How to Call Portugal from the US

To call Portugal from the US, dial 011 + 351 + the full 9-digit number. Lisbon landline example: 011-351-21-XXXXXXX. Porto: 011-351-22-XXXXXXX. Portuguese mobile: 011-351-9XX-XXXXXX (mobiles start with 9 — 91/92/93/96).

The 011 is the US international exit code. The 351 is Portugal’s country code. Unlike Germany or France, Portugal has no leading 0 to drop — the number is always nine digits. On a smartphone you can substitute + for 011, dialing +351 21 XXXXXXX.

How to dial Portugal 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 351 — Portugal’s ITU-assigned country code, fixed for every Portuguese number regardless of region or type.
3. Dial the full nine-digit number exactly as written. Portugal uses a closed numbering plan with no trunk prefix, so there is no leading 0 to remove. A Lisbon number 21 123 4567 is dialed in full as 21 123 4567.

The complete pattern: 011 351 <full nine-digit number>.

This is the single most important thing to get right about Portugal. Many international dialing habits — built around dropping a leading 0 for Germany, France, the UK, and most of Europe — do not apply here. Portugal abolished its trunk-prefix 0 in 1999. If you “drop a zero” out of habit, you will dial a malformed eight-digit number that fails to connect.

If you see a Portuguese number already formatted with +351 (common on business cards and websites), replace the + with 011 from a US landline, or dial it as-is from a smartphone.

Portuguese area codes by city

Portuguese landline numbers begin with 2 and embed a geographic area code in the first one or two digits, followed by the subscriber number — nine digits total, with no leading 0.

City	Full dialed digits	Dial from US
Lisbon	21 XXX XXXX	011 351 21 XXX XXXX
Porto	22 XXX XXXX	011 351 22 XXX XXXX
Coimbra	239 XXX XXX	011 351 239 XXX XXX
Braga	253 XXX XXX	011 351 253 XXX XXX
Faro	289 XXX XXX	011 351 289 XXX XXX
Funchal (Madeira)	291 XXX XXX	011 351 291 XXX XXX

The two largest cities, Lisbon (21) and Porto (22), use two-digit geographic codes. Smaller cities and the islands use three-digit codes (23x–29x). In every case the total is nine digits and there is no 0 to add or remove.

Portuguese mobile numbers do not use city area codes. Mobiles start with 9 — the common prefixes are 91, 92, 93, and 96, each historically tied to a network operator. A number beginning 91 is dialed from the US as 011 351 91X XXX XXX.

How Portuguese numbering works

Portugal operates a closed nine-digit numbering plan governed by ANACOM, the national telecom regulator.

Before 31 October 1999, Portuguese numbers used a domestic trunk prefix 0 ahead of the area code, the same pattern still used in Germany and France. On that date Portugal moved to a closed plan: the area code became a permanent part of the number, the trunk 0 was abolished, and every number became a fixed nine digits.

The practical result for an international caller is simpler than almost anywhere else in Europe. There is no conditional rule, no “drop the 0 when calling from abroad.” You dial 011 351 and then the nine digits you were given — full stop.

Landlines begin with 2 (geographic). Mobiles begin with 9. Numbers beginning 800 are freephone, 808/809 are shared-cost, and 707/708/760 are special-tariff service lines.

Time zones: WET and WEST

Continental Portugal and Madeira observe two time settings across the year:

• WET (Western European Time) — UTC+0, in effect from the last Sunday of October through the last Sunday of March (Portugal’s “winter time”).
• WEST (Western European Summer Time) — UTC+1, in effect from the last Sunday of March through the last Sunday of October.

US time zone	Offset (year-round, parallel DST)
Eastern (ET)	Portugal +5 h
Central (CT)	Portugal +6 h
Mountain (MT)	Portugal +7 h
Pacific (PT)	Portugal +8 h

Because both the US and Portugal observe daylight saving, the offset from US Eastern stays at 5 hours through most of the year, unlike the variable offset you get with mainland-Europe destinations on +1/+2.

Important for business callers: the US and EU do not switch clocks on the same Sunday each spring. For roughly three weeks after the US spring switch (before the EU changes), Portugal is temporarily only 4 hours ahead. During that window, a call at 8 AM ET reaches Lisbon at noon rather than 1 PM — still fine, but worth confirming when scheduling recurring calls. The Azores run one hour behind continental Portugal year-round.

The reliable overlap window for standard business hours is 8 AM–noon ET, reaching Portuguese offices between 1 PM and 5 PM local time before most close.

US to Portugal calling costs

Costs vary significantly by calling method:

• US carrier per-minute (no plan): AT&T and Verizon charge approximately $1–$3 per minute to Portugal without an international add-on. Fine for a call or two per month.
• Carrier international add-on packages: $5–$15 per month reduces rates to roughly $0.05–$0.25 per minute. Worthwhile above ~30 minutes/month.
• VoIP providers (including DialPhone): flat per-minute rates to Portugal that typically undercut carrier add-ons, with no monthly minimum. For US–Portugal business calling at any volume, a VoIP plan on DialPhone business phone pays for itself quickly.
• Free app-to-app (WhatsApp, Signal): works if the Portuguese side also uses the app and has Wi-Fi/data. Not viable for reaching most Portuguese landlines or businesses.

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

Calling Portuguese mobile vs landline from the US

From a US perspective, the dialing procedure is identical: 011 351 <full nine-digit number>. The difference lies in the number itself:

• Landlines begin with 2 and embed a one- or two-digit geographic area code (21 Lisbon, 22 Porto). Nine digits total.
• Mobiles begin with 9 (91/92/93/96). There is no geographic area code. Nine digits total.

