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China phone number format

How do you format a China phone number?

Write a China phone number with the country code +86. A mobile looks like 131 2345 6789 inside China and +86 131 2345 6789 from abroad, dropping the leading 0. Mobiles have 11 digits after the country code, and the E.164 form is +8613123456789. Format alone never shows a line is in service.

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China number format at a glance

Country calling code+86
International prefix (calling out of China)More than one; + works from any mobile
Trunk prefix (domestic dialling)0
Mobile number length11 digits after +86
Landline number length7 to 11 digits after +86
Mobile vs landline from the digitsYes, separate ranges

In short: +86, 11 digits for a mobile, drop the leading 0 after +86. The checker below formats any China number free in your browser; it can't say whether a line is live. Bulk phone number validator · Pro + Phone plan

Example China phone numbers

These are the example numbers from Google’s libphonenumber data, the same numbering-plan data our validator uses, written three ways.

FormatMobileLandline
National (inside China)131 2345 6789010 1234 5678
International+86 131 2345 6789+86 10 1234 5678
E.164+8613123456789+861012345678

How to write a China number in E.164

  1. Remove spaces, dashes, dots and brackets so only digits are left.
  2. If the number starts with the trunk prefix 0, remove it. It is only used when dialling inside China.
  3. Put +86 in front. The result has 11 digits after the country code for a mobile.

So 131 2345 6789 becomes +8613123456789. E.164 is the format SMS gateways, dialers and most CRMs store; see the E.164 format explained for why.

Mobile or landline?

China allocates separate number ranges to mobiles and landlines, so a numbering-plan check reads the line type straight from the digits, for free. That type describes the range the number came from. It doesn’t prove the number is connected today.

Mobile, landline and special number ranges in China

A China mobile number starts with 13, 145, 147, 150–153, 155–159, 161, 162, 165–167, 170–178, 18, 190–193, 195–199 after +86. Every valid number of each type below starts with one of the digit groups shown. A number that starts the right way can still be unassigned: the groups say what a range is for, not that a number is connected.

TypeStarts with, after +86Dialled inside ChinaDigitsExample
Mobile13, 145, 147, 150–153, 155–159, 161, 162, 165–167, 170–178, 18, 190–193, 195–199013, 0145, 0147, 0150–0153, 0155–0159, 0161, 0162, 0165–0167, 0170–0178, 018, 0190–0193, 0195–019911+86 131 2345 6789
Landline (fixed line)1–901–097 to 11+86 10 1234 5678
Toll-free1080, 2180, 80001080, 02180, 080010 or 12+86 800 123 4567Not diallable from abroad
Premium rate160, 1680160, 01688+86 16812345
Shared cost1–901–097 to 11+86 400 123 4567Not diallable from abroad

More on China’s free-to-call and charged ranges: toll-free and premium numbers in China.

Sources, checked 5 November 2026

Validate a list of China numbers

Check a single number with the free phone number validator. For a whole file, upload the CSV to the verifier: every row gets a status, the E.164 number, the country and the line type, and emails in the same file get a live mailbox check. The Pro + Phone plan ($49.99 a month) adds 5,000 live carrier lookups a month for the real line type and current carrier.

Common questions

What is the country code for China?
The country calling code for China is +86. When you call China from abroad, dial your international prefix (or +) followed by 86 and the number without its leading 0.
How many digits is a China phone number?
A China mobile number has 11 digits after the country code +86, and a landline has 7 to 11. Written for dialling inside China, a number gains the trunk prefix 0 in front.
How do I write a China number in international format?
Start with +86, drop the leading 0, then add the rest of the number. The mobile number 131 2345 6789 becomes +86 131 2345 6789, or +8613123456789 in E.164, the form most CRMs and SMS tools expect.
Can you tell if a China number is a mobile?
Usually, yes. China numbers come from ranges allocated separately to mobiles and landlines, so a numbering-plan check reads the line type from the digits. It tells you what the range is for, not whether the number is in service.
Does a valid format mean a China number is in service?
No. A valid format means the digits fit a range China's numbering plan allocates. It cannot tell whether the number is connected today or who carries it, because numbers are reassigned and ported. A live carrier lookup reports the current carrier and line type, but even that does not prove someone answers.
Can I check a list of China numbers for free?
Yes. Paste them in the list tab above or upload a CSV to the bulk phone number validator: E.164, country, format status and numbering-plan line type are free for every row, with no account. Live carrier and line-type lookups come with Pro + Phone at $49.99/mo (5,000 a month).

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