How to Call Taiwan from the US

To call Taiwan from the US, dial 011 + 886 + area code (drop leading 0) + local number. Taipei example: 011-886-2-XXXXXXXX. Kaohsiung: 011-886-7-XXXXXXXX. Taiwanese mobile: 011-886-912-XXXXXX (domestic 09X prefix, no leading 0).

The 011 is the US international exit code. The 886 is Taiwan’s country code. This pattern works from any US landline or mobile — on a smartphone you can substitute + for 011, dialing +886 2 XXXXXXXX.

How to dial Taiwan from the US

Follow these four 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 886 — Taiwan’s ITU-assigned country code under the E.164 numbering plan.
3. Dial the area code without its leading 0. Taiwanese numbers in domestic format start with a 0 trunk prefix. That 0 is dropped for international dialing. Taipei’s domestic prefix 02 becomes 2; Kaohsiung’s 07 becomes 7.
4. Dial the local subscriber number exactly as written. Landline subscriber numbers in the major metros are 8 digits.

The complete pattern: 011 886 <area code minus leading 0> <local number>.

If you see a Taiwanese number already formatted with +886 (common on business cards and websites), replace the + with 011 from a US landline, or dial it as-is from a smartphone.

Taiwan area codes by city

Taiwanese landlines use geographic area codes assigned under the national numbering plan administered by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. The leading 0 shown in domestic format is dropped for all international calls.

City / Region	Domestic prefix	Dial from US (after 011 886)
Taipei / New Taipei	02	2
Taichung / Changhua	04	4
Tainan	06	6
Kaohsiung	07	7
Taoyuan / Hsinchu	03	3
Chiayi / Yunlin	05	5
Pingtung	08	8
Miaoli	037	37
Nantou	049	49
Kinmen	082	82

Taiwanese mobile numbers do not use city area codes. Mobile numbers begin with 09 in domestic format (10 digits total) and are dialed from the US as 011 886 9XX XXX XXX after dropping the leading 0. Example: a number beginning 0912 is dialed from the US as 011 886 912 XXX XXX.

How Taiwan’s numbering works

Taiwan’s country code +886 was assigned by the ITU under the E.164 numbering plan and covers every Taiwanese geographic and mobile number.

Domestically, every number is written with a leading 0 trunk prefix, followed by an area code (for landlines) or a 09 mobile prefix, then the subscriber number. The trunk 0 is used only for long-distance dialing inside Taiwan.

For international calls the trunk 0 is dropped and replaced by the country code: 011 886 from the US, or +886 in E.164 notation. Landline subscriber numbers in the largest metros are 8 digits, while mobile numbers run to 10 digits in domestic format (09 plus 8 digits).

Time zones: Taiwan is UTC+8 year-round

Taiwan observes a single time zone with no seasonal change:

• National Standard Time — UTC+8, in effect all year.
• No daylight saving time — Taiwan has not observed DST since 1979, so its clock never changes.

Because Taiwan’s clock is fixed but the US shifts for daylight saving, the offset is not constant:

US time zone	Offset during US DST (Mar–Nov)	Offset during US standard time (Nov–Mar)
Eastern (ET)	Taiwan +12 h	Taiwan +13 h
Central (CT)	Taiwan +13 h	Taiwan +14 h
Mountain (MT)	Taiwan +14 h	Taiwan +15 h
Pacific (PT)	Taiwan +15 h	Taiwan +16 h

Important for business callers: with a 12–13 hour gap, US and Taiwan business hours barely overlap. The most reliable window is early-morning US to evening Taiwan — a call at 8 AM–9 AM ET reaches Taiwan around 8 PM–9 PM the same day during US daylight saving, or 9 PM–10 PM during US winter. Many US–Taiwan teams instead agree on a fixed recurring slot rather than relying on a daily overlap, and confirm the offset around the US clock changes in March and November.

US to Taiwan calling costs

Costs vary significantly by calling method:

• US carrier per-minute (no plan): major US carriers can charge a few dollars per minute to Taiwan without an international add-on. Fine for a call or two per month.
• Carrier international add-on packages: a monthly fee reduces per-minute rates substantially. Worthwhile if you call Taiwan regularly.
• VoIP providers (including DialPhone): flat per-minute rates to Taiwan that typically undercut carrier add-ons, with no monthly minimum. For US–Taiwan business calling at any volume, a VoIP plan on DialPhone business phone pays for itself quickly.
• Free app-to-app (WhatsApp, LINE, Signal): works if the Taiwanese side also uses the app and has Wi-Fi/data. LINE is especially common in Taiwan. Not viable for reaching most Taiwanese landlines or businesses.

