How to get a Netherlands phone number from abroad

Updated 2026-09-30 · By the ZuteSIP team (ZuteSIP Inc.)

Short answer: You can get a real Netherlands (+31) number online from any country in a few minutes. Pick a mobile, Amsterdam local or toll-free number, sign up with an email address, pay in USDT or USDC, and receive SMS and calls in your dashboard, a SIP app or on your own phone. No Dutch address or SIM is needed.

The Netherlands is a common base for European e-commerce, logistics and remote work, so a +31 number is useful long after you leave, or before you ever arrive. This guide explains the Dutch number format, which type to pick and how to set one up from abroad.

Why people want a +31 number

Selling to Dutch and Benelux customers who expect a domestic number to call or text
Receiving verification SMS from Dutch banks, marketplaces, delivery services and apps
Keeping a stable Dutch contact number after moving away from the Netherlands
Giving a Dutch-facing support line to customers without opening an office in Amsterdam
Registering WhatsApp or Telegram on a Netherlands number that stays yours

Ways to get a Netherlands number from abroad compared

A Dutch prepaid SIM normally has to be bought and topped up locally, and keeping it active from another country means roaming or a return trip. An online number provider removes that dependency: the number lives in the cloud and reaches you wherever you are.

Option	Need to be in NL?	SMS and calls abroad	Good for
Dutch prepaid SIM	Usually, to buy and top up	Only while roaming	Short visits
Dutch post-paid contract	Yes, with a local address and bank details	Roaming charges apply	Residents
ZuteSIP +31 number	No, sign up with an email	Dashboard, SIP app, web dialer or forwarding	Business, verification, expats

Netherlands number format

The country code is +31. Inside the Netherlands numbers are written with a leading trunk 0, and that 0 is dropped when you dial from abroad. Mobile numbers begin with 06, so a mobile written as 06 1234 5678 becomes +31 6 1234 5678 internationally: nine digits after +31.

Geographic numbers use area codes; Amsterdam is 020, which becomes +31 20 in international format and is also nine digits after the country code. Toll-free numbers start with 0800 and are free to call; the ZuteSIP Netherlands page lists toll-free numbers as seven digits after +31 and example formats such as +31 XX29164XX for mobile.

Dutch numbers are issued and supervised by the Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM), which manages the national number plan. When an app asks for your number, choose Netherlands (+31) and type the digits without the leading 0.

Mobile, Amsterdam local or toll-free?

If text messages matter most, start with a mobile number. For a company phone line, a local Amsterdam number looks established, while 0800 suits customer service. All three cost the same with ZuteSIP, so you can pair them in one account. For a deeper comparison, see the guide on local, mobile and toll-free numbers.

Type	Starts with	Best for
Mobile	+31 6	SMS verification, WhatsApp, Telegram, personal contact
Local (Amsterdam identity)	+31 20	A business presence in the Netherlands, customer calls
Toll-free	+31 800	Support lines that are free for callers in the country

How to set up your Dutch number

Open the Netherlands page and pick a mobile, local or toll-free +31 number from the live list.
Create an account with your email address. No Dutch address, BSN or SIM card is needed.
Top up your wallet with USDT or USDC (Tron, BNB Smart Chain, Polygon, Base or Solana) and place the order.
Wait for activation, which for most numbers takes minutes. The full number and its SIP credentials then appear in your dashboard.
Read SMS in the inbox, answer calls in the browser web dialer or a SIP app such as Zoiper or Linphone, or forward calls to any phone.
Leave auto-renew on so the number stays yours.

Using a Netherlands number for WhatsApp and other apps

Enter the number as Netherlands (+31) followed by the digits without the 0. If the text message does not arrive before the timer ends, choose the call option, because the number receives voice calls as well as SMS.

Dutch numbers work with WhatsApp, Telegram, Google, Facebook and thousands of other services. If one app will not accept the number, the 7-day replacement guarantee gives you a new +31 number free, up to two times, and an unused number can be refunded within 7 days.

Receiving Dutch calls and texts while abroad

Once the number is live, there are three ways to answer it, and you can mix them. The browser web dialer rings in any modern browser tab after you sign in, which suits a laptop-based workday. A SIP app such as Zoiper, Linphone, MicroSIP or Bria registers with the per-number username and password and rings on your phone or desktop over Wi-Fi or mobile data. Call forwarding sends incoming calls to any other phone number, which is handy when you are away from your computer.

Callers in the Netherlands dial your number as a normal domestic call; they do not need to know you are abroad. Text messages, including one-time codes, land in the SMS inbox in your dashboard, where you can also reply. For outgoing calls you choose which of your numbers to show as caller ID, so Dutch contacts see a familiar +31 number when you ring them back.

If you work across time zones, check the call logs each morning to see who tried to reach you overnight.

Price and what every plan includes

A Netherlands number costs from $1.80 per month, billed yearly ($21.60 per year), the same as any other type or country on ZuteSIP. There is no setup fee and no contract; other billing options are shown at checkout.

Unlimited incoming SMS and incoming calls
500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing minutes per month, with your +31 number as caller ID
SIP credentials for any SIP-compliant app or PBX
Call forwarding, the browser web dialer, SMS inbox and call logs
Two-factor authentication and a sign-in audit log

Troubleshooting Dutch numbers

Rejected as invalid: remove the leading 0 after +31, and make sure you did not type 0031 and +31 together
Code not arriving: wait for the resend timer once, then try the voice-call option
Calls not ringing: check that your SIP app is registered to sip.zutesipdialer.com or that forwarding points to a phone that is switched on
Some regulators require documentation for certain number types; if a requirement applies it is shown before you pay

Included on every plan

Unlimited incoming SMS
Unlimited incoming calls
500 outgoing SMS per month
1,000 outgoing minutes per month
SIP credentials, call forwarding and web dialer
Keep your number as long as you want
Works with WhatsApp, Facebook, Google, Telegram and thousands more
7-day replacement guarantee — free new number if it doesn't work for you
7-day money-back guarantee if the number is unused

Numbers from $1.80 per month, billed yearly ($21.60 per year). Pay with USDT or USDC.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to live in the Netherlands to get a +31 number?

No. You sign up with an email address and can order and use the number from any country.

How many digits is a Dutch mobile number?

Nine digits after +31, starting with 6. Written nationally it is ten digits with the leading 0, such as 06 1234 5678.

Do I keep the 0 when dialling +31?

No. The trunk 0 is only used inside the Netherlands, so 020 becomes +31 20 and 06 becomes +31 6.

Can I get an Amsterdam 020 number?

Local Netherlands numbers in the ZuteSIP inventory carry an Amsterdam identity. Pick one from the live list on the Netherlands page.

Is 0800 free to call in the Netherlands?

Yes. Calls to 0800 numbers are free for the caller.

Can I use a Netherlands number for WhatsApp?

Yes. It receives the SMS and calls WhatsApp uses, and if WhatsApp does not accept it you can swap it for a new +31 number free within 7 days.