How to get a Dutch phone number from abroad
In the Netherlands, a mobile number starting with 06 is almost a form of identity. Dutch web shops, housing platforms, employers, delivery services and plenty of sign-up forms expect one, and many send their login codes by SMS.
That's a problem if you are relocating for work or study, running a business that sells to Dutch customers, or keeping ties after moving away. This guide explains how Dutch mobile numbers are structured, compares the ways to get one from abroad, and shows where an online Dutch mobile number is the right tool and where it isn't.
How Dutch mobile numbers work
The Netherlands uses the country code +31 and a trunk prefix of 0 for domestic calls. Every Dutch mobile number for people's phones starts with 06 at home and has 10 digits in total, for example 06 12345678. In international format the 0 disappears and it becomes +31 6 12345678: nine digits after the country code.
That makes Dutch mobiles unusually easy to recognize. Landlines use area codes instead, such as 020 for Amsterdam, 010 for Rotterdam and 070 for The Hague, and they can't receive SMS verification codes. Dutch number ranges are issued by the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).
- Country code
- +31
- Trunk prefix
- 0
- Mobile prefix (domestic)
- 06
- Mobile format (domestic)
- 06 12345678, 10 digits
- Mobile format (international)
- +31 6 12345678, 9 digits after +31
- Also written as
- 06-12345678 or +31 (0)6 12345678
- Not +31
- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba use +599
Why Dutch services want an 06 number
Dutch forms are often strict about the number format. Many preselect +31 and accept only numbers that start with 6 after the country code, so a foreign mobile or a Dutch landline simply won't validate. Because 06 marks a mobile so clearly, services use it as a quick check that an SMS code can be delivered.
An 06 number also makes you easy to reach. Landlords and letting agents, recruiters and Dutch customers are used to calling and messaging 06 numbers, and many small Dutch businesses communicate with customers mainly over WhatsApp. Having your own +31 6 number before you arrive means you can respond to all of them from day one.
Your options, compared
- Roaming your home SIM
- Easy, and EU roaming rules make it cheap for many EU SIMs, but it's still a foreign number that +31-only forms reject.
- Dutch prepaid SIM
- A genuine 06 number. Easiest to buy and activate while you are in the Netherlands; it needs a phone slot and periodic use or top-ups to stay active.
- eSIM data plan
- Useful for data during a visit. Most travel eSIMs are data-only and include no Dutch number for SMS.
- VoIP app number
- Quick to set up, but VoIP numbers often aren't in the 06 range and are frequently rejected for verification.
- Real mobile number online
- A real +31 6 mobile number managed in a web dashboard. No SIM or Dutch address; SMS and calls reach you wherever you are.
The Dutch prepaid SIM route
Dutch prepaid SIMs are widely sold by the major networks and their budget brands, and they're a sensible choice once you are physically in the country. Requirements at purchase and activation are set by each provider, so check its own site before you order, especially if you want one delivered abroad.
The practical drawbacks appear when you leave. A prepaid 06 number has to live in a phone, and providers can deactivate a line that goes unused or isn't topped up for a long period, which means losing the number your accounts depend on. If you are rarely in the Netherlands, that maintenance is the real cost.
How to get a Dutch number with SMSCreation
- 01Go to the Netherlands number list. Every number is a real Dutch mobile number in +31 6 format; the first two and last two digits of each listing are shown as XX until activation.
- 02Pick a number and a plan. On the yearly plan it's $1.80 a month ($21.60 billed yearly); other terms are priced at checkout.
- 03Pay with USDT or USDC on Tron, Polygon, BNB Smart Chain, Base or Solana, or use your wallet balance. You sign up with an email address only.
- 04The activated number appears in your dashboard, where incoming SMS show up instantly and incoming calls arrive too.
- 05Use it as +31 6 followed by eight digits, or select the Netherlands in a form's country picker and enter 6 and the remaining digits.
Where a Dutch number comes in handy
- Sign-ups with Dutch web shops, platforms and services that only accept +31 6 numbers.
- House hunting: letting agents and landlords expect to call or message an 06 number.
- Job applications and recruiter calls before you have moved.
- Verifying WhatsApp, Telegram, Google and other accounts on a Dutch number.
