not connect
- 011 256 031 2345678
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from Uganda, Europe, and most of the world. From the US and Canada the exit code is 011.
- Connects
- 011 256 31 2345678
- Does not connect
- 00 256 31 2345678
The number does not take calls from abroad
Uganda's toll-free numbers start with 0800, like the police information line 0800 300 102, and often cannot be reached from outside Uganda.
- Connects
- 011 256 31 2345678
- Does not connect
- 011 256 800 123456
Questions about +256
Which country is +256?
+256, or country code 256, belongs to Uganda, in East Africa. The UG country code is different: UG is Uganda's ISO code for forms and addresses, not a number you dial.
What is +256?
+256 is the code you dial before a Ugandan number when you call from another country. It replaces the 0 at the start of the number.
What is the difference between +256 and 00256?
The + stands for your own exit code. 00 works from Uganda, Europe, and most of the world, so +256 and 00256 reach the same Ugandan number there. From the US and Canada, dial 011 256 instead.
Do I drop the 0 after +256?
Yes. The 0 is Uganda's trunk prefix and works only inside the country. Dial +256 712 345678, not +256 0712 345678.
Can I text a +256 number?
Yes. Write the number as +256 without its first 0, and your phone sends the text abroad at your carrier's international rate. Uganda's mobile numbers start with 07, such as MTN's 079 block.
How much does it cost to call Uganda?
A call to a Ugandan mobile costs more than a call to many other destinations. The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
Is Uganda's emergency number 999 or 112?
999. The Uganda Police Force gives 999 as its operations room number on its own site, alongside a toll-free information line, 0800 300 102.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
Uganda Communications Commission, short codes