Calling Canada from the US works like a long-distance call inside the US: dial 1, the 3-digit area code and the 7-digit number. There's no 011 exit code and no separate country code to learn, because Canada and the US share country code +1 in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).
The dialing is easy. What trips people up is cost (your carrier may bill Canada as international even though you dial it like a domestic call) and time (Canada has six time zones, some places don't change clocks, and British Columbia stops changing its clocks this fall). This guide covers all of it.
The short version
| What you dial | For Canada | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US exit code | None | Don't dial 011 for Canada |
| Country code | 1 | Shared with the US and other NANP members |
| Trunk prefix | None to drop | The leading 1 is the long-distance prefix, the same as for US calls |
| Number | 10 digits | 3-digit area code + 7-digit number |
| Full pattern | 1 + area code + number | +1 on a cell phone works too |
Step by step from a US phone
- 1. Get the 10-digit number: Canadian numbers look exactly like US numbers: (416) 555-0123, for example. Toronto is 416, Vancouver 604 and Montreal 514, and many cities now have several overlay area codes.
- 2. Dial 1 and the 10 digits: From a landline, dial 1 416 555 0123. From a cell phone, most US carriers also accept the 10 digits alone, but 1 or +1 always works.
- 3. Save contacts as +1: Storing Canadian contacts as +1 416 555 0123 means they work from either country and in WhatsApp.
Area codes are assigned to Canadian provinces by the Canadian Numbering Administrator under the CRTC, Canada's regulator, while NANPA administers the numbering plan both countries share. You can't tell a Canadian number from a US number by its format, only by its area code.
Most large Canadian cities now have several area codes laid over the same area (Toronto has 416, 647 and 437; Vancouver has 604, 778, 236 and 672), so two neighbors can have different codes. That's also why Canadians dial all 10 digits even for local calls. When you save a Canadian contact, keep the area code they gave you; don't assume it from the city.
Mobile vs landline numbers
There is no difference in format. A Canadian mobile and a Canadian landline in the same city share the same area codes and the same 10-digit pattern, and you dial both the same way. Canadian toll-free numbers (800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 and 833) also use the shared NANP toll-free codes and usually work from the US, though a business can choose to block calls from outside Canada.
Worked example
NANPA reserves 555-0100 through 555-0199 for fictional use, so this example is not a real number. A shop in Toronto gives its number as (416) 555-0123:
| Written as | Dial from a US landline | Dial from a US cell phone |
|---|---|---|
| (416) 555-0123 | 1 416 555 0123 | +1 416 555 0123 (or 1 416 555 0123) |
| 604-555-0187 (Vancouver) | 1 604 555 0187 | +1 604 555 0187 |
| 011 1 416 555 0123 | Wrong: don't dial 011 for Canada |
Time difference from the US
Canada spans six time zones. Most of the country changes clocks on the same dates as the US (second Sunday in March, first Sunday in November), so the gaps stay steady. The exceptions are where people get caught out.
| Canadian zone | Main places | Compared with US time |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador (most of the island) | 1.5 hours ahead of New York all year |
| Atlantic | Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Labrador | 1 hour ahead of New York |
| Eastern | Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, most of Ontario and Quebec | Same as New York |
| Central | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Same as Chicago |
| Saskatchewan | Regina, Saskatoon (most of the province) | No clock change: same as Chicago in US winter, same as Denver in US summer |
| Mountain | Calgary, Edmonton, Alberta | Same as Denver |
| Yukon | Whitehorse | UTC−7 all year since 2020: same as Denver in winter, Los Angeles in summer |
| Pacific (British Columbia) | Vancouver, Victoria | Same as Los Angeles until November 1, 2026; then UTC−7 all year (see below) |
British Columbia's 2026 change: B.C. moved to permanent year-round time, which the province calls Pacific Time, at UTC−7. Its last clock change was March 8, 2026, and on November 1, 2026 its clocks won't fall back. So from November to March, Vancouver will be one hour ahead of Seattle and Los Angeles, and from March to November the two will match again. A few B.C. communities keep their own arrangements: the northeast (Dawson Creek, Fort St. John) already stays on UTC−7, and the East Kootenay region around Cranbrook stays on Alberta time.
