Frequently Asked Questions
Polish phone numbers are 9 digits long, excluding the +48 country code for international calls. They follow specific formats depending on whether they are landlines, mobile, toll-free, premium rate, shared cost, or VoIP numbers. For example, landlines use the format xx xxx xx xx within Poland and +48 xx xxx xx xx internationally.
You can validate Polish mobile numbers using regular expressions that check for the correct 9-digit format and prefixes. The article provides examples in TypeScript and Python. Remember to remove spaces and special characters before validation.
The Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) regulates Poland's telecommunications sector, enforcing regulations, ensuring compliance, and promoting competition among providers. They oversee everything from number portability to consumer protection, as well as technical implementations involving Polish phone numbers.
To call a Polish landline from the US, dial 011 followed by 48 (Poland's country code), the 2-digit area code, and the 7-digit subscriber number. For example, to call Warsaw (area code 22), you would dial 011 48 22 xxx xx xx.
Premium rate numbers are subject to regulations regarding pricing transparency, maximum call duration, and mandatory cost disclosures to protect consumers from unexpected charges. These regulations are defined in the Telecommunications Act overseen by the UKE.
Poland has several phone number categories, including geographic (landlines), mobile, toll-free, premium rate, shared cost, and VoIP. Each type has a specific format and prefix, which are detailed in the article with examples.
Number portability in Poland allows users to keep their phone number when changing service providers. Managed by the UKE, the process typically takes one working day with minimal service interruption. The country has a high porting success rate of over 98%.
The article provides a table of common area codes including 22 for Warsaw, 12 for Kraków, 71 for Wrocław, 58 for Gdańsk, 61 for Poznań, 42 for Łódź, 32 for Katowice, and 81 for Lublin.
Dial 00 48 followed by the 9-digit mobile number. For instance, to call the number 601 123 456 you would dial 00 48 601 123 456.
Regularly update your validation rules to reflect changes in numbering plans and regulations. Also, make sure your validation process can handle various formats, including those with and without the country code (+48).
When implementing systems interacting with Polish phone numbers, consider infrastructure like network capacity and redundancy, reliability measures like high uptime and failover systems, and security measures like DDoS protection and call encryption.
Poland's Electronic Communications Law (ECL) and other regulations focus on consumer protection, mandating cost transparency, simplified contract summaries, easier termination rights, complaint resolution procedures, and strict data protection aligned with GDPR.
Yes, VoIP numbers are available in Poland, starting with the prefix 39. Implementations must adhere to UKE-defined technical standards like SIP protocol usage, QoS monitoring, failover support, and emergency service routing.
Poland Phone Numbers: Format, Area Code & Validation Guide
Implement Polish phone number validation in your applications with the +48 country code. This comprehensive guide covers Poland's 9-digit number format, area codes for major cities like Warsaw (22) and Kraków (12), mobile prefixes (4-8), UKE regulations, and number portability rules for seamless integration with Poland's telecommunications system.
Poland Quick Reference
Sources: UKE official numbering documentation, Wikipedia Telephone numbers in Poland, ECL 2024 (verified October 2025)
Regulatory Framework
Poland's telecommunications sector operates under the Telecommunications Act of 2004, covering telecommunications activities, operator and user rights, market regulation, universal service, consumer protection, and resource management (numbering, frequencies, orbital resources). UKE (Office of Electronic Communications) enforces these regulations and ensures compliance.
The Electronic Communications Law (ECL), effective November 10, 2024, replaced the 2004 Act and modernized the framework. The ECL extends regulation to online communication services and strengthens consumer protection.
Key 2024-2025 Regulatory Updates:
CAEC Compliance Requirements:
Sources: Poland Legal500, Mondaq ECL analysis, UKE official notices, Lexology regulatory updates, Chambers CAEC analysis (verified October 2025)
What Are the Phone Number Formats in Poland?
Polish phone numbers contain exactly 9 digits, excluding the +48 country code for international calls. Understanding these formats is essential for phone number validation and international calling. Implement validation for these six number types:
1. Geographic Numbers (Landlines)
xx xxx xx xx
(within Poland),+48 xx xxx xx xx
(international)22 123 45 67
. From the US, dial011 48 22 123 45 67
(see our guide on E.164 phone format for international dialing).Use these common area codes for geographic validation:
Geographic Area Code Mapping: Polish area codes correspond to major cities and surrounding regions, not to voivodeships (administrative regions). Multiple cities may share area codes with surrounding towns. For complete area code allocations, consult UKE's numbering database.
2. Mobile Numbers
xxx xxx xxx
(within Poland),+48 xxx xxx xxx
(international)601 123 456
. From the UK, dial00 48 601 123 456
.Major Operator Prefix Ranges (Original Allocation):
Important: Due to number portability (operational since 2006), the prefix no longer guarantees the current operator. Treat any mobile number starting with 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 as valid regardless of operator. For WhatsApp and messaging apps, Polish mobile numbers follow the same +48 XXX XXX XXX format.
Sources: Wikipedia Telephone numbers in Poland, CallingCardPlus Poland codes, Poland mobile operator market analysis (verified October 2025)
3. Toll-Free Numbers
800 xxx xxx
(within Poland),+48 800 xxx xxx
(international)800
, followed by 6-digit subscriber number800 123 456
Registration Requirements:
Use Cases: Customer support hotlines, sales inquiries, complaint departments, emergency services for businesses requiring maximum accessibility.
