business phone · 7 min read
How to Call Guatemala from the US
Dial 011 + 502 + the 8-digit number to call Guatemala from the US. Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango examples, mobile rules, time zones, and cost tips.
To call Guatemala from the US, dial 011 + 502 + the 8-digit number. Guatemala City example: 011-502-2XXX-XXXX. A mobile: 011-502-5XXX-XXXX (mobiles start with 3, 4, or 5).
The 011 is the US international exit code. The 502 is Guatemala’s country code.
This pattern works from any US landline or mobile — on a smartphone you can substitute + for 011, dialing +502 2XXX XXXX.
How to dial Guatemala from the US
Follow these three steps every time:
- Dial 011 — the US exit code for all international calls. On a mobile keypad, long-press
0to enter+as a shortcut;+works identically to011on smartphones. - Dial 502 — Guatemala’s ITU-assigned country code, fixed for every Guatemalan number regardless of region or line type.
- Dial all 8 digits of the local number. Guatemala has no area codes and no trunk prefix, so there is nothing to strip — you dial the number exactly as written.
The complete pattern: 011 502 <8-digit number>.
If you see a Guatemalan number already formatted with +502 (common on business cards and websites), replace the + with 011 from a US landline, or dial it as-is from a smartphone. In the rare case a number is printed with a leading 0, drop that 0.
Guatemala number format and what the first digit means
Guatemala uses a flat 8-digit national numbering plan with no area codes. Instead, the first digit signals the type and rough geography of the line:
| First digit | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Landline | Guatemala City (geographic) |
| 6 | Landline | Guatemala City (geographic) |
| 7 | Landline | Rest of the country / rural (geographic) |
| 3 | Mobile | Non-geographic, nationwide |
| 4 | Mobile | Non-geographic, nationwide |
| 5 | Mobile | Non-geographic, nationwide |
Because there is no area code, the dialing procedure from the US is identical whether you are reaching Guatemala City, Quetzaltenango, Antigua, or a mobile: 011 502 followed by all 8 digits.
Guatemala City example: a landline 2412 5000 is dialed from the US as 011 502 2412 5000.
Quetzaltenango (and the rest of the country outside the capital) uses landlines beginning with 7 — for example 7765 XXXX becomes 011 502 7765 XXXX.
A mobile such as 5123 4567 becomes 011 502 5123 4567.
How Guatemala’s +502 numbering works
Guatemala’s country code +502 is assigned by the ITU under the E.164 international numbering plan. The national network is regulated by the Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SIT).
Guatemala migrated to the current 8-digit closed numbering plan in the mid-2000s, expanding from older 7-digit numbers to accommodate growth in mobile subscribers. The plan is “closed,” meaning the full 8 digits are always dialed even within the country — there is no shorter local form and no trunk prefix.
Mobile numbers (first digit 3, 4, or 5) are non-geographic and tied to a carrier rather than a city. Landline numbers (first digit 2, 6, or 7) carry a loose geographic meaning, with 2 and 6 in the Guatemala City metro area and 7 covering the rest of the country.
Time zone: Central Standard Time, year-round
Guatemala observes a single time zone nationwide:
- Central Standard Time (CST) — UTC-6, in effect all year. Guatemala has not used daylight saving time since 2006.
Because Guatemala never changes its clocks, the offset to the US shifts only when US clocks change:
| US time zone | Offset (US standard time, winter) | Offset (US daylight saving) |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | Guatemala -1 h | Guatemala -2 h |
| Central (CT) | Guatemala 0 h (same) | Guatemala -1 h |
| Mountain (MT) | Guatemala +1 h | Guatemala 0 h (same) |
| Pacific (PT) | Guatemala +2 h | Guatemala +1 h |
The small offset makes scheduling easy. During most of the year (US daylight saving), Guatemala is 2 hours behind Eastern and matches Mountain Time. A call placed between 9 AM and 5 PM ET lands squarely inside Guatemalan business hours, which typically run from about 8 AM to 5 PM local time. For US Central Time teams, the workday overlaps almost perfectly.
US to Guatemala calling costs
Costs vary by calling method:
- US carrier per-minute (no plan): Major US carriers charge roughly $0.10 to over $1.00 per minute to Guatemala without an international add-on, with mobile destinations sometimes priced higher than landlines. Fine for an occasional call.
- Carrier international add-on packages: $5–$15 per month reduces the per-minute rate and is worthwhile above modest monthly usage.
- VoIP providers (including DialPhone): flat per-minute rates to Guatemala that typically undercut carrier add-ons, with no monthly minimum. For recurring US–Guatemala business calling, a VoIP plan on DialPhone business phone avoids surprise per-minute charges.
- Free app-to-app (WhatsApp, Signal): works if the Guatemalan side also uses the app over Wi-Fi or data. WhatsApp in particular is widely used in Guatemala, but app calling is not viable for reaching most landlines or business mainlines.
