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Latin America · +55

Brazil phone number format

  • Country code +55
  • Trunk prefix 0 + carrier code

Reviewed by Sujan ThapaliyaLast updated

What does a Brazil phone number look like?

10 digits for landlines, 11 for mobiles (mobiles carry an extra leading 9). Landlines are written +55 XX XXXX XXXX and mobiles +55 XX 9XXXX XXXX. In full international (E.164) format a Brazil mobile is written +5511912345678: the country code +55, with the national trunk prefix 0 + carrier code removed, and no spaces or punctuation.
The anatomy of a Brazil phone number under ITU-T E.164: country calling code 55, then the national destination code, then the subscriber number, to a maximum of fifteen digits after the plus. Nationally a Brazil number is written +55 XX XXXX XXXX with the trunk prefix 0 + carrier code; in E.164 the prefix and the spacing both come off.
National formatting is for people. E.164 is for databases, APIs, and caller ID — store Brazil numbers in the right-hand form.

Format rules

Country code
+55
National number length
10 digits for landlines, 11 for mobiles (mobiles carry an extra leading 9)
Trunk prefix
0 + carrier code
Used only domestically. Removed in international format.
Landline pattern
+55 XX XXXX XXXX
Mobile pattern
+55 XX 9XXXX XXXX

Examples

Brazil phone number examples

These are format patterns showing digit grouping and prefix rules. They are examples of shape, not working numbers; do not use them to test a live call path.

TypeWritten domesticallyInternational (E.164)
Landline0 + carrier code11 3123 4567+551131234567
Mobile0 + carrier codeXX 9XXXX XXXX+5511912345678

A quirk of Brazil numbering

Brazil is the one country where you must pick a long-distance carrier: domestically you dial 0 + carrier code + area code. From abroad you skip all of that and dial +55 directly.

Validation

How to validate a Brazil number

Validating a phone number is three separate checks, and conflating them is the usual source of bugs:

  1. Format: does it match the shape for Brazil? 10 digits for landlines, 11 for mobiles (mobiles carry an extra leading 9), after the country code and with the 0 + carrier code stripped.
  2. Allocation: is the prefix actually in use? A number can be the right length and still belong to an unallocated range.
  3. Reachability: is there a live subscriber? Only a carrier lookup (HLR or equivalent) answers that, and it is the only check that catches disconnected numbers.

For form validation, check format only and be permissive: accept spaces, dashes, brackets, and a leading 0 + carrier code then normalise. Rejecting a real customer because they typed their own number the way they normally write it is a far more expensive error than storing one badly formatted row.

Store in E.164 (+5511912345678) and format for display at render time. Storing the display format is how a database ends up with the same person recorded four different ways.

Format any number instantly

Paste a number into the free phone number formatter to convert it to E.164 and see whether it matches Brazil’s format rules. No sign-up.

Frequently asked questions

What does a Brazil phone number look like?
10 digits for landlines, 11 for mobiles (mobiles carry an extra leading 9). A landline is written +55 XX XXXX XXXX and a mobile +55 XX 9XXXX XXXX. In full international format that becomes +5511912345678.
How do I write a Brazil number in international format?
Start with +55, remove the leading 0 + carrier code from the national number, then append the rest with no spaces or punctuation. +55 11 3123 4567 becomes +551131234567.
How many digits is a Brazil phone number?
10 digits for landlines, 11 for mobiles (mobiles carry an extra leading 9).
How do I tell a Brazil mobile from a landline?
By the prefix. Mobiles follow the pattern +55 XX 9XXXX XXXX, while landlines follow +55 XX XXXX XXXX.
Should I store phone numbers with the plus sign?
Yes. Store every number in E.164: leading +, country code, national number, no spaces or punctuation, up to 15 digits. It is the only format that is unambiguous internationally, and it is what makes deduplication work. Format for display, store canonical.

Sources

  1. ITU-T Recommendation E.164 — The international public telecommunication numbering plan — International Telecommunication UnionThe international number format, the 15-digit maximum, and how country codes and national numbers compose.
  2. ITU-T International Numbering Resources — International Telecommunication UnionThe assignment of country calling codes and the published national numbering plans they belong to.

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