If you sell to American customers from the UK, a US phone number does two jobs. It lets US customers call you as a normal domestic call instead of an international one, and it looks local to them. But getting one is only half the work. Texting US customers from it means passing US carrier registration, which was built around US businesses, and answering it means covering US business hours that run until 1 a.m. in London. This guide walks through the options honestly, what each one asks of a UK company, and what to check before you pay.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Carrier rules change; we checked the sources below on October 18, 2026.
The short answer
- For calls only: Most virtual phone providers will sell a UK business a US number and ring it on an app. That part is usually easy.
- For texting US customers: US carriers require every business that texts from a local number (10DLC) or a toll-free number to register. The rules were written for US companies, and some providers only accept a US tax ID. Ask before you buy.
- Google Voice: Personal Google Voice numbers are US-only. Google Voice for Google Workspace is sold in the UK, but check Google's admin help before assuming you can add a US number for UK-based users.
- Covering the hours: US Eastern business hours are 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. in London; Pacific hours run to 1 a.m. Plan who, or what, answers.
Why a UK business wants a US number
- Cost for the caller: A US customer calling a UK number pays international rates on many US plans, and many simply won't. A US number is a normal call for them.
- Trust: A +1 number on a US-facing site looks like a business that serves the US. A +44 number makes some buyers wonder about returns and shipping.
- Texting: US customers expect order updates and support by text. Texting them reliably means a US number registered with US carriers.
- Toll-free option: A US toll-free number (800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 or 888) is free for US callers, and the business pays for the calls (FCC).
Option 1: a virtual number provider
Cloud phone providers sell US local and toll-free numbers that ring on a mobile app, a desktop app or a desk phone, wherever you are. For a UK company this is the most common route. Before you sign up, ask each provider:
- Do you sell US numbers to businesses based outside the US, and what documents do you need?
- Can a UK company register for US texting through you, and which tax ID do you accept (Companies House number, VAT number or only a US EIN)?
- What does it cost me to answer a call to my US number while I'm in the UK? Some providers charge more for calls forwarded or answered abroad.
- Can I port the number out later if I switch providers?
- What currency do you bill in?
Those questions matter because a number you can call from but not text from covers only part of what US customers expect.
Option 2: Google Voice
Google offers two kinds of Voice. Google's help center lists the phone numbers for personal Google Voice (and the standalone Voice Starter and Standard plans) as "US only", and says the single-user plans "are only available in the US" (Google Voice Help). So a UK resident can't sign up for personal Google Voice to get a US number.
Google Voice for Google Workspace is different. Google lists the UK among the 14 countries where its calling plans are available, alongside the US, Canada and several EU countries (Google Workspace Admin Help). Workspace Voice is a paid add-on. Check Google's admin help on which countries' numbers you can assign to UK-based users before counting on a US number.
Option 3: form a US company
Some UK sellers set up a US company (often an LLC) for tax, banking or marketplace reasons. If you do, it gets a US Employer Identification Number (EIN), and US carrier registration becomes straightforward because it was designed around EINs. The IRS says businesses based outside the US can't use the online EIN application and apply by phone, fax or mail using Form SS-4 (IRS Form SS-4 instructions). Don't form a company just for a phone number; talk to an accountant about whether it makes sense for the rest of your business.
Texting US customers: the registration rules
This is where UK businesses get stuck. US carriers block unregistered business texts, so you need one of these:
| Number type | Registration | What it asks for | Non-US businesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local US number (10DLC) | Brand and campaign registration through The Campaign Registry | Legal name, tax ID, address, website, sample messages, opt-in method | Telnyx's FAQ says non-US brands can be added and all 10DLC rules still apply; its API docs describe the tax ID as a US EIN and the country as US or CA |
| US toll-free number | Toll-free verification | Business details, use case, sample messages, opt-in proof, and since February 2026 a business registration number | Telnyx's docs show registration-number examples for UK Companies House, Australian ABN and Canadian CRA numbers |
In short: the carriers' systems can accept some non-US businesses, but whether you can register depends on the provider's own forms. Ask to see the form before you pay. For the details of each process, see our guides to 10DLC registration and toll-free verification.
Consent rules travel with the number. If you text US customers, US rules on consent and opt-outs apply to you even though you're in the UK. See SMS opt-in examples.
Covering US hours from the UK
| US business hours | London time (most of the year) |
|---|---|
| 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern (New York) | 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. |
| 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central (Chicago) | 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. |
| 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific (Los Angeles) | 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. |
Your choices are to staff the evening, let calls go to voicemail and call back the next afternoon, use an answering service, or use an AI receptionist that answers on the number and brings a person in when needed. Whatever you pick, make sure a US customer who calls at 4 p.m. Pacific gets an answer, not a message.
Calling UK customers too
Keep your UK number for UK customers. A UK customer calling your US number pays for an international call, and a US toll-free number may not accept calls from the UK at all (Aircall's help center). Show each audience its own number, or give overseas customers website chat and email.
A checklist before you buy
- Decide: calls only, or calls and texts?
- Local number (area code your customers know) or toll-free?
- Ask the provider, in writing, whether a UK company can register for US texting with them, and what tax ID they accept.
- Check the currency and how international usage is billed.
- Plan who answers during US hours.
- Check porting: you should be able to take the number with you.
How Chargezen helps
Chargezen offers US (+1) numbers only. Here is what we've confirmed for a business outside the US, and what we haven't:
- A US number that answers itself: New numbers in Chargezen are US toll-free numbers, and you can also bring a US number you already have. Concierge answers calls on it as an AI receptionist that knows the caller and their orders, at any hour, which covers the US evening you'd otherwise miss.
- Your team steps in from the UK: When a caller needs a person, Concierge alerts your team in the Finn app and the browser, and emails or texts the teammates you pick. Teammates join the live call from Finn or the browser. Calls, texts, chat and email stay in one thread.
- Texting registration: contact us first: Our in-app 10DLC form asks for a US EIN, a US state and a 5-digit ZIP code, so a UK company without a US entity can't finish it there today. For toll-free texting, we haven't confirmed that a UK business can complete verification through Chargezen. Contact us to confirm before you rely on texting.
- Texts go to US numbers: Chargezen texting is set up for US recipients. It isn't a way to text UK customers.
- Billed in US dollars: Concierge Starter is $20 a month with 20,000 credits. Pro is $199 a month with 199,000 credits, or $1,990 a year. Phone and text charges are billed as used. See pricing.
Chargezen doesn't sell UK numbers, call forwarding or international calling plans. Related terms: 10DLC, toll-free verification and number porting. Related guides: how to call the US from the UK, a US phone number in Australia and how to get a business phone number.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a US phone number while living in the UK?
Yes, from many virtual number providers. Personal Google Voice isn't an option, because Google lists it as US-only.
Can a UK company send texts from a US number?
Only after US carrier registration. The carrier systems can take some non-US businesses, but each provider decides what it accepts, so confirm before you buy.
Do I need a US EIN?
Not for calls. For texting, it depends on the provider: some only accept a US EIN for 10DLC. Toll-free verification now asks for a business registration number, and Telnyx's docs show non-US examples.
Will UK customers be able to call my US number?
A local US number, yes, as an international call. A US toll-free number may not accept calls from abroad.
Sources
Google Voice Help: subscription types; Google Workspace: Voice supported countries; Telnyx 10DLC FAQ; Telnyx 10DLC brand registration; Telnyx toll-free verification; IRS Form SS-4 instructions; FCC; Aircall's help center; GOV.UK; NIST. All checked October 18, 2026.