See DialPhone pricing for current per-minute Guatemala rates included in each plan tier.
Calling Guatemalan mobile vs landline from the US
From a US perspective, the dialing procedure is identical for mobiles and landlines: 011 502 followed by the full 8-digit number. There is no leading 0 or area code to add or remove for either type.
The difference is only in identifying the line and its cost:
- Landlines begin with 2, 6 (Guatemala City), or 7 (rest of the country). They are geographic.
- Mobiles begin with 3, 4, or 5 and are non-geographic — assigned to a carrier, not a place.
Calling cost note: Guatemalan mobile destinations can be priced higher per minute than landlines on some US carrier plans. VoIP providers including DialPhone typically apply a single flat rate regardless of landline vs mobile destination, which simplifies budgeting for teams that call both.
SMS to Guatemala and business use cases
US-to-Guatemala SMS works from most US mobile plans — the same international add-on that covers calls usually covers texts. Send to +502 followed by the 8-digit mobile number. Business-grade SMS (A2P, bulk, or CRM-triggered) requires a provider that supports international SMS routing to Guatemalan networks.
The US–Guatemala corridor is one of the most active in the Americas, driven by a large Guatemalan community in the US, cross-border family ties, remittances, and trade in agriculture, textiles, and call-center/BPO services. For US businesses, that translates into frequent need to reach suppliers, partners, and customers in Guatemala City and beyond.
For teams handling inbound calls from Guatemala or outbound prospecting into the country, a DialPhone business phone plan presents a consistent, verified caller ID and applies a single flat per-minute rate to Guatemala — so reaching a Guatemala City office costs the same whether you call a landline or a mobile.
FAQ
Calling Guatemala FAQ
What is the country code for Guatemala?
Guatemala's country code is +502. From a US landline or mobile, you reach it by dialing the US international exit code 011 first, making the full prefix 011 502.
From a smartphone that supports E.164 dialing you can substitute + for 011, so +502 works identically from any US mobile.
Do I need to drop a leading 0 or dial an area code for Guatemala?
No. Unlike most countries, Guatemala uses no trunk prefix and no internal area codes. Every Guatemalan number is exactly 8 digits, dialed in full after the country code.
So there is no leading 0 to drop and no area code to add — just dial 011 502 followed by all 8 digits. If a number is ever written with a leading 0, omit that 0 when dialing from the US.
How do I call a Guatemalan mobile number from the US?
Guatemalan mobile numbers start with 3, 4, or 5 and are 8 digits long, with no separate area code or prefix to strip. Dial 011 + 502 + the full 8-digit number.
Example: a mobile written as 5123 4567 is dialed from the US as 011 502 5123 4567, or +502 5123 4567 from a smartphone.
What is the best time to call Guatemala from the US?
Guatemala observes Central Standard Time (UTC-6) all year and does not use daylight saving time. That makes it 1 hour behind US Eastern Time during US standard time (winter) and 2 hours behind during US daylight saving (most of the year).
Because the offset is small, the business-hours overlap is wide. A call placed between 9 AM and 5 PM ET comfortably reaches Guatemalan offices during their working day.
How much does it cost to call Guatemala from the US?
Standard US carrier rates without an international plan typically run roughly $0.10–$1.00+ per minute to Guatemala depending on carrier and whether the destination is a landline or mobile. Carrier international add-on packages ($5–$15/month) reduce the per-minute rate.
VoIP providers including DialPhone charge a flat per-minute rate to Guatemala that is typically lower than carrier add-on plans, with no monthly minimum for low-volume callers.
Can I call Guatemalan toll-free (1-800) numbers from the US?
Generally no. Guatemalan 1-800 freephone numbers are designed to be free only when dialed from within Guatemala.
From the US they often fail to connect, or connect at a standard international rate. Ask your Guatemalan contact for their direct 8-digit geographic or mobile number instead.
What time zone is Guatemala in?
Guatemala uses a single time zone nationwide: Central Standard Time (CST), UTC-6, year-round. The country has not observed daylight saving time since 2006.
This means the gap to US Eastern Time shifts only because of US clock changes — 1 hour behind ET in winter, 2 hours behind ET when US daylight saving is in effect. Guatemala itself never changes its clocks.
How do I save a Guatemalan number in my phone contacts?
Save Guatemalan numbers in full E.164 international format: +502 followed by the 8-digit number, with no leading 0 or area code. For example, save 2412 5000 as +502 2412 5000.
This format dials correctly from any country without modification, prevents errors when roaming, and is the standard format expected by CRMs and VoIP platforms including DialPhone.
Related guides
- DialPhone business phone — international calling plans with flat per-minute Guatemala rates
- How to call internationally from the US — exit code 011, country codes, and the per-country mobile rules
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.