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

Calling Taiwanese mobile vs landline from the US

From a US perspective, the dialing procedure is the same: 011 886 <number without leading 0>. The difference lies in the number format itself:

• Landlines have a geographic area code (2–3 digits including the trunk 0) followed by a subscriber number. In the major metros the subscriber number is 8 digits.
• Mobiles start with the 09 prefix and have no separate area code. Domestic format is 10 digits (09 plus 8 digits).

Identifying the type from the number: any Taiwanese number starting with 09 (domestic format) is a mobile. Numbers starting with 02–08 (or three-digit codes like 037, 049, 082) are geographic landlines.

Calling cost note: Taiwanese 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.

SMS to Taiwan and business use cases

US-to-Taiwan SMS works from most US mobile plans — the same international add-on that covers calls usually covers texts. Business-grade SMS (A2P, bulk, or CRM-triggered) requires a provider supporting international SMS routing to Taiwanese networks.

US–Taiwan B2B context where this matters most:

• Semiconductors and electronics: US chip designers, fabless firms, and hardware companies coordinate constantly with Taiwanese foundries and contract manufacturers around Hsinchu and Taichung. Managing the 12–13 hour offset and presenting recognizable caller ID are both critical to keeping schedules on track.
• Supply chain and hardware sourcing: US brands sourcing components and finished goods rely on regular calls with Taipei and Kaohsiung suppliers; a virtual number reduces the friction of unfamiliar international caller ID.
• Technology and SaaS: US software companies selling into the Taiwanese market find that a local Taiwan DID and verified caller ID improve answer rates with prospects screening unknown international numbers.

DialPhone’s AI receptionist handles the time-zone asymmetry automatically: when a Taiwanese contact calls your US DialPhone number outside US business hours, the AI receptionist answers, qualifies the inquiry, and routes or escalates based on rules you set — no missed opportunity because of a 12-hour offset.

For outbound, DialPhone routes US-to-Taiwan calls with STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation, meaning your caller ID is signed as verified at origination rather than appearing as an unverified international number — a meaningful factor for answer rates in markets where robocall-screening is common.

FAQ

Calling Taiwan FAQ

What is the country code for Taiwan? +

Taiwan's country code is +886. From a US landline or mobile, you reach it by dialing the US international exit code 011 first, making the full prefix 011 886. From a smartphone that supports E.164 dialing you can substitute + for 011, so +886 works identically.

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

Yes. Taiwanese numbers in domestic format start with a 0 — for example, Taipei is written 02 XXXX XXXX locally. That leading 0 is Taiwan's trunk prefix and is only used for long-distance calls within Taiwan.

When calling from the US, replace the entire leading 0 with 011 886. So 02 1234 5678 becomes 011 886 2 1234 5678. Leaving the 0 in is the most common reason a US-to-Taiwan call fails to connect.

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

Taiwanese mobile numbers start with 09 in domestic format and are 10 digits long. Dial 011 + 886 + the mobile number without its leading 0.

Example: a number written as 0912 345 678 is dialed from the US as 011 886 912 345 678. Mobile numbers do not have a separate area code — the 09X prefix identifies the mobile service rather than a geographic region.

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

Taiwan is on UTC+8 year-round and does not observe daylight saving time. That makes it 12 hours ahead of US Eastern Time during US daylight saving (March–November) and 13 hours ahead during US standard time (November–March).

Because the offset is so large, the practical overlap is early-morning US to evening Taiwan: a call at 8 AM–9 AM ET reaches Taiwan around 8 PM–9 PM the same day during US daylight saving. For standard office hours on both sides, the windows barely meet, so most teams schedule a fixed weekly slot.

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

Standard US carrier rates without an international plan can run a few dollars per minute to Taiwan. Carrier international add-on packages reduce this to a lower per-minute rate for a monthly fee.

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

Can I call Taiwanese toll-free (0800) numbers from the US? +

No. Taiwanese 0800 freephone numbers are reachable only when dialed from within Taiwan. Calling them from the US will not connect.

Ask your Taiwanese contact for their geographic landline number (for example a Taipei 02 or Kaohsiung 07 number) or a mobile number, which you can reach with the standard 011 886 prefix.

Does Taiwan observe daylight saving time? +

No. Taiwan has not observed daylight saving time since 1979 and stays on UTC+8 all year.

This means the gap between Taiwan and US cities is not constant: it widens by one hour during US daylight saving. Taiwan is 12 hours ahead of US Eastern from spring to fall and 13 hours ahead during US winter. When scheduling recurring calls, confirm the offset around the US clock changes in March and November.

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

Save Taiwanese numbers in full E.164 international format: +886 followed by the area code or mobile prefix without its leading 0, then the local number. For example, a Taipei number 02 1234 5678 should be saved as +886 2 1234 5678.

This format works from any country without modification, prevents dialing errors when roaming, and is the standard format expected by CRMs and VoIP platforms including DialPhone.

Start calling Taiwan today

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

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

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• STIR/SHAKEN explained — why caller ID attestation matters for international calls

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