China Phone Number Format: +86 Mobile, Landline and Dialing Guide

Introduction

A Chinese phone number carries a leading 0 when it is dialed domestically as a long-distance call, and +86 takes over from that 0 when the number is written for callers abroad. Landline numbers pair a city area code with a local number, while mobile numbers are 11 digits and always start with 1.

Below you'll find how Chinese phone numbers are structured, which digits identify a mobile number, which area codes serve Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities, and how to dial in from the US. The later sections cover what getting a Chinese number as a foreign business involves and how to time calls across the time difference.

China Phone Number Format (+86)

A Chinese landline number is built from a city area code plus a local number. Major cities use a 2-digit area code and an 8-digit local number, while smaller areas use a 3-digit area code with a 7- or 8-digit local number. Domestically, that area code is dialed with a leading 0, as in Beijing's 010-XXXXXXXX.

That leading 0 only applies to calls placed within China. For an international audience, replace it with +86: Beijing's 010-XXXXXXXX becomes +86 10-XXXXXXXX, and Shanghai's 021-XXXXXXXX becomes +86 21-XXXXXXXX. Mobile numbers carry no leading 0 to drop, since the trunk prefix only applies to area codes.

Chinese Mobile Numbers

A Chinese mobile number is 11 digits and always starts with 1. The next two digits identify which of the three state-owned carriers issued it, under a numbering plan administered by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

These ranges were opened up over time as demand grew: the 15x range arrived in 2006, 18x and the 14x data/IoT range followed in late 2008, 17x arrived in late 2013, and 16x and 19x were added in 2017. The prefix identifies the issuing carrier, not a region, since Chinese mobile numbers work the same way nationwide.

Landline Area Codes

The largest cities were assigned the shortest area codes, which leaves more digits for local numbers. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing each use a 2-digit area code paired with an 8-digit local number.

Chinese Phone Number Examples

These samples keep the subscriber digits as X, so none of them points to a real line. Put in real digits only when the owner of the number has given it to you.

How to Dial a China Phone Number From the US

Start with 011, the code for leaving the North American Numbering Plan, add 86, and finish with the Chinese number minus its leading 0 if it has one. A Beijing office line becomes 011 86 10 XXXXXXXX, and a mobile number becomes 011 86 138 XXXX XXXX. Mobile users can press + at the start and skip the 011.

The mistake to watch for is keeping the 0, as in 011 86 010, which leaves the domestic trunk prefix where it no longer belongs. For exit codes from other countries and more dialing detail, see our China country code guide.

Getting a Chinese Phone Number as a Foreign Business

China has required real-name registration for every phone number since a Ministry of Industry and Information Technology regulation took effect on 1 September 2013, and MIIT pushed carriers to 100% compliance among existing subscribers by the end of 2016. In practice, a new SIM or number needs a valid form of identification, and carriers generally require a Chinese national ID or a foreign passport presented in person at a carrier store, which is not something a business outside China can complete remotely.

Businesses that need a presence reachable from China typically work through a licensed local partner or telecom reseller that can complete this registration on their behalf, or rely on a Chinese platform account (such as a WeChat official account) rather than a traditional phone number. Requirements and available routes change, so confirm current rules with a provider or partner in China before committing to a specific option.

New to numbers that live in the cloud instead of on a SIM? Our virtual phone number explainer covers the basics, and our Japan numbering guide walks through a market with a comparable area-code system.

Time Zone and Call Timing

China spans five geographic time zones but has used a single official time nationwide, China Standard Time (UTC+8), since 1949. Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Urumqi all share the same clock time even though the sun does not.

• US Eastern Time: China is 12 hours ahead during US daylight saving time and 13 hours ahead during US standard time.
• US Pacific Time: China is 15 hours ahead during US daylight saving time and 16 hours ahead during US standard time.

In practice, a weekday morning in China lines up with the previous evening in the US. A 9 a.m. call from Beijing on a Tuesday reaches New York around 9 p.m. Monday in summer. Our best time to call China page suggests calling windows.

Conclusion

Chinese phone numbers follow a consistent logic. A 0 opens a domestic long-distance call and turns into +86 abroad, landlines pair a short area code with a long local number in major cities, and mobile numbers total 11 digits starting with 1. With that pattern in mind, you can format a number correctly and avoid the extra 0 that trips up international calls.

US teams with customers or partners in China can make those calls from a Ringflow business line, answering and dialing from mobile and desktop apps. You can pick a local number in a US area code or a toll-free number for American callers, move your current number over through number porting, and test it with a free trial.

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