Telephone numbers in Belgium

Structure and common patterns

Belgian telephone numbers are commonly nine or ten digits when dialed nationally (including the leading 0). Landline area codes vary by region: large cities have short area codes (for example 02 for Brussels, 03 for Antwerp, 09 for Ghent) followed by subscriber numbers, while smaller localities use longer area codes and shorter subscriber portions. Mobile numbers typically begin with 04 and are normally ten digits in total when dialed within Belgium.

Dialing rules and examples

• To call a Belgian number from abroad: drop the leading 0 and prefix the number with +32. Example formats: +32 2 555 12 34 (Brussels landline) or +32 475 12 34 56 (mobile).
• To call within Belgium: dial the 0 plus the area or mobile prefix and the subscriber number, e.g. 02 555 12 34 or 0475 12 34 56.
• International prefix for outgoing calls is 00.

For further official details and numbering tables see national numbering information.

Regulation, history and notable features

The Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT) oversees numbering policy, allocations and changes. Over time the scheme has been adjusted to accommodate growth in fixed and mobile services and to introduce portability between carriers, while retaining the 0 trunk prefix for national use. The closed nature of the plan means subscribers typically always include the area code when dialing.

Special ranges and practical notes

Belgium also uses short codes and special ranges for services: emergency numbers such as 112 are available across the country; toll-free and service numbers use specific prefixes (for example public toll-free series) and premium-rate services use other reserved ranges. Number portability allows customers to keep their number when changing providers, and businesses often present numbers in international format (+32 ...) on websites and printed material to aid foreign callers.