Identifying the type is straightforward: any Portuguese number starting with 9 is a mobile; any starting with 2 is a geographic landline. Numbers starting with 8 or 7 are service or special-tariff lines.

Calling cost note: Portuguese 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.

Common mistakes when calling Portugal

• Dropping a leading 0 that isn’t there. This is the number-one error. Portugal has no trunk 0; dropping a digit produces an invalid eight-digit number.
• Forgetting the exit code. Always start with 011 from a US landline, or + from a mobile.
• Trying to reach an 800 number from abroad. Portuguese freephone numbers do not work from the US — get a geographic or mobile number instead.
• Mis-timing the call. Portugal is 5 hours ahead of Eastern; an afternoon US call reaches Portugal after hours.

Business calling between the US and Portugal

The US–Portugal corridor has grown with Lisbon’s emergence as a European tech hub and Porto’s industrial and services base. US teams coordinating with Portuguese partners, contractors, or nearshore engineering centers place a lot of cross-Atlantic calls.

For teams handling inbound Portuguese client calls or outbound prospecting into Portugal, a DialPhone business phone plan with predictable flat per-minute Portugal rates removes the per-minute sticker shock of carrier international calling, and a single platform keeps caller ID consistent for recipients who screen unfamiliar international numbers.

For the full per-country reference — exit code 011, every country code, and the leading-0 rules that vary by destination — see how to call internationally from the US.

FAQ

Calling Portugal FAQ

What is the country code for Portugal? +

Portugal's country code is +351. From a US landline or mobile, you reach it by dialing the US international exit code 011 first, making the full prefix 011 351. From a smartphone that supports E.164 dialing you can substitute + for 011, so +351 works identically.

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

No — and this is the key difference from countries like Germany or France. Portugal uses a closed nine-digit numbering plan with no trunk prefix. The domestic leading 0 was abolished on 31 October 1999.

That means you dial the full nine-digit number exactly as it appears: 011 351 followed by all nine digits. There is no 0 to remove. A Lisbon number written 21 123 4567 is dialed as 011 351 21 123 4567.

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

Portuguese mobile numbers begin with 9 in their full nine-digit form — common prefixes are 91, 92, 93, and 96. Dial 011 + 351 + the complete nine-digit mobile number.

Example: a number written as 912 345 678 is dialed from the US as 011 351 912 345 678. There is no separate area code and no leading 0 to drop — the entire number is already nine digits.

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

Continental Portugal is 5 hours ahead of US Eastern Time year-round (WET/UTC+0 in winter, WEST/UTC+1 in summer; US Eastern shifts in parallel). The reliable business-hours overlap window is 8 AM–noon ET, which lands in the 1–5 PM range in Lisbon — still within Portuguese office hours.

Note: the US and EU switch clocks on different Sundays each spring, creating a roughly three-week window where the offset temporarily shifts by one hour. The Azores run one hour behind continental Portugal.

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

Standard US carrier rates without an international plan run roughly $1–$3 per minute to Portugal. Carrier international add-on packages reduce this to around $0.05–$0.25 per minute for a monthly fee.

VoIP providers including DialPhone charge flat per-minute rates to Portuguese destinations that are typically lower than carrier add-on plans, with no monthly minimum for low-volume callers.

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

Portuguese 800 freephone numbers are free only when dialed from within Portugal. Calling them from the US will either fail to connect or connect at a standard international rate. The 808 and 809 prefixes are shared-cost lines with the same limitation.

Ask your Portuguese contact for their geographic +351 21 (Lisbon) or +351 22 (Porto) number, or a mobile +351 9 number, as a reachable alternative.

What is the difference between WET and WEST for calling Portugal? +

WET (Western European Time) is UTC+0 and applies from late October to late March — continental Portugal's standard time, 5 hours ahead of US Eastern. WEST (Western European Summer Time) is UTC+1 and applies from late March to late October, but the US also moves to daylight time, so Portugal stays 5 hours ahead of US Eastern through most of the year.

The EU and US change clocks on different Sundays, so for roughly three weeks each spring the offset temporarily becomes 4 hours before realigning to 5.

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

Save Portuguese numbers in full E.164 international format: +351 followed by the complete nine-digit number. For example, a Lisbon number 21 123 4567 should be saved as +351 21 123 4567, and a mobile 912 345 678 as +351 912 345 678.

Because Portugal has no trunk prefix, there is nothing to add or remove — the nine digits go in as-is. This format works from any country, prevents dialing errors when roaming, and is the standard expected by CRMs and VoIP platforms including DialPhone.

Start calling Portugal today

Whether you make occasional calls to a Portuguese supplier or run a team with daily US–Portugal volume, the right setup eliminates per-minute sticker shock and missed calls.

• DialPhone pricing — compare per-minute Portugal rates across plans
• Start a free trial — call Portugal from day one, no commitment
• DialPhone business phone — full VoIP platform with international calling
• AI receptionist — handle inbound calls from Portugal 24/7

Related guides

• How to call Spain from the US — neighboring Iberian dialing, +34
• Number porting guide — bring your existing number to DialPhone
• STIR/SHAKEN explained — why caller ID attestation matters for international calls

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.

• How to call the UK from the US
• How to call France from the US
• How to call Germany from the US
• How to call Spain from the US
• How to call Italy from the US