Saudi Arabia +966
To call Saudi Arabia from abroad, dial your exit code (or +), then 966, then the local number without its leading 0. Written in full: +966 51 234 5678.
The country calling code for Saudi Arabia is +966. A number starting +966 or 00966 is a call to or from Saudi Arabia. From abroad: +966 51 234 5678.
To call Saudi Arabia from abroad, dial your exit code (or +), then 966, then the local number without its leading 0. The +966 code identifies the country; the following digits identify the line (landline or mobile).
How to call Saudi Arabia from abroad
011 966 51 234 567800 966 51 234 56780011 966 51 234 5678+966 51 234 567851 234 5678 is a real-format Saudi Arabia mobile number (example from the ITU-T numbering plan): replace it with the number you were given, without its leading 0.
Saudi Arabia area codes
In Saudi Arabia, landlines usually include an area code after +966 (without its leading 0). Mobiles have no area code.
Number format
011 234 5678from abroad+966 11 234 5678051 234 5678from abroad+966 51 234 5678Landline numbers in Saudi Arabia have 9 digits after the country code; mobile numbers have 9 digits. The national prefix 0 is only dialled inside the country — drop it after +966.
Calling abroad from Saudi Arabia
To call another country from Saudi Arabia, dial the exit code 00 (or + on a mobile), then the country code, then the number. From Saudi Arabia to the United States, for example: 00 1 201 555 0123.
A Saudi Arabia number in international format is written +966 …. The + stands for the exit prefix (00 in much of the world, 011 in North America). Switching to international format, drop the leading 0.
Cheapest ways to call Saudi Arabia
With internet on both ends, apps like WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime call Saudi Arabia for free. To reach a number without an app, VoIP services are usually cheaper than your operator’s international rate.
Frequently asked questions
What country has the code +966?
Saudi Arabia has the country calling code +966.
How do I call Saudi Arabia from the United States?
Dial 011, then 966, then the local number without its leading 0 — for example 011 51 234 5678.
What does +966 mean?
It is the international dialing code for Saudi Arabia. The + stands for your exit code (00 in much of the world, 011 in North America).
Is +966 mobile or landline?
The +966 code identifies the country, not the line type; Saudi Arabia landlines and mobiles share it.
A country code covers a whole nation; the full number depends on the city and operator.
Mobile network codes in Saudi Arabia
Every mobile network is identified by a mobile country code (MCC) and a mobile network code (MNC). They appear on your phone when it roams, in SIM settings and in any network lookup. Saudi Arabia has 5 network operators with their own infrastructure:
| Network | MCC-MNC | Technologies | Subscribers |
|---|---|---|---|
| stc70% state owned and 30% private | 420-01 | 19.9 MQ3 2010 | |
| MobilyEtisalat (27.45%) | 420-03 | 2G · 3G · 4G | 15.1 MQ3 2010 |
| ZainZain Group (37%) | 420-04 | 2G · 3G · 4G · 5G | 11.4 MDec 2015 |
| Virgin mobile KSA | — | — | 2.80 M2017 |
| Lebara Mobile KSALebara | — | — | — |
A struck-through generation has been switched off on that network. MCC-MNC: ITU-T E.212 codes as listed on Wikipedia.
2G and 3G switch-off timeline
- stc — 3G (UMTS) switched off
- stc — 2G (GSM) switched off
Keeping a number when changing network
- Mobile number portability
- since 2006-07-08
- Cost to the customer
- Free
Because numbers can be ported, the prefix of a mobile number only tells you which network first issued it, not the network it uses today.
Received a call from a Saudi Arabia number? Check it with the phone number lookup: type of line, format and local time.
Source: Wikipedia — lists of mobile network operators, mobile network codes, 2G and 3G phase-out, mobile number portability (CC BY-SA 4.0). Subscriber counts as published by each operator or regulator at the date shown.
Phone rules in Saudi Arabia
The rules a caller, a visitor or a new resident runs into in Saudi Arabia, each with its source.
| ID to buy a SIM | Mandatory: every line is registered to an ID (passport for visitors, Iqama for residents, national ID for citizens) and anyone using a SIM card from any operator in Saudi Arabia must submit their fingerprints (biometric verification at operator branches or authorised distributors, per the regulator's rules).stc.com.sa |
|---|---|
| Calling apps | Partly restricted. Since September 2017 the regulator allows internet calls on apps meeting its requirements (e.g. FaceTime, Skype, Snapchat, Telegram), but WhatsApp voice/video calls remain restricted: the CST denied lifting the restriction in March 2024 and reports of calls working in 2025 were not officially confirmed.propakistani.pk |
| Reporting scam calls | Forward fraudulent or spam SMS to 330330 (free for operators' subscribers), a CST service. No national do-not-call registry identified.cst.gov.sa |
| Emergency numbers | Unified emergency number 911 (Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah and Eastern Province); elsewhere Police 999, Ambulance (Red Crescent) 997, Civil Defence / fire 998.en.wikipedia.org |
Checked on 28 September 2026. Rules on SIM registration and calling apps change often: confirm with the regulator or the operator.