Sources: DIDWW Poland regulatory requirements, Zadarma Poland toll-free pricing, Poland Telecommunications Act (verified October 2025)
4. Premium Rate Numbers
70x xxx xx xx
(within Poland),+48 70x xxx xx xx
(international)70
, followed by a digit indicating the rate tier, and then a 7-digit subscriber number.703 123 45 67
(standard premium),707 123 45 67
(premium tele-voting)Sources: UKE Consumer Information Center (cik.uke.gov.pl), Wikipedia premium-rate telephone numbers, ECL Article 345 (verified October 2025)
5. Shared Cost Numbers
801 xxx xxx
(within Poland),+48 801 xxx xxx
(international)801
, followed by 6-digit subscriber number801 123 456
When to Use Shared Cost vs. Toll-Free:
Registration: Similar requirements to toll-free numbers (identity verification, company documentation for businesses, address verification).
Sources: Poland Telecommunications Act, DIDWW regulatory requirements (verified October 2025)
6. VoIP Numbers
39x xxx xxx
(within Poland),+48 39x xxx xxx
(international)39
, followed by a 7-digit subscriber number.391 123 456
VoIP Setup Requirements:
Sources: UKE technical standards, DIDWW Poland requirements, ECL 2024 (verified October 2025)
How to Validate Polish Phone Numbers
Validate Polish phone numbers to ensure data integrity and prevent communication errors. Whether you're implementing phone number validation in JavaScript, Python, or other languages, use these regex patterns and code examples for accurate validation of Poland's +48 country code format:
Common Validation Errors:
Best Practices:
Sources: UKE numbering database, ECL 2024 technical standards (verified October 2025)
How Does Number Portability Work in Poland?
UKE manages number portability, allowing consumers to keep their phone numbers when switching providers. Porting completes within 1 working day with maximum 3-hour service disruption. Poland achieves >98% porting success rate through a centralized database with real-time synchronization and standardized APIs.
Porting Process Requirements (UKE Regulations):
Porting Fees and Costs:
Troubleshoot Failed Porting:
Technical Implementation:
Sources: UKE number portability regulations, Poland Telecommunications Act (Article 71), ECL 2024, academic studies on Polish number portability (verified October 2025)
Consumer Protection
The ECL and related regulations enforce consumer protection through these key measures:
UKE enforces these regulations and can impose penalties up to 3% of annual revenue for non-compliance, plus service suspension.
File Complaints with UKE:
Sources: UKE Consumer Information Center, ECL 2024, UOKiK consumer protection guidelines (verified October 2025)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the country code for Poland?
The country code for Poland is +48. Dial all international calls to Poland with +48 followed by the 9-digit Polish phone number. For example, from the US, dial 011-48-XXX-XXX-XXX. The +48 prefix identifies all Polish numbers internationally, whether mobile or landline.
How many digits are in a Polish phone number?
Polish phone numbers are exactly 9 digits long, excluding the country code (+48). This standardized length applies to all number types: geographic (landlines), mobile, toll-free, premium-rate, shared cost, and VoIP numbers. No trunk code or leading zero is needed when dialing within Poland.
What prefixes do Polish mobile numbers start with?
Polish mobile numbers start with 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8. The full mobile number format is 9 digits: 4XX XXX XXX, 5XX XXX XXX, 6XX XXX XXX, 7XX XXX XXX, or 8XX XXX XXX. Within Poland, no trunk code prefix is needed. These mobile prefixes apply to all Polish carriers including Orange, Play, Plus, and T-Mobile.
How long does number portability take in Poland?
Number portability in Poland takes 1 working day with a maximum service disruption of 3 hours. Poland has a >98% porting success rate. The existing provider must notify the customer within 24 hours when porting is initiated, and customers can cancel up to 2 days before the scheduled porting date. Porting is free for consumers under Polish law.
What is the UKE and what does it regulate?
UKE (Urząd Komunikacji Elektronicznej / Office of Electronic Communications) is Poland's telecommunications regulator. UKE enforces the Electronic Communications Law (effective November 10, 2024), manages number portability, maintains the numbering plan, regulates pricing transparency, and can impose fines up to 3% of annual revenue for non-compliance.
Are VoIP numbers in Poland different from regular phone numbers?
Yes. Polish VoIP numbers start with 39 (format: 39X XXX XXX) and are 9 digits long. VoIP implementations must comply with UKE technical standards including SIP protocol support, QoS monitoring, failover mechanisms, and emergency service routing (112 compatibility). The international format is +48 39X XXX XXX.
What are premium-rate numbers in Poland and how are they priced?
Premium-rate numbers in Poland start with 70 followed by a digit indicating the pricing tier: 701-703 (standard), 704-706 (enhanced), 707-709 (premium). These numbers charge higher per-minute or per-call rates and are used for tele-voting, information services, and mass-call services. Providers must maintain transparency and register with UKE's public premium-rate register.
Best Practices for Polish Phone Number Integration
Implement systems that interact with Polish phone numbers with proper infrastructure, reliability, security, and regulatory compliance:
Infrastructure:
Reliability:
Security & CAEC Compliance:
Number Formatting for Display:
Performance Optimization:
Testing Strategy:
Sources: UKE technical standards, CAEC compliance requirements, ECL 2024, telecommunications security best practices (verified October 2025)
This guide provides a solid foundation for understanding and working with Polish phone numbers. Always refer to the official UKE website and the latest regulations for the most up-to-date information.