How to Call Chile from the US

To call Chile from the US, dial 011 + 56 + the Chilean number. Mobile example: 011-56-9-XXXX-XXXX (every Chilean mobile starts with 9). Santiago landline example: 011-56-2-XXXX-XXXX (Santiago uses area code 2).

The 011 is the US international exit code. The 56 is Chile’s country code, assigned by the ITU. This pattern works from any US landline or mobile — on a smartphone you can substitute + for 011, dialing +56 9 XXXX XXXX.

How to dial Chile from the US

Follow these three steps every time:

1. Dial 011 — the US exit code for all international calls. On a mobile keypad, long-press 0 to enter + as a shortcut; + works identically to 011 on smartphones.
2. Dial 56 — Chile’s ITU-assigned country code. This is fixed for every Chilean number regardless of region or type.
3. Dial the Chilean number. A mobile is 9 plus 8 digits. A Santiago landline is 2 plus 8 digits. A landline outside Santiago is a 2-digit area code plus 7 digits.

The complete pattern: 011 56 <Chilean number>.

Unlike calling within North America, you do not dial a leading 1 — that is the NANP country code, and Chile is outside it. You also do not add any extra 0 in front of the Chilean number. If an older listing shows a leading 0 trunk prefix, drop it and dial 011 56 followed by the rest.

If you see a Chilean number already formatted with +56 (common on business cards and websites), replace the + with 011 from a US landline, or dial it as-is from a smartphone.

How Chilean numbering works

Chile uses a 9-digit national numbering plan. After a renumbering completed in 2012–2013 that prepended a digit to landlines, every Chilean number — landline, mobile, or VoIP — settled into a consistent 9-digit structure.

• Mobiles always begin with 9, followed by 8 digits. They carry no area code; the 9 itself identifies the number as mobile nationwide.
• Landlines begin with a geographic area code. Santiago (the Metropolitan Region) uses the single digit 2 followed by 8 digits. Other regions use a 2-digit area code followed by 7 digits.

From a US caller’s point of view the dialing procedure is identical for all of them: 011 56 then the number exactly as written, with no leading 0.

Chilean area codes by city

Chilean landlines use geographic area codes; mobiles do not. The table below shows common landline area codes — dial them after 011 56.

City / region	Area code	Dial from US
Santiago (Metropolitan)	2	011 56 2 XXXX XXXX
Valparaíso / Viña del Mar	32	011 56 32 XXX XXXX
Concepción	41	011 56 41 XXX XXXX
Antofagasta	55	011 56 55 XXX XXXX
La Serena / Coquimbo	51	011 56 51 XXX XXXX
Temuco	45	011 56 45 XXX XXXX
Puerto Montt	65	011 56 65 XXX XXXX

Santiago is the one exception with a single-digit area code (2) plus 8 subscriber digits; the regional codes are two digits plus 7 subscriber digits, keeping the national total at 9 digits.

Mobile numbers do not use any of these area codes — a Chilean mobile is simply 9 plus 8 digits, dialed from the US as 011 56 9 XXXX XXXX.

Time zones: CLT and CLST

Mainland Chile observes two clocks across the year:

• CLT (Chile Standard Time) — UTC-4, Chile’s standard time for most of the year.
• CLST (Chile Summer Time) — UTC-3, in effect during Chile’s daylight saving period.

Because Chile is in the Southern Hemisphere, its seasons — and its DST — are the reverse of the US. Chile springs forward in September and falls back in April, the opposite of the US calendar.

US time zone	Approx. offset to mainland Chile
Eastern (ET)	Chile is 0 to +2 hours ahead
Central (CT)	Chile is +1 to +3 hours ahead
Mountain (MT)	Chile is +2 to +4 hours ahead
Pacific (PT)	Chile is +3 to +5 hours ahead

Important for business callers: because the two countries change clocks in opposite seasons, the gap is not fixed. For part of the year Santiago is the same as New York; for part of the year it is two hours ahead. Easter Island sits two hours behind the mainland, so confirm which Chile you are calling.

The reliable overlap window for standard business hours is roughly 9 AM–4 PM ET, which lands well inside the Chilean workday in nearly every part of the year.

US to Chile calling costs

Costs vary significantly by calling method:

• US carrier per-minute (no plan): major US carriers can charge roughly $1–$3 per minute to Chile without an international add-on. Fine for an occasional call.
• Carrier international add-on packages: $10–$15 per month reduces rates to a few cents up to about $0.25 per minute. Worthwhile above a modest monthly volume.
• VoIP providers (including DialPhone): flat per-minute rates to Chile that typically undercut carrier add-ons, with no monthly minimum. For US–Chile business calling at any volume, a VoIP plan on DialPhone business phone pays for itself quickly.
• Free app-to-app (WhatsApp, Signal, FaceTime): works if the Chilean side uses the same app over Wi-Fi or data. Not viable for reaching most Chilean landlines or businesses.

