Country code guide

SA country code for South Africa phone numbers

Use the SA country code, written as +27, when calling South Africa from another country. Remove the domestic leading 0 from the area or mobile prefix in a South Africa number, then check whether it is a mobile phone or landline before calling.

Use Voipfibre after checking the number format

International format

+27 + area or mobile prefix without domestic leading 0 + local number

+27Country calling code
RateCheck before calling
Mobile example+27 82 123 4567
Landline example+27 11 123 4567
Dialing format

How to dial South Africa

Start with +27, add the correct area or mobile prefix, then enter the local number. Use the format shared by the person or business you are calling when available.

Country code

+27

Use the 27 country code before the South Africa number when calling internationally.

Number format

Domestic 0 + area or mobile prefix + local number

South Africa uses country code +27. Remove the domestic leading 0 from area and mobile prefixes in international format, so Johannesburg 011 becomes +27 11, Cape Town 021 becomes +27 21, Durban 031 becomes +27 31, and mobile 082 becomes +27 82.

Before calling

Check South Africa mobile and landline rates before calling because pricing can vary by number type.

Check South Africa rates
Steps

Format the number before checking the rate

These steps work whether you are calling from United Kingdom, United States, India, Namibia, Nigeria or another country.

  • 1

    Start with +27

    South Africa uses the 27 country code, written as +27 in plus format. Put it at the beginning of the number when calling internationally.

  • 2

    Add the area or mobile prefix

    South Africa uses country code +27. Remove the domestic leading 0 from area and mobile prefixes in international format, so Johannesburg 011 becomes +27 11, Cape Town 021 becomes +27 21, Durban 031 becomes +27 31, and mobile 082 becomes +27 82.

  • 3

    Complete the local number

    Use the remaining local digits in this pattern: Domestic 0 + area or mobile prefix + local number.

  • 4

    Check the rate before calling

    Check South Africa mobile and landline rates before calling because pricing can vary by number type.

Examples

Mobile and landline examples

Examples are for formatting guidance only. Always confirm the exact number with the person or business you are calling.

Mobile example

+27 82 123 4567

Useful when you are calling a South Africa mobile number.

Landline example

+27 11 123 4567

Useful when you are calling a South Africa landline or area-based number.

Number details

What to check before using the 27 country code

Country codes are only one part of an international phone number. Exit codes, area codes, mobile prefixes, and local numbering rules can change how the final number should be dialed.

Exit code or plus format

On a mobile phone, the plus sign usually replaces exit codes such as 00 or 011. From a landline, use the international access code for the country you are calling from, then 27.

Country calling code, dial code, or prefix

People may call 27 the South Africa country code, country calling code, phone code, dial code, or international prefix. In each case, use +27 before the rest of the South Africa number.

Mobile phone or landline

After +27, the next digits may be an area code, mobile prefix, service prefix, or local number. Check whether you are calling a mobile phone or landline because rates can differ.

South Africa country code +27

South Africa country code, SA country code, South Africa phone code, South Africa dialing code, South Africa calling code, South Africa telephone code, South Africa code number, country phone code South Africa, 27 country code, and 27 phone number searches usually refer to +27.

Drop the South African trunk 0

A number in South Africa is often written domestically with a leading 0 before the area or mobile prefix. In international format, remove that 0 and use +27 followed by the remaining digits.

Major South Africa area codes

South Africa area-code searches should remove the domestic 0 after +27: 010 and 011 Johannesburg become +27 10 and +27 11, 012 Pretoria becomes +27 12, 021 Cape Town becomes +27 21, 031 Durban becomes +27 31, 041 Gqeberha or Port Elizabeth becomes +27 41, and 051 Bloemfontein becomes +27 51.

Popular calling questions

Common ways people call South Africa

Use the country code first, confirm the number type, then check the Voipfibre rate before placing the call.

What country or phone code does South Africa use?

South Africa uses country code +27. Dial +27 followed by the South African area or mobile prefix without the domestic leading 0, then the local number.

Open South Africa guide

What is the South Africa phone-number format?

Write South African numbers as +27 followed by the area or mobile prefix without the domestic trunk 0. For example, 011 becomes +27 11 and 082 becomes +27 82.

Open South Africa guide

What are Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, and Durban area codes?

Johannesburg uses 010 and 011 domestically, Pretoria uses 012, Cape Town uses 021, and Durban uses 031. Drop the leading 0 after +27.

Open South Africa guide

How do I format South Africa mobile numbers?

Remove the domestic leading 0 from the mobile prefix. For example, 060 becomes +27 60, 078 becomes +27 78, 082 becomes +27 82, and 083 becomes +27 83.

Open South Africa guide

Is SA country code South Africa or Saudi Arabia?

For South Africa phone-number searches, SA usually points to +27. Saudi Arabia uses +966 and is often disambiguated as KSA.

Open South Africa guide
Calling options

Popular guides for calling South Africa

Use the +27 format first, then compare free calling offers, rate checks, and calling options for regular phone numbers from common origin countries.

Related codes

Other country codes people check before calling

Questions

South Africa dialing FAQ

South Africa uses the 27 country code, written as +27. The international format is +27 + area or mobile prefix without domestic leading 0 + local number.
27 is used for South Africa. When you save or dial the number internationally, write it with the plus sign as +27, then add the area or mobile prefix and local number.
Yes. 27 is the country calling code, phone prefix, or international dial code for South Africa. On a mobile phone, write it as +27 before the area or mobile prefix and local number.
Dial +27, then add the area or mobile prefix and the local number. For example, a mobile number may look like +27 82 123 4567.
South Africa uses country code +27. Remove the domestic leading 0 from area and mobile prefixes in international format, so Johannesburg 011 becomes +27 11, Cape Town 021 becomes +27 21, Durban 031 becomes +27 31, and mobile 082 becomes +27 82.
Not always. International rates can vary by mobile, landline, and special-service numbers. Check the live Voipfibre rate before calling.
Yes. Check the live South Africa rate, add wallet credit, and call from the Voipfibre app, browser dialer, SIP, or access-number option where available.