Business numbers, International · 8 min read
How to get a UK or Australian phone number for a US or Canadian business
By the CallRoute team ·
If you sell to customers in the UK or Australia, a local number makes a difference. Customers are more willing to call a number in their own format than an international one, and some cannot call abroad cheaply at all. The good news is that a US or Canadian business does not need an office overseas to get one. The catch is paperwork: regulators in both countries want to know who holds each number. Here is how it works.
Why get a UK or Australian number
- Callers recognize it. A +44 or +61 number looks like a local business, not a foreign one.
- Cheaper for your customers. Calling a number in their own country usually costs them far less than an international call.
- Texts that land. A local mobile number can text customers in that country in the format they expect.
- Presence before an office. You can test a market and take calls from it long before you open anything there.
Mobile vs local numbers
Both countries have local (geographic) numbers tied to a city or region, and mobile numbers that are national. For a business based elsewhere, the type matters more than you might expect.
| Type | Looks like | Calls | Texts | Address rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK mobile | 07... | Yes | Yes | Usually anywhere, not a PO Box |
| UK local | 01... or 02... | Yes | No | A business address in the UK |
| Australian mobile | 04... | Yes | Yes | Usually anywhere, with a company registration document |
| Australian local | 02, 03, 07 or 08... | Yes | Varies | An Australian address, plus ID and authorization paperwork |
For most US and Canadian businesses, a mobile number is the practical choice in both countries. It can call and text, and it does not require a local address. A UK local number makes sense if you already have a UK address and want a number tied to a specific city.
What regulators require
In both the UK and Australia, providers have to know who each number belongs to before it is issued. In practice your provider files a short set of business details on your behalf, and a reviewer checks them. Expect to be asked for:
- Your legal business name, exactly as it appears on your registration.
- A registration number, such as your US EIN, Canadian business number, UK company number or Australian ACN or ABN. Sole traders and partnerships can usually register too.
- A business address. A real street address, not a PO Box, and in the country itself for local numbers.
- A website that clearly belongs to the business.
- A contact person with an email address and a mobile number they answer. Reviewers may reject a number that belongs to a phone platform rather than a person.
- A company registration document, for Australian mobile numbers. It should show the business name, address and registration number.
How long it takes
Once you submit your business details, the review usually takes one to three business days. If they are approved, you can pick and use numbers right away, and every later number of the same type reuses the approved details. If they are rejected, you get a reason, fix the details and send them again, which starts a new review.
Submit the details a week or so before you need the number, for example before a launch or a trade show, so a resubmission does not hold you up.
What it costs
Overseas numbers are usually priced per month per number, on top of your plan. Two other costs to keep in mind:
- Calls and texts you send to that country are international from your account's point of view, and are priced per minute or per text by destination.
- Inbound calls from local customers are the point of the number. Check how your provider bills them before you advertise it widely.
Alternatives, and when they make sense
Ask customers to call your US or Canadian number
Fine for a handful of large clients who expect it. Poor for consumer or small order traffic, where an international number puts people off.
A virtual office address
Some businesses rent a UK address to qualify for a UK local number. If you only need to call and text, a mobile number avoids this cost entirely.
A local partner or reseller
Useful if you need more than a phone number, such as local billing or support staff. It is a bigger commitment than you need just to be reachable.
Do not forget time zones
A UK customer calling at 10 am their time reaches the US East Coast at 5 or 6 am. Australia is further still. Decide what happens to those calls before you advertise the number: an after hours greeting that gives your hours in their time zone, voicemail with transcripts, or an AI receptionist that takes a message. Our guide to business hours and after hours routing covers the options, and live call translation helps if some callers prefer another language.
How it works in CallRoute
US and Canadian CallRoute accounts can add UK and Australian numbers from Numbers in the app. You choose the country and type, fill in your business details once, and we send them for review. You see the status in the app and get an email as soon as the review is decided, usually in one to three business days, with a reminder if anything needs fixing.
| Number | Monthly price | What it can do | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK mobile | $5 | Calls and texts | Business details, address anywhere |
| UK local | $5 | Calls only | Business details, a UK business address |
| Australian mobile | $12 | Calls and texts | Business details and a company registration document |
Calls and texts you send to the UK or Australia are priced as international from your wallet, and need International turned on in Settings. Overseas numbers work like any other CallRoute number: they ring their owner, land in the same inbox, and can use your phone menu and business hours. See getting a business number, wallet and usage rates, the pricing page, or start a free trial.