What it costs
Even though you dial Canada like a domestic call, your carrier may bill it as international. Check before a long call:
- Cell plans: Many US plans include calls and texts to Canada. For example, T-Mobile lists "Canada & Mexico included" on many plans, covering unlimited calling and texting between the US, Canada and Mexico on eligible plans. If your plan doesn't include Canada, calls may be charged per minute.
- Landlines and business VoIP: Some plans treat Canada as part of "North America" and include it; others bill it per minute. Look for Canada on your provider's rate table.
- App calls: WhatsApp, FaceTime and similar app-to-app calls use data only.
Texting and WhatsApp
Texts to Canadian mobiles use the same 10 digits (or +1 and 10 digits). On a personal plan they're often included; on a business texting platform they may not be, because business messaging is set up and registered separately for each country. If you text Canadian customers for marketing, Canada's anti-spam law (CASL) has its own consent rules, separate from US rules.
WhatsApp works the same as in the US: save the contact as +1 and the 10 digits.
Common mistakes
- Dialing 011 1…: you don't use an exit code for Canada.
- Assuming a call is free because it looks domestic: check your plan.
- Forgetting Newfoundland's half hour: it's 1.5 hours ahead of New York.
- Expecting Vancouver to match Los Angeles this winter: from November 1, 2026, B.C. stays an hour ahead until March.
- Assuming Saskatchewan changes clocks: most of it doesn't.
Sources
Shared country code and dialing: ITU list of E.164 assigned country codes and ITU dialing procedures (international and national prefixes). Fictional numbers: NANPA, 555 line numbers. Canadian area codes: Canadian Numbering Administrator, area code maps. British Columbia: Government of B.C., Permanent daylight saving time. Yukon: Government of Yukon, Yukon Standard Time. 15 U.S.C. § 260a (US daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November). Plan example: T-Mobile, Canada & Mexico included. All checked October 19, 2026.
Where Chargezen fits
To be clear up front: Chargezen isn't an international calling service. It doesn't sell calling plans or numbers in Canada; its numbers are US (+1) numbers only. For calls to Canada, use your carrier, a calling app or WhatsApp as described above.
Where it helps is the other direction, when customers in Canada reach your US business. Canadian customers dial your US number exactly as you dial theirs: 1 and the 10 digits. Newfoundland and the Atlantic provinces are ahead of the East Coast, and their early calls can come before your team is in. Concierge answers calls on your US number day and night, from the business details you give it, so a call that lands at 3 a.m. your time still gets answered. When a caller needs a person, Concierge alerts your team in the Finn app and the browser, and a teammate can join the live call. Calls, texts and notes for each customer stay in one thread in the team inbox.
See the phone channel and the AI receptionist, get a local or toll-free US number, or bring the number you already have. If you sell subscriptions to customers abroad, see international subscriptions.
Related terms: VoIP, toll-free number and number porting. Related guides: how to call Mexico from the US, how to call the UK from the US and 10DLC registration for business texting. See also how to call the US from Canada.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a country code to call Canada?
Canada's country code is 1, the same as the US. You dial 1, the area code and the number, with no 011.
Is calling Canada from the US long distance or international?
You dial it like domestic long distance, but your carrier may bill it as international. Many US cell plans include Canada; check yours.
How can I tell if a number is Canadian?
Only by the area code. Canadian and US numbers have the same 10-digit format. The Canadian Numbering Administrator publishes maps of Canadian area codes.
Is British Columbia still on Pacific time?
B.C. now calls its time Pacific Time, fixed at UTC−7 all year. From November 1, 2026, it stays one hour ahead of US Pacific time in winter and matches it in summer.
Can Chargezen text Canadian numbers?
Chargezen is built for US numbers and isn't set up as a Canadian texting service, so don't count on it for texting Canadian mobiles. Chargezen answers calls that Canadian customers make to your US number.
