Short version. UAE mobile numbers are +971 5X XXX XXXX: country code 971, then 9 digits starting with 5. Locally you write them with a 0 in front (050 123 4567). In E.164 and CRMs it is +971501234567, and in a WhatsApp link wa.me/971501234567. Landlines are +971 plus a one-digit area code and 7 digits, such as +971 4 123 4567 for Dubai.
UAE mobile number format
| Written as | Example | Where you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Local | 050 123 4567 | Dialling inside the UAE, business cards for a local audience |
| International | +971 50 123 4567 | Websites, email signatures, anything read abroad |
| E.164 | +971501234567 | CRMs, Klaviyo, Shopify, WhatsApp API uploads, SMS tools |
| Dialling from abroad | 00971 50 123 4567 (from the US: 011 971 50 123 4567) | Only when dialling, never when storing |
| WhatsApp link | wa.me/971501234567 | Click to chat links and QR codes |
The rule that fixes 90% of mistakes: when you add +971, drop the 0. +971 050 123 4567 is wrong and will fail in most systems.
UAE mobile prefixes: 050, 052, 054, 055, 056, 058
| Prefix | Originally issued by |
|---|---|
| 050, 054, 056 | e& (Etisalat) |
| 052, 055, 058 | du |
Since mobile number portability arrived, a number can move between e& and du and keep its prefix, so the prefix no longer tells you the network for sure. It does tell you it is a mobile, which is what matters for WhatsApp.
UAE landline format and area codes
Landlines are 8 digits after the 0 when dialled locally (04 123 4567) and +971 4 123 4567 internationally.
| Area code | Emirate or city |
|---|---|
| 02 | Abu Dhabi |
| 03 | Al Ain |
| 04 | Dubai |
| 06 | Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain |
| 07 | Ras Al Khaimah |
| 09 | Fujairah and the east coast |
Landlines generally cannot receive WhatsApp messages. If your list has 02, 04 or 06 numbers, a broadcast to them will fail. The number list cleaner flags them for you.
Special UAE numbers
- 800 numbers are toll-free (
800 123 4567, varying length). They cannot be dialled from abroad in most cases. - 600 numbers are shared-cost business lines (
600 12 3456), common for banks and government services. - Emergency: 999 police, 998 ambulance, 997 fire.
How to write a UAE number for WhatsApp
For a WhatsApp link, remove everything that is not a digit and drop the 0: 050 123 4567 becomes https://wa.me/971501234567. For a WhatsApp Business API upload or a broadcast CSV, use E.164 (+971501234567) or the same digits without the plus, depending on the tool. The WhatsApp link generator and QR code generator do this for you.
Validate a UAE phone number (regex)
For web forms and spreadsheets, after stripping spaces and dashes:
UAE mobile (E.164): ^\+9715[0-9]{8}$
UAE landline (E.164): ^\+971[234679][0-9]{7}$
Local mobile: ^05[0-9]{8}$On an HTML form, use type="tel" with inputmode="tel" and normalise the number before you save it, rather than forcing people to type it one exact way. Most UAE customers type 05..., and that is fine if your form adds the 971 for them.
Fixing a whole list of UAE numbers
Exports from POS systems, Excel and old CRMs mix every format above, and Excel likes to turn 971501234567 into 9.71501E+11. Paste the column into the free WhatsApp number list cleaner: it converts everything to E.164, removes duplicates and flags landlines, all in your browser. For other countries, see the phone number format by country table on the same page.
Want this run for you? Adjoltz sets it up and runs it on Meta's official API, in Arabic and English, with Meta's message fees billed at cost and nothing added. Tell us what you sell and how many people you message, and you get a quote back the same day.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UAE phone number format?
UAE mobiles are +971 followed by 9 digits starting with 5, for example +971 50 123 4567, written locally as 050 123 4567. Landlines are +971, a one-digit area code and 7 digits, for example +971 4 123 4567 in Dubai.
How many digits is a UAE mobile number?
Nine digits after the +971 country code, starting with 5. Written locally with the leading 0 it is 10 digits, such as 050 123 4567.
Do I keep the 0 after +971?
No. The 0 is only used when dialling inside the UAE. With the country code, 050 123 4567 becomes +971 50 123 4567.
What is the area code for Dubai?
Dubai landlines use area code 4: 04 locally or +971 4 internationally. Mobile numbers do not have area codes.
Which UAE prefixes are e& and which are du?
050, 054 and 056 were originally issued by e& (Etisalat), and 052, 055 and 058 by du. Because numbers can be ported between networks, the prefix does not guarantee the current network.