See DialPhone pricing for current per-minute Chile rates included in each plan tier.

Calling Chilean mobile vs landline from the US

From a US perspective the dialing procedure is the same: 011 56 then the number with no leading 0. The difference is in the number itself:

• Mobiles start with 9 and have 9 digits total. No area code. This is the most common number type for individuals and small businesses in Chile.
• Landlines start with a geographic area code (2 for Santiago, two digits elsewhere) and also total 9 digits nationally.

Identifying the type is simple: any Chilean number beginning with 9 is a mobile; any number beginning with 2–65-style area codes is a landline. Mobile destinations can be priced higher per minute than landlines on some US carrier plans, while VoIP providers including DialPhone typically apply a single flat rate regardless of destination type.

SMS to Chile and business use cases

US-to-Chile SMS works from most US mobile plans — the same international add-on that covers calls usually covers texts. Send to +56 9 XXXX XXXX using the mobile number.

The US–Chile corridor matters in mining and resources, agriculture and fresh produce exports, financial services, and a growing technology sector centered on Santiago. US teams selling into or coordinating with Chilean counterparts benefit from a recognizable, verified caller ID — Chilean gatekeepers screen unknown international numbers just as US ones do.

For inbound, DialPhone business phone lets a US team present a consistent number and handle Chilean callers across the small, shifting time gap without missing a beat. For outbound, routing with STIR/SHAKEN attestation helps your caller ID pass carrier verification rather than appearing as an unverified international number — a meaningful factor for answer rates.

FAQ

Calling Chile FAQ

What is the country code for Chile? +

Chile's country code is +56. From a US landline or mobile, you reach it by dialing the US international exit code 011 first, making the full prefix 011 56.

From a smartphone that supports E.164 dialing you can substitute + for 011, so +56 works identically from any US mobile.

Do I need to drop a leading 0 when calling Chile from the US? +

Chilean numbers are generally written without a leading 0 trunk prefix in modern format — a mobile is 9 XXXX XXXX and a Santiago landline is 2 XXXX XXXX. Unlike the NANP (US/Canada), you do not dial 1 — you dial 011 56.

If a number is ever shown with a leading 0 (older listings sometimes carry one), drop that 0 and dial 011 56 followed by the rest. Leaving an extra 0 in is a common reason a US-to-Chile call fails to connect.

How do I call a Chilean mobile number from the US? +

Chilean mobile numbers always start with 9 followed by 8 digits, for 9 digits total, and they do not use an area code. Dial 011 + 56 + the full 9-digit mobile number.

Example: a mobile written as 9 5555 1234 is dialed from the US as 011 56 9 5555 1234, or +56 9 5555 1234 from a smartphone.

What is the best time to call Chile from the US? +

Chile and the US sit in nearly the same longitude band, so the offset is small — mainland Chile runs from the same time as US Eastern up to about 2 hours ahead, depending on daylight saving in each country.

A reliable business-hours overlap is roughly 9 AM to 4 PM ET, which lands comfortably inside the Chilean workday (Santiago is typically 0 to 2 hours ahead of New York).

How much does it cost to call Chile from the US? +

Standard US carrier rates without an international plan can run roughly $1–$3 per minute to Chile. Carrier international add-on packages ($10–$15/month) cut that to a few cents to about $0.25 per minute.

VoIP providers including DialPhone charge a flat per-minute rate to Chile that is typically lower than carrier add-on plans, with no monthly minimum for low-volume callers.

Can I call Chilean toll-free (800) numbers from the US? +

Chilean 800 freephone numbers are free only when dialed from within Chile. Calling one from the US will usually either fail to connect or connect at a standard international rate.

Ask your Chilean contact for their geographic landline (such as a Santiago 2 number) or their 9-prefix mobile as a reachable alternative from abroad.

What time zone is Chile in? +

Mainland Chile observes Chile Standard Time (CLT, UTC-4) for most of the year and Chile Summer Time (CLST, UTC-3) during its daylight saving period. Because Chile is in the Southern Hemisphere, its DST is opposite the US — Chile springs forward in September and falls back in April.

Easter Island is two hours behind the mainland. The opposite-season DST is why the gap to US Eastern shifts between 0 and 2 hours across the year rather than staying fixed.

How do I save a Chilean number in my phone contacts? +

Save Chilean numbers in full E.164 international format: +56 followed by the 9-digit mobile number, or +56 plus the area code and landline number. For example, a Santiago landline becomes +56 2 XXXX XXXX and a mobile becomes +56 9 XXXX XXXX.

This format dials correctly from any country without editing, prevents errors while roaming, and is the standard expected by CRMs and VoIP platforms including DialPhone.

Related guides

• How to call internationally from the US — exit code 011, country codes, and per-country mobile rules
• Number porting guide — bring your existing number to DialPhone
• STIR/SHAKEN explained — why caller ID attestation matters for international calls

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