To call Colombia from the US, dial 011, then 57 (Colombia's country code), then the full 10-digit Colombian number. There is no leading 0 to drop. A Bogotá landline written 601 xxx xxxx becomes 011 57 601 xxx xxxx, or +57 601 xxx xxxx from a cell phone.
Colombia changed how its phone numbers work in 2021, and a lot of advice online still shows the old format. Today every Colombian number, landline or mobile, has 10 digits, and there's no leading 0 to drop. From the US you dial the exit code, 57 and those 10 digits. This guide covers the new landline codes, how to fix an old-style number, the time difference (Colombia doesn't use daylight saving time), a worked example, costs and WhatsApp.
The short version
| What you dial | For Colombia | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US exit code | 011 | Or + on a cell phone |
| Country code | 57 | All of Colombia |
| Trunk prefix | None | Colombian numbers have no leading 0 |
| Number | 10 digits | Landlines start with 60, mobiles with 3 |
| Full pattern | 011 57 + all 10 digits | +57 on a cell phone |
The area and mobile codes you'll see:
| Code | Value | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| US exit code | 011 | Starts an international call from the US |
| Colombia country code | 57 | Routes the call to Colombia |
| Trunk 0 | None | Colombian numbers have no leading 0 to drop |
| Bogotá and Cundinamarca | 601 | Landline code |
| Cauca, Nariño and Valle (Cali) | 602 | Landline code |
| Antioquia (Medellín), Córdoba and Chocó | 604 | Landline code |
| Caribbean coast (Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta) | 605 | Landline code |
| Caldas, Quindío and Risaralda (Pereira, Manizales) | 606 | Landline code |
| Santander, Norte de Santander and Arauca (Bucaramanga, Cúcuta) | 607 | Landline code |
| All other departments | 608 | Includes Boyacá, Huila, Meta, Tolima, San Andrés and the Amazon region |
| Mobile prefix | 3 | Mobile numbers are 10 digits starting with 3 |
Step by step from a US phone
- Check the number has 10 digits. Landlines start with 60, mobiles with 3.
- Dial 011, or + on a cell phone.
- Dial 57.
- Dial all 10 digits. Don't remove anything.
Fixing an old-style number: before the change, a Bogotá landline was written as (1) xxx xxxx and dialed from abroad as +57 1 xxx xxxx. Under CRC Resolution 5826 of 2019, the one-digit codes became three-digit codes by adding 60 in front: 1 became 601, 4 became 604, and so on. So an old (4) xxx xxxx Medellín number is now 604 xxx xxxx, dialed as +57 604 xxx xxxx. The ITU notice planned the change for 2020–21; it took full effect in 2021.
You may also see a mobile number written with 03 in front from the old days, when landline callers had to add 03 to reach a mobile. That prefix is gone. Use the 10 digits starting with 3.
Colombian number formats
| Type | Written in Colombia | Dialed from the US |
|---|---|---|
| Bogotá landline | 601 xxx xxxx | 011 57 601 xxx xxxx |
| Medellín landline | 604 xxx xxxx | 011 57 604 xxx xxxx |
| Cali landline | 602 xxx xxxx | 011 57 602 xxx xxxx |
| Barranquilla or Cartagena landline | 605 xxx xxxx | 011 57 605 xxx xxxx |
| Mobile | 3xx xxx xxxx | 011 57 3xx xxx xxxx |
| Freephone | 01 8000 xxx xxx | Domestic only; ask for a regular number |
Worked example
We couldn't find numbers that Colombia's CRC reserves for examples, so we use x's in place of real digits.
| Written in Colombia as | Dial from a US landline | Dial from a US cell phone |
|---|---|---|
| 601 xxx xxxx (Bogotá landline) | 011 57 601 xxx xxxx | +57 601 xxx xxxx |
| Old style (4) xxx xxxx (Medellín) | 011 57 604 xxx xxxx | +57 604 xxx xxxx |
| 3xx xxx xxxx (mobile) | 011 57 3xx xxx xxxx | +57 3xx xxx xxxx |
Say you're in Miami in July and a customer in Medellín sent you an old business card with (4) xxx xxxx and a mobile, 3xx xxx xxxx. You want to call at 10 a.m. Medellín time.
- Find the time: in July Miami is on daylight time (UTC-4), one hour ahead of Colombia. 10 a.m. in Medellín is 11 a.m. in Miami.
- Update the landline: the old code (4) is now 604, so the number is 604 xxx xxxx. Dial 011 57 604 xxx xxxx (or +57 604 xxx xxxx).
- Mobile: dial 011 57 3xx xxx xxxx (or +57 3xx xxx xxxx). Nothing to drop.