- Customer contact for a business that sells in the Netherlands.
- Keeping a Dutch number after moving away, so accounts linked to it keep receiving codes.
- Registering with Dutch universities, gyms, sports clubs and other organizations that keep an 06 number on file for contact.
When another option is better
Some Dutch services tie your account to more than a phone number, such as a Dutch address, a citizen service number (BSN) or an identity check. A +31 6 number, from any provider, doesn't replace those. And if a service insists on its own app plus a SIM inside the same phone, a number without a SIM won't meet that requirement.
If you live in the Netherlands full time and want mobile data as well, a regular Dutch SIM plan is usually better value. An online 06 number works best when you are abroad, before a move, after you leave, or when you want a second Dutch number next to your personal one.
Tips for Dutch number formats
- Drop the 0 after +31: 06 12345678 becomes +31 6 12345678. Typing +31 06 adds a digit and breaks the number.
- Ignore dashes and the (0) seen in Dutch signatures, such as 06-12345678 or +31 (0)6. Forms want only digits after the country code.
- Count the digits: a Dutch mobile has exactly nine digits after +31, starting with 6. Numbers starting 097 are a separate, longer range meant for machine-to-machine connections, not people's phones.
- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba are part of the Netherlands but use +599, so choose the European Netherlands (+31) in country pickers.
- Plan for the time zone: the Netherlands uses CET (UTC+1), switching to CEST (UTC+2) in summer.
- If an SMS code is late, wait before resending, and pick a voice call when a service offers one.
Why it works with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram & Google
Apps check more than the digits: they look up the line type, the country format and whether the number can actually receive their code. Every SMSCreation number is a real mobile number in its country's official format — not a VoIP line — so it passes those checks the same way a SIM in your pocket does.
And we stand behind it with a 7-day replacement guarantee: if your number doesn't work with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Google or any app you need, we replace it free with a new number in the same country — or refund 100% if you prefer.
- Non-VoIP, real mobile line type — line-type checks see an ordinary SIM number, not a VoIP line
- Official country format with the right country code, prefix and digit count
- Unlimited incoming SMS and calls — codes arrive by text or through the “call me” option
- Private to you — never listed on public SMS sites, so it isn't flagged or rate-limited
- Yours for as long as you want — re-verification and account recovery keep working
Price, keeping the number and the 7-day guarantee
Dutch numbers cost the same as every other country: from $1.80 a month on the yearly plan ($21.60 billed yearly). Each includes unlimited incoming SMS and calls, 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing call minutes a month.
The number is yours for as long as you renew it. If it doesn't work with WhatsApp, Google or another app within 7 days of activation, you get a free replacement number in the Netherlands or a full refund, and a number not yet used for any call or SMS can be refunded in full within 7 days.
Questions
Can I get a Dutch phone number without living in the Netherlands?
Yes. A prepaid SIM is easiest to get while you're in the country, but an online Dutch mobile number from SMSCreation needs only an email address and crypto payment. No Dutch address is needed.
What does 06 mean in a Dutch number?
06 is the domestic prefix for Dutch mobile numbers. From abroad, or in international format, the 0 is dropped: 06 12345678 becomes +31 6 12345678.
How many digits does a Dutch mobile number have?
Ten digits written locally (06 plus eight digits) and nine digits after +31 in international format.
Is +31 6 the same as 06?
Yes. +31 6 is the international form of 06. Use +31 6 in sign-up forms and 06 only when dialing inside the Netherlands.
Do Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba use +31?
No. The Caribbean Netherlands uses the country code +599, so a Dutch 06 number is always a +31 number from the European part of the country.
Can I use a Dutch number for WhatsApp?
Yes. SMSCreation numbers work with WhatsApp and other apps that verify by SMS or call, backed by the 7-day replacement guarantee. As always, the app makes its own final decision.
Will my Dutch number stop working if I don't use it?
Prepaid SIMs can be deactivated after long inactivity. An SMSCreation number stays yours while it is renewed, however often you use it.
Will the number work with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram and Google?
Yes — guaranteed. It's a real mobile number with unlimited incoming SMS and calls, so verification codes arrive by SMS or voice call. If it doesn't work with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Google or any app you need, we replace it free within 7 days — or refund 100%.