Calling to the UAE
- Do not include a leading ‘0’ in the international call sequence – it is only used in the UAE for domestic long distance calls and domestic calls to a mobile phone.
- A leading '+' in the phone number means 'dial your country's exit code'.
- Calling from a mobile phone: dial from on the country where you're currently located.
- Calling from a VoIP or satellite phone: dial from on the country where the phone is registered.
… to a mobile (cellular) phone or text (SMS)
Use the same call sequence.
Mobile phone numbers begin with the digit ‘5’ (often listed as ’05’ with the leading ‘0’ dropped when calling from outside the country).
When calling a mobile phone user, dial to the country where the mobile phone is registered, regardless of where the person is roaming.
… to a VoIP phone
Use the same call sequence.
When calling a VoIP phone user, dial to the country where the VoIP phone is registered, regardless of where the person is roaming.
… to a satellite phone
The United Arab Emirates do not have a country-specific satellite phone system.
Most satellite phones operate on their country code – calls to these satellite phones follow their call sequence.
… sending a fax
Use the same call sequence.
Calling within the UAE (domestic dialing)
‘0’ is used as a trunk prefix when calling to a different area code in the United Arab Emirates.
Local calling (within the same area code)
To call within the same area code dial only the local phone number. Do not dial the trunk prefix ‘0’ or the area code.
| seven digits |
| local phone number |
Long distance calling (to a different area code, or from a mobile phone)
To call to a phone in a different area code, dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the area code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | one digit | seven digits |
| trunk prefix | area code | local phone number |
Mobile calling (to a mobile phone)
To call to a mobile phone, dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the carrier code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | two digits | seven or eight digits |
| trunk prefix | area code | local phone number |
Phone numbers of the UAE explained
Number details
Emirati phone numbers are eight digits (nine including a leading ‘0’ that is not dialed when calling from outside the country).
With landline (fixed line) phones, the first digit is an area code. It represents a geographic part of the country. Each of the seven Emirates has a different area code, with Ajman and Al-Quwain sharing area code ‘6’.
Mobile numbers start with two-digit carrier codes and begin with the number ‘5’.
An example of an Emirati phone number
The Jumeirah at Etihad Towers lists its phone number in Abu Dhabi as +971 2 811 5555.
Number explanation
| 971 | 2 | 811 5555 |
| country code for the United Arab Emirates | geographic (area) code for Abu Dhabi | local phone number in Abu Dhabi |
Local example – calling from another location in Abu Dhabi
To call within the same area code dial only the local phone number. Do not dial the trunk prefix ‘0’ or the area code.
| 811 5555 |
| local phone number in Abu Dhabi |
Long distance example – calling from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (on the other side of the country)
To call to a different area code, dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the area code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | 2 | 811 5555 |
| trunk prefix | geographic (area) code for Abu Dhabi | local phone number in Abu Dhabi |
Mobile phone example – calling from a mobile phone (including a foreign mobile roaming in the UAE)
To call from a mobile phone, dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the area code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | 2 | 811 5555 |
| trunk prefix | geographic (area) code for Abu Dhabi | local phone number in Abu Dhabi |
International example -calling from outside the United Arab Emirate
To call from outside the UAE, dial the exit code of the country the call is dialed from, followed by the UAE’s country code of ‘971’, followed by the local phone number.
Do not include a leading ‘0’ in the call when calling from outside the UAE.
| exit code | 971 | 2 | 811 5555 |
| exit code of the country the call is dialed from | country code for the United Arab Emirates | geographic (area) code for Abu Dhabi | local phone number in Abu Dhabi |
Calling from the UAE
’00’ is used as an exit code when dialing an international phone call from the United Arab Emirates.
Sources and more resources
- Telecommunications Regulatory Authority – The UAE’s telephone systems regulator.
- ITU (International Telecommunications Union) – United Nations specialized agency for information and communications technologies.
- International Telecommunications Union – DIALLING PROCEDURES (INTERNATIONAL PREFIX, NATIONAL (TRUNK) PREFIX AND NATIONAL (SIGNIFICANT) NUMBER) (IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITU-T RECOMMENDATION E.164 (11/2010)) – A collection of dialing procedures for all countries and regions of the world. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- International Telecommunications Union – UAE (country code +971) Communication of 9.VI.2009 National Numbering Plan – Details of the UAE’s telephone numbering plan as submitted to the ITU. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- Wikipedia – Telephone numbers in Iran – Wikipedia entry for telephone number data for Iran. Includes specific number ranges for each city as well as detail on calling procedures.
- BT – The Phonebook – UAE – Entry for the United Arab Emirates in the British Telecom international directory.