- If it fails: count the digits after 57. It should be exactly 10.
Time difference from the US
Colombia is on UTC-5 all year and doesn't use daylight saving time, so it matches US Eastern Standard Time in winter and US Central Daylight Time in summer (IANA time zone database, checked October 18, 2026).
| US time zone | US standard time (Nov to Mar) | US daylight time (Mar to Nov) |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (New York) | Same time as Colombia | Colombia is 1 hour behind |
| Central (Chicago) | Colombia is 1 hour ahead | Same time as Colombia |
| Mountain (Denver) | Colombia is 2 hours ahead | Colombia is 1 hour ahead |
| Arizona (most of the state) | Colombia is 2 hours ahead | Colombia is 2 hours ahead |
| Pacific (Los Angeles) | Colombia is 3 hours ahead | Colombia is 2 hours ahead |
| Hawaii | Colombia is 5 hours ahead | Colombia is 5 hours ahead |
US clocks spring forward on the second Sunday of March and fall back on the first Sunday of November (15 U.S.C. § 260a). Most of Arizona and all of Hawaii stay on standard time all year, so for those states use the standard-time column year round.
This is one of the easiest countries to schedule with from the US: business hours overlap almost completely. Just remember the one-hour shift for East Coast callers from March to November.
What it costs
- Carrier rates: Check your US carrier's international page for Colombia. Some US plans include calls to certain Latin American countries; look for Colombia by name.
- Calling apps: Compare the Colombia landline and mobile rows on the rate page of the app you use.
- WhatsApp calls: App-to-app WhatsApp calls cost only data, and most Colombians have WhatsApp.
- 01 8000 numbers: These are free inside Colombia and usually not reachable from abroad. Use a regular landline or WhatsApp.
Texting and WhatsApp
You can send an SMS to a Colombian mobile at +57 3xx xxx xxxx; check whether your plan charges for it. WhatsApp is the everyday way to message people and businesses in Colombia, from family chats to ordering from a local shop, so if you'll be in touch regularly, ask for their WhatsApp. It's usually the same mobile number.
Common mistakes
- Dropping a digit that isn't a 0: Colombian numbers have no trunk 0. If you remove the 6 from 601 or the 3 from a mobile, the call fails.
- Using the old one-digit area code: +57 1 xxx xxxx is the pre-2021 Bogotá format. Add 60 in front of the old code: +57 601 xxx xxxx.
- Adding 03 before a mobile: The old 03 mobile prefix was retired. Dial +57 and the 10 digits starting with 3.
- Assuming Colombia changes its clocks: It doesn't. East Coast callers are one hour ahead of Colombia from March to November and level with it the rest of the year.
- Calling an 01 8000 number: These freephone lines are for callers in Colombia. Use a regular landline or the company's WhatsApp.
Sources
Landline codes and the 2021 change: the ITU entry for Colombia (+57) in the ITU national numbering plans, which records CRC Resolution 5826 of 2019, and the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC). We couldn't find numbers the CRC reserves for fiction, so examples use x placeholders. Exit code: FCC international calling tip sheet (011 is the US exit code). Clocks: IANA time zone database and 15 U.S.C. § 260a (US daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November). Checked October 18, 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 Colombia; its numbers are US (+1) numbers only. For calls to Colombia, use your carrier, a calling app or WhatsApp as described above.
Where it helps is the other direction, when customers in Colombia reach your US business. From a Colombian mobile, customers dial +1 and your 10-digit US number. Colombia shares the East Coast's business hours, so their calls mostly land in your day, but evenings and weekends still need covering. Concierge answers calls on your US number day and night, from the business details you give it. 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. Concierge can also answer on WhatsApp when you connect a WhatsApp Business number.
Related terms: VoIP, toll-free number and number porting. Related guides: how to call Israel from the US and how to call Japan from the US. See also how to call Mexico from the US and how to call Spain from the US.
Frequently asked questions
What is the country code for Colombia?
57. From the US, dial 011 57, or +57 from a cell, then all 10 digits.
Do I drop a 0 when calling Colombia?
No. Colombian numbers have no leading 0. Landlines start with 60 and mobiles with 3.
What is the area code for Bogotá?
601. It was 1 before 2021. A Bogotá landline is now 601 xxx xxxx.
Does Colombia have daylight saving time?
No. Colombia stays on UTC-5 all year.
Can Chargezen call or text Colombia?
Chargezen isn't an international calling service and offers US (+1) numbers only, and its texting is set up for US numbers. Use your carrier, a calling app or WhatsApp for Colombia. Chargezen answers the calls Colombian customers make to your US number.
