business phone · 7 min read
How to Call Canada from the US
Calling Canada from the US is identical to a domestic long-distance call — dial 1 + area code + 7 digits. No 011 needed. Area codes, time zones, costs.
Calling Canada from the US is identical to making a domestic long-distance call. Dial 1 + area code + 7-digit number — that’s it. No 011 exit code, no country code lookup.
Canada is a member of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), the shared telephone dial plan that covers the US, Canada, and 18 other territories under a single country code: +1. Because both countries share code 1, your phone treats a call to Toronto the same way it treats a call to Chicago — long-distance domestically, not international. Most US callers don’t know this and dial 011 + 1 by mistake, which usually still connects but is unnecessary.
How to dial Canada from the US
Follow these three steps from any US phone — mobile, desk phone, or VoIP softphone:
- Dial 1 — the country code shared by the US and Canada. (On a US mobile, you can also enter
+1using the+symbol; long-press0on most keypads.) - Dial the 3-digit Canadian area code — identifies the city or province. See the area code table below.
- Dial the 7-digit local number.
Full format: 1 + 3-digit area code + 7-digit local number
Example — Toronto: 1-416-555-1234
Example — Vancouver: 1-604-555-9876
Example — Montreal: 1-514-555-4321
You do not dial 011 (the US international exit code). You do not need to look up a foreign country code. If a Canadian number is shared with you in international E.164 format (e.g., +1-416-555-1234), dial it exactly as shown from a mobile, or replace the + with 1 from a landline.
Canadian area codes you’ll commonly call
Canada uses the same 10-digit NANP format as the US. Each province has one or more area codes. The major ones:
| Area Code | City / Province |
|---|---|
| 416, 647, 437 | Toronto, Ontario (metro) |
| 905, 289, 365 | Greater Toronto Area |
| 514, 438, 263 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 604, 778, 236 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 403, 587, 825 | Calgary, Alberta |
| 613, 343, 753 | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 780, 587 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| 819, 873 | Quebec City / Eastern Quebec |
| 506 | New Brunswick |
| 902, 782 | Nova Scotia / PEI |
| 709 | Newfoundland and Labrador |
| 204, 431 | Manitoba (Winnipeg) |
| 306, 639 | Saskatchewan |
| 250, 778, 236 | British Columbia (interior / north) |
Source: North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). Canadian area codes are part of the same NANP registry as US area codes — see DialPhone area code coverage for NANP context.
Is calling Canada from the US a long-distance call?
Technically yes — it is a long-distance domestic NANP call, not a true international call. The distinction matters because:
- No 011 exit code is needed (011 is only for calls outside the NANP, e.g., to the UK or Mexico).
- Your US phone number’s caller ID presents normally to the Canadian recipient — no “International” label in most cases.
- Billing depends on your carrier. Canada is within the NANP but still crosses an international border, so some carriers treat it as a separate long-distance category.
US mobile carriers — most major unlimited plans (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T) now include unlimited calling to Canada in their standard plans.
US landlines — rates vary. Basic POTS lines typically charge $0.05–$0.10 per minute for Canada calls.
VoIP / business phone — DialPhone includes unlimited US and Canada calling on every plan starting at $24 per user per month. See DialPhone pricing.
Time zones — when to call Canada
Canada spans six time zones, more than any other country. Knowing the time where your contact is located avoids early-morning or after-hours calls:
| Time Zone | UTC Offset | Canadian Provinces / Cities |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland Time (NT) | UTC−3:30 | Newfoundland and Labrador |
| Atlantic Time (AT) | UTC−4 | Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI |
| Eastern Time (ET) | UTC−5 | Ontario, Quebec (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal) |
| Central Time (CT) | UTC−6 | Manitoba, Saskatchewan (partial) |
| Mountain Time (MT) | UTC−7 | Alberta, BC (partial) |
| Pacific Time (PT) | UTC−8 | British Columbia (Vancouver) |
Quick reference:
- Toronto / Montreal / Ottawa = same time as New York (ET).
- Vancouver = same time as Los Angeles (PT).
- Calgary = same time as Denver (MT).
- Halifax = New York + 1 hour (AT).
- St. John’s = New York + 1.5 hours (NT) — the only half-hour offset in North America.
For cross-border business calls, targeting 9 AM–5 PM in the recipient’s time zone is standard. Vancouver is 3 hours behind Toronto — a 10 AM Toronto call lands at 7 AM Pacific.
US to Canada calling costs
| Method | Typical Rate |
|---|---|
| AT&T (no international add-on) | ~$1.00/min |
| Verizon (no add-on) | ~$0.49/min |
| T-Mobile (no add-on) | $0.25–$1.00/min |
| AT&T / Verizon unlimited plans | Included (unlimited) |
| T-Mobile Essentials and above | Included (unlimited) |
| Calling cards | $0.005–$0.015/min |
| VoIP (DialPhone) | Included in plan from $24/user/mo |
DialPhone business phone plans bundle unlimited US and Canada calling — no per-minute fees, no surprises at the end of the month. View plans and pricing or start a free trial.
Calling a Canadian mobile vs. Canadian landline
There is no difference in how you dial. Canadian mobile and landline numbers both use the standard NANP format: 1 + area code + 7 digits. You cannot visually distinguish a Canadian mobile from a Canadian landline based on the number alone — unlike in some countries where mobiles use a distinct prefix.
The distinction may affect carrier billing on older rate cards, where some carriers charge slightly more for mobile termination. But the dial sequence is identical.
