Vatican City Calling Code: +39
Complete guide to calling Vatican City — international dialing code, step-by-step instructions, and FAQ.
How to Call Vatican City from Abroad
📞 Step-by-Step Dialing Guide
- Dial your country's exit code (e.g. 011 from US, 00 from most countries, + from mobile)
- Dial +39 — the country calling code for Vatican City
- Dial the local phone number (area code + subscriber number)
About Vatican City Calling Code
Every country has a unique international dialing prefix; for Vatican City it is +39. The ITU assigns these codes under recommendation E.164. Dial +39 after your country's exit code, then the local subscriber number. Vatican City is in Europe.
Vatican City is known locally as Vaticano — Vatican City is the capital. When saving an international contact, write the number in full international format with +39 so it works from any country.
The first digits of any international number are its E.164 country code. Vatican City uses +39, in Southern Europe, so a call from anywhere else begins with an exit code, then +39, then the national number with its trunk prefix removed.
Where the +39 Calling Code Is Used
The country code +39 is assigned to Vatican City, located in Southern Europe, with the capital Vatican City. This code is part of the international telephony numbering plan and is used for all calls made to Vatican City from outside the country.
A number displayed as +39 … is in international format: +39 replaces the domestic trunk prefix. From abroad, always drop any leading 0 of the area code and dial +39 + area code + subscriber number.
Calling codes starting with 3 are part of the ITU's regional numbering plan for the area around Vatican City, in Southern Europe. When saving Vatican City numbers internationally, write +39 followed by the area code without its leading 0 — this format works from every country.
The country code +39 is shared with Italy. After dialing +39, the following digits (area code + subscriber number) route the call to the correct country, so you must always include the full national number.
Vatican City Phone Number Formats
Numbers in Vatican City use the standard E.164 pattern — +39, then the area code, then the subscriber number. The same layout applies to landlines and mobile phones:
📱 Number Structure
- International format: +39 [area code] [subscriber number]
- From abroad: exit code + +39 + local number (drop the trunk prefix 0)
- Within Vatican City: dial the local number directly
Closed numbering plans give every national number the same length; open plans let it vary and rely on a trunk prefix for routing. For a caller outside Vatican City the distinction rarely matters, because the trunk 0 is dropped either way and +39 is dialed in its place. Vatican City numbers follows the published pattern +39 06 698 XXXXX.
Time Zone in Vatican City
Vatican City runs on Europe/Vatican, which is UTC+01:00 UTC. Schedule international calls accordingly — a convenient time for you may be very early or very late there.
Use the UTC offset (UTC+01:00) to plan calls to Vatican City. For most international callers, the practical rule is: schedule business-hour calls to Vatican City during the overlap between your working day and theirs.
Daylight saving time can shift Vatican City's clock by one hour in summer. For time-critical calls, confirm the current UTC offset rather than relying on the standard value.
Best Time to Call Vatican City
Business hours in Vatican City run roughly 09:00–18:00 local time. Because Vatican City sits at UTC+01:00, the window in which it is polite to call lands at a different hour for every caller. The table below converts Vatican City's working day into your own clock — and shows the hours to avoid so you do not wake anyone up.
| If you are in | Call Vatican City between | Avoid calling between |
|---|---|---|
| London | 08:00–17:00 | 22:00–06:00 |
| New York | 03:00–12:00 | 17:00–01:00 |
| Los Angeles | 00:00–09:00 | 14:00–22:00 |
| Sao Paulo | 05:00–14:00 | 19:00–03:00 |
| Dubai | 12:00–21:00 | 02:00–10:00 |
| Mumbai | 13:30–22:30 | 03:30–11:30 |
| Singapore | 16:00–01:00 | 06:00–14:00 |
| Sydney | 18:00–03:00 | 08:00–16:00 |
Times shown are standard time and ignore daylight saving, which shifts the clock by one hour in countries that observe it — around the clock change, add or subtract an hour from every figure above.
Emergency Numbers in Vatican City
If you need urgent help while in Vatican City, dial the local emergency numbers below. Note that these numbers are only for use inside Vatican City.
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Police | 112 |
| Fire | 112 |
| Ambulance | 112 |
Example: Calling Vatican City Numbers in Practice
Here is how a typical call to Vatican City works, depending on where you are calling from:
🌍 From the United States or Canada
- Dial the US/Canada exit code 011
- Dial the Vatican City country code +39
- Dial the local number (area code + subscriber number, without the trunk prefix 0)
Example: 011 +39 [area code] [number]
🌍 From the United Kingdom or Europe
- Dial the international access code 00 (or use the + symbol on mobile)
- Dial the Vatican City country code +39
- Dial the local number
Example: 00 +39 [area code] [number], or +39 [area code] [number] from any mobile phone
Leading zeros in domestic area codes are not dialed internationally. Write the number as +39 + area code (no leading 0) + subscriber number.
Calling Vatican City from Major Countries
International exit codes differ by country. These are the ones most often used to reach Vatican City (+39):
| Calling From | Exit Code | Full International Dialing |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 00 | 00 39 [local number] |
| Germany | 00 | 00 39 [local number] |
| France | 00 | 00 39 [local number] |
| United States | 011 | 011 39 [local number] |
| Canada | 011 | 011 39 [local number] |
| Poland | 00 | 00 39 [local number] |
| Turkey | 00 | 00 39 [local number] |
| United Arab Emirates | 00 | 00 39 [local number] |
On mobile phones, the + symbol replaces the exit code entirely — just dial +39 followed by the local number.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the calling code for Vatican City?
The international calling code for Vatican City is +39.
How do I call Vatican City from the United States?
Dial 011 (US exit code), then +39, then the local phone number.
How do I call Vatican City from the United Kingdom?
Dial 00 (UK exit code), then +39, then the local phone number.
Can I use the + symbol instead of the exit code?
Yes! On mobile phones you can dial +39 directly followed by the local number. The + symbol automatically replaces your country's exit code.
How do I call within Vatican City?
If you're already in Vatican City, simply dial the local number directly. You do not need to use the country code +39 for domestic calls.
What is the capital of Vatican City?
The capital of Vatican City is Vatican City. When calling the capital from abroad, dial +39 followed by the local area code (without the leading 0) and the number.
What are the emergency numbers in Vatican City?
Police: 112, Fire: 112, Ambulance: 112. These numbers are only valid inside Vatican City.
Which other places use the calling code +39?
The code +39 is shared with Italy. The digits after the country code route the call to the right destination.
Is Vatican City a country?
Yes — Vatican City is a sovereign state, whose capital is Vatican City, and +39 is its international calling code.
Other Countries in Europe
Nearby countries and their calling codes:
Calling Vatican City from Russia or Greece works the same way: dial your local exit code first, then +39, then the local number. Within Europe, many callers simply use the + symbol on mobile to avoid exit-code differences.