Learning & reference
Fake phone numbers for testing: the ranges reserved so nobody answers
A phone number that looks invented to you is someone's working line. Telecom regulators reserve small ranges for film, TV and testing precisely so there is a safe choice. Here are the verified ranges for North America, the UK and Australia, and the inputs that break a phone field.
United States and Canada
North American Numbering Plan. Reserved by NANPA for fictional use.
| Range | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 555-0100 to 555-0199 | (201) 555-0123 +1 201 555 0123 | The only 555 numbers reserved for fiction. Pair them with any area code. |
| Other 555-xxxx | 555-1234 | Not safe. Assignable, and some are assigned. 555-1212 has long been directory assistance. |
United Kingdom
Ofcom's drama ranges. Each block is 1,000 numbers.
| Area or type | Reserved range |
|---|---|
| Mobile | 07700 900000 to 07700 900999 |
| London | 020 7946 0000 to 020 7946 0999 |
| Leeds | 0113 496 0000 to 0113 496 0999 |
| Sheffield | 0114 496 0000 to 0114 496 0999 |
| Nottingham | 0115 496 0000 to 0115 496 0999 |
| Leicester | 0116 496 0000 to 0116 496 0999 |
| Bristol | 0117 496 0000 to 0117 496 0999 |
| Reading | 0118 496 0000 to 0118 496 0999 |
| Birmingham | 0121 496 0000 to 0121 496 0999 |
| Edinburgh | 0131 496 0000 to 0131 496 0999 |
| Glasgow | 0141 496 0000 to 0141 496 0999 |
| Liverpool | 0151 496 0000 to 0151 496 0999 |
| Manchester | 0161 496 0000 to 0161 496 0999 |
| Tyneside, Durham, Wearside | 0191 498 0000 to 0191 498 0999 |
| Northern Ireland | 028 9018 0000 to 028 9018 0999 |
| Cardiff | 029 2018 0000 to 029 2018 0999 |
| No specific area | 01632 960000 to 01632 960999 |
| UK-wide | 0306 999 0000 to 0306 999 0999 |
| Freephone | 0808 157 0000 to 0808 157 0999 |
| Premium rate | 0909 879 0000 to 0909 879 0999 |
Tyneside is the odd one out. Its block is 498, not
496 like the others. Copying the pattern from the other rows gives you a number outside the
reserved range.
Australia
ACMA's numbers for use in fiction.
| Type | Reserved |
|---|---|
| Geographic | (02), (03), (07) or (08) 5550 xxxx (02), (03), (07) or (08) 7010 xxxx |
| Mobile | 0491 570 006, 0491 570 110, 0491 570 156, 0491 570 157, 0491 570 158, 0491 570 159, 0491 570 313, 0491 570 737, 0491 571 266, 0491 571 491, 0491 571 804, 0491 572 549, 0491 572 665, 0491 572 983, 0491 573 087, 0491 573 770, 0491 574 118, 0491 574 632, 0491 575 254, 0491 575 789, 0491 576 398, 0491 576 801, 0491 577 426, 0491 577 644, 0491 578 148, 0491 578 888, 0491 578 957, 0491 579 212, 0491 579 455, 0491 579 760 |
| Freephone | 1800 160 401, 1800 975 707 to 1800 975 711 |
| Local rate | 1300 975 707 to 1300 975 711 |
Australian mobiles are individual numbers, not a range. 0491 570 160 is not on the list. Use the numbers exactly as published.
Everywhere else
Many regulators publish a fiction or drama range; this page lists only the ones we have checked against the regulator. If you cannot find one for your country, a number that cannot be dialled at all, such as one of the wrong length, is safer than a plausible one.
What a phone field has to handle
Type these into your form. Each is the same kind of number a real user will enter.
| Input | Correct behaviour |
|---|---|
| +44 7700 900123 | Accepted and stored as +447700900123 (E.164). |
| 07700 900123 | National format. Needs a known country to become E.164. |
| 0044 7700 900123 | International prefix written as 00 instead of +. Same number. |
| (201) 555-0123 | Parentheses, space and hyphen stripped, not rejected. |
| +1 201-555-0123 ext. 42 | An extension. Stored separately, or rejected with a message, never merged into the number. |
| +44 (0)20 7946 0123 | The UK "(0)" convention. The 0 must be dropped for E.164. |
| ＋４４ ７７００ ９００１２３ | Full-width characters from East Asian keyboards. Normalise, do not reject as letters. |
| +44 7700 900123 | Narrow no-break spaces, as pasted from some phones and address books. Treat as spaces. |
SMS and one-time passwords: reserved numbers are not connected, so nothing sent to them arrives. To test an OTP flow end to end, use your SMS provider's test credentials and published test numbers, which simulate delivery and failure without sending anything.
Questions
What is a fake phone number I can use for testing?
US and Canada: 555-0100 to 555-0199 with any area code. UK: 07700 900000 to 900999. Australia: a published fiction number such as 0491 570 156.
Are all 555 numbers fake?
No. Only 555-0100 to 555-0199 are reserved. Other 555 numbers can be assigned.
What UK numbers are reserved for TV and testing?
Ofcom's drama ranges, including 07700 900000 to 900999 for mobiles and 020 7946 0000 to 0999 for London. The full table is above.
Can I receive an SMS on a reserved number?
No. Use your SMS provider's test credentials and test numbers instead.
What format should phone numbers be stored in?
E.164, such as +442079460123. Format for display separately.
Keep going
All safe test data Example domains → Fake data generator →
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