Note on roaming: If you are a US mobile subscriber physically traveling outside the US (e.g., in Europe), calling a Canadian number from your US SIM uses international roaming — your carrier’s roaming rates apply, not your domestic Canada-calling inclusion.
SMS to Canada from the US
Texting a Canadian number follows the same NANP rules. Format: +1 (or 1) + area code + 7-digit number.
Most US unlimited mobile plans include unlimited SMS to Canada at no extra charge. Verify with your carrier’s international SMS destinations list.
For business messaging, DialPhone’s business phone platform supports SMS and MMS to Canadian numbers on standard plans — no add-on needed.
A note on STIR/SHAKEN and Canadian business calls
If you run a business that calls Canadian customers or partners, caller ID attestation matters. DialPhone routes all outbound calls with STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation, which means your calls to Canadian numbers present as a verified caller ID — not “Spam Risk” or “Unknown.” Canadian carriers are implementing STIR/SHAKEN in parallel with US carriers via the Canadian Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) framework. A-attested calls from DialPhone are recognized correctly on both sides of the border.
This matters especially for outbound sales teams, appointment reminder services, and healthcare providers calling Canadian patients or clients. Learn more about how DialPhone handles STIR/SHAKEN.
Get a business phone with Canada calling included
DialPhone includes unlimited US and Canada calling on every plan — no add-ons, no per-minute surprises. Every seat also gets STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation, an AI receptionist option, and full number porting support if you’re switching from another carrier.
For reference on international dialing outside the NANP, see our sibling guide: How to Call the UK from the US.
Calling Canada FAQ
Calling Canada FAQ
Do I need a country code to call Canada from the US?
You do need to dial 1 — the country code shared by both the US and Canada under the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). However, because 1 is also the US country code, most US phones treat it as a domestic long-distance prefix rather than an international dialing code.
You do NOT need to dial 011 (the US international exit code) before calling Canada. The full format is simply: 1 + 3-digit area code + 7-digit local number.
Is calling Canada from the US free?
It depends on your plan. Most major US mobile carriers — Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T — now include unlimited calling to Canada in their standard unlimited plans at no extra per-minute charge.
US landlines and older postpaid plans typically charge Canada as long-distance, ranging from about $0.05 to $1.00 per minute depending on carrier. VoIP providers like DialPhone include unlimited US and Canada calling on every plan from $24 per user per month.
How do I call Toronto from the US?
Toronto uses two main area codes: 416 (original) and 647 (overlay). To call a Toronto number from the US, dial: 1 + 416 + 7-digit local number, or 1 + 647 + 7-digit local number.
Example: 1-416-555-1234. No 011 prefix, no other international exit code — it dials exactly like a US domestic long-distance call.
Is Canada's country code 001 or 011?
Neither. Canada's country code is 1 — the same as the United States. When written in international E.164 format it appears as +1.
011 is the US international exit code used when calling countries outside the NANP, such as the UK (+44) or Mexico (+52). You do not dial 011 to reach Canada because Canada is inside the NANP. 001 is sometimes written to represent +1, but from a US phone you simply dial 1 directly.
Why do the US and Canada share country code 1?
Both countries (along with many Caribbean nations) are members of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), established in 1947. The NANP assigned country code 1 to the entire plan area, which spans the US, Canada, and 18 other territories.
Because both countries share code 1, a US phone treats a call to a Canadian number the same as a domestic long-distance call in terms of dialing format — though it may still be billed differently by your carrier.
Can I call Canada from my cell phone without extra charges?
On most major US unlimited plans (Verizon Go Unlimited and above, T-Mobile Essentials and above, AT&T Unlimited Starter and above), calling Canada is included at no extra charge. Check your specific plan's "included destinations" page to confirm.
If you are on a prepaid or basic plan, Canada calls may be charged as international long-distance. Contact your carrier or check your plan's fine print before dialing.
Is calling a Canadian cell phone from the US different from calling a Canadian landline?
No. Canadian mobile and landline numbers both follow the standard NANP format: 1 + 3-digit area code + 7-digit number. The dialing sequence is identical regardless of whether the Canadian number is a mobile or a landline.
The distinction matters for your carrier's billing — some older carrier rate cards charge more for mobile termination — but the digits you dial are the same.
Can I send SMS to Canada from the US?
Yes. Texting a Canadian number from a US mobile follows the same NANP format: +1 (or 1) + area code + 7-digit number. Most US unlimited plans include unlimited SMS to Canada at no extra charge — check your carrier's SMS international destinations list.
US business VoIP platforms, including DialPhone, support SMS to Canadian numbers on standard plans.
Call other countries from the US
Part of the How to Call Internationally from the US hub — exit code 011, country codes, and the per-country mobile rules.
About the author
Growth Operations Lead at DialPhone
Darshan leads Growth Operations at DialPhone, where he owns three interconnected programs: the comparison content operation, the open VoIP Pricing Dataset, and the test-call methodology used to verify every pricing claim published on the site.
His research process starts with hands-on product trials and live vendor quotes — not marketing pages. Pricing figures are cross-checked against actual invoices and re-verified on a rolling quarterly cycle, with the underlying dataset kept public for independent re-verification. That dataset now covers 40+ VoIP and virtual-number providers across the US and Canada market.
Darshan also leads DialPhone's AI receptionist evaluation program, running structured test-call scenarios across English, Spanish, and French to assess transcription accuracy, intent routing, and escalation behavior. Methodology notes and raw scoring are archived in the research section.
For factual corrections or dataset discrepancies, Darshan can be reached at the DialPhone editorial address. Verified corrections are published as errata with a changelog date — no silent edits.