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Asia · +86

China phone number format

  • Country code +86
  • Trunk prefix 0

Reviewed by Sujan ThapaliyaLast updated

What does a China phone number look like?

8 digits for landlines plus area code; 11 for mobiles. Landlines are written +86 XX XXXX XXXX and mobiles +86 1XX XXXX XXXX. In full international (E.164) format a China mobile is written +8613812345678: the country code +86, with the national trunk prefix 0 removed, and no spaces or punctuation.
The anatomy of a China phone number under ITU-T E.164: country calling code 86, then the national destination code, then the subscriber number, to a maximum of fifteen digits after the plus. Nationally a China number is written +86 XX XXXX XXXX with the trunk prefix 0; 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 China numbers in the right-hand form.

Format rules

Country code
+86
National number length
8 digits for landlines plus area code; 11 for mobiles
Trunk prefix
0
Used only domestically. Removed in international format.
Landline pattern
+86 XX XXXX XXXX
Mobile pattern
+86 1XX XXXX XXXX

Examples

China 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)
Landline010 1234 5678+861012345678
Mobile01XX XXXX XXXX+8613812345678

A quirk of China numbering

All of mainland China runs on a single time zone despite spanning five geographic ones, and every Chinese mobile is 11 digits starting with 1.

Validation

How to validate a China 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 China? 8 digits for landlines plus area code; 11 for mobiles, after the country code and with the 0 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 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 (+8613812345678) 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 China’s format rules. No sign-up.

Frequently asked questions

What does a China phone number look like?
8 digits for landlines plus area code; 11 for mobiles. A landline is written +86 XX XXXX XXXX and a mobile +86 1XX XXXX XXXX. In full international format that becomes +8613812345678.
How do I write a China number in international format?
Start with +86, remove the leading 0 from the national number, then append the rest with no spaces or punctuation. +86 10 1234 5678 becomes +861012345678.
How many digits is a China phone number?
8 digits for landlines plus area code; 11 for mobiles.
How do I tell a China mobile from a landline?
By the prefix. Mobiles follow the pattern +86 1XX XXXX XXXX, while landlines follow +86 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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