Quick answer: +1 is the USA and Canada, plus Bermuda and 17 Caribbean countries such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. Every +1 number has 10 digits after the code: a 3-digit area code and a 7-digit number. Mobiles look the same as landlines. There is no 0 to drop. Example:
+1 212 555 0123.
How to dial the USA and Canada
| Calling from | Dial |
|---|---|
| Any mobile phone | +1 + 10 digits |
| UK, India or Philippines landline | 00 1 + 10 digits |
| Australia landline | 0011 1 + 10 digits |
Americans and Canadians often write numbers as 1-212-555-0123 or (212) 555-0123. That leading 1 is the long-distance prefix inside North America, and it is the same digit as the country code, so you dial it once: +1 212 555 0123, never +1 1 212 555 0123.
Mobile and landline numbers
Mobiles and landlines share the same format and area codes, so you can't tell them apart from the number. People keep their numbers when they move, so a 212 mobile may belong to someone now living in Texas. Big cities have several area codes.
| City | Main area codes | From abroad |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 212, 718, 917 | +1 212 xxx xxxx |
| Los Angeles | 213, 310, 323 | +1 213 xxx xxxx |
| Chicago | 312, 773 | +1 312 xxx xxxx |
| Miami | 305, 786 | +1 305 xxx xxxx |
| Toronto | 416, 647, 437 | +1 416 xxx xxxx |
| Vancouver | 604, 778 | +1 604 xxx xxxx |
Codes that get mixed up with +1
Some +1 area codes are other countries: 876 is Jamaica, 809, 829 and 849 are the Dominican Republic and 242 is the Bahamas. They look like US numbers but are international calls. Mexico is not part of +1; it uses +52.
Time difference
The US and Canada span several time zones. The table uses New York and Toronto (Eastern time, UTC-5, or UTC-4 in summer). Most places move their clocks forward on the second Sunday in March and back on the first Sunday in November. Hawaii, most of Arizona, Saskatchewan, Puerto Rico and Jamaica don't change their clocks.
| Where you are | US and Canada on summer time | US and Canada on standard time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | New York is 5h behind | |
| Germany, France or Italy | New York is 6h behind | |
| India | New York is 9h 30m behind | New York is 10h 30m behind |
| Philippines | New York is 12h behind | New York is 13h behind |
Los Angeles and Vancouver are 3 hours behind New York. Europe changes its clocks on the last Sundays of March and October, so for two or three weeks in March and about a week around the start of November, the gap from the UK and Europe is an hour smaller. A 9 PM call from Mumbai reaches New York at 11:30 AM in the US summer and 10:30 AM in the US winter.
Prefer calling over WiFi? See our guide to the best apps for WiFi calling.
FAQ
Can I call a US 800 number from abroad?
Often not. Toll-free numbers (800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888) are set up for callers in the US and Canada, and many won't connect from other countries. Look for the company's regular number with a normal area code.
How do I reach an extension on a US number?
Dial the main number and enter the extension when the menu asks for it. To save it as one contact, add a comma after the number and then the extension, for example +1 212 555 0123,456. Most phones read the comma as a short pause.