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Short codes, orshort numbers, are short digit-sequences – significantly shorter thantelephone numbers – that are used to address messages in theMultimedia Messaging System (MMS) andshort message service (SMS) systems ofmobile network operators.[1] In addition to messaging, they may be used inabbreviated dialing.
Short codes are designed[citation needed] to be easier to read and remember than telephone numbers.[2] Short codes are unique to each operator at the technological level. Even so, providers generally have agreements to avoid overlaps. In some countries, such as the United States, some classes of numbers are inter-operator (used by multiple providers or carriers). U.S. inter-operator numbers are calledcommon short codes.[3]
Organisations often use short codes to encourage users to engage with services such ascharity donations, mobile services, orderingringtones, or television-program voting.[2] Messages sent to a short code can be billed at a higher rate than a standard SMS and can sometimes subscribe users to a recurring monthly services. These charges continue to appear on the user's mobile-phone bill until the user texts, for example, the word "STOP" to cancel the subscription.[4]
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Short codes are often associated with automated services. An automated program can handle the response and typically requires the sender to start the message with a command word or prefix. The service then responds to the command appropriately.
In ads or in other printed material where a provider has to provide both a prefix and the short code number, the advertisement will typically follow this format:
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The cost, format, and rules for short codes vary by region. In certain places, such as the Czech Republic, billing for short codes can be differ betweenmobile originating (MO) andmobile terminating (MT) calls and SMS.
The table below lists the most common short code formats by region or country, along with some basic information such as cost or governing agency, while the subsections below explain these regional differences in greater detail:[5]
| Country / Region | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
 Albania | 5xxxx | Also known as short codes for value added service. |
 Australia | 19xxxx,19xxxxxx[6] | Issued by: Communications Alliance Ltd, WMC Global. Codes start with "19".[citation needed] Transactional and Subscription services require a double sms MO opt-in or Web based opt-in with an MO reply.[citation needed] |
 Bangladesh | xxxxx | Issued by:Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). |
 Belgium | xxxx[7] | |
 Botswana | xxx | |
 Brazil | xxxxx[8] | |
 Cambodia | 1xxx | |
 Canada | xxxxx,xxxxxx | Governed by: Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association.[9] Codes beginning with "4" are reserved for wireless network operators. Four-digit codes are not permitted due to handset incompatibilities. |
 Chile | xxx,xxxx | |
 Czech Republic | 9xxxxpp (MO),9xxxx (MT),9xxxxppp (MT) | pp andppp express the price. E.g., an SMS sent to "9090930" is billed forKč30. Five digit codes are not billed. |
 Denmark | xxx,xxxx | |
 Dominican Republic | xxxx,xxxxx | |
 Ethiopia | 8xxx | Mostly used for fundraising, lottery and polling. |
 European Union | xxxxxx | EU-wide codes start with "11". E.g.:118xxx for directory services[10] or116xxx for emergency helplines (which is in addition to the EU-wide emergency number, 112). |
 Faroe Islands | 12xx,19xx[11] | |
 Finland | xxxxx[...] | Codes can be five or more digits long, but are usually only five or six digits long. |
 France | xxxxx | The digits at the start define the cost of the service. |
 Germany | xxxx,xxxxx | |
 Greece | xxxxx | |
 Hong Kong | 50xx,50xxx,50xxxx,50xxxxx,50xxxxxx[12] | Codes start with "501" through "509". Emergency number is 992.[13] |
 Hungary | xxxx,xxxxx | |
 India | 5xxxx[ddd] | Codes are five digits long and start with "5". Many companies rent keywords whose characters on a typicaltelephone keypad represent short codes. E.g: "JEWEL" would be "53935". Codes can be extended by up to three digits to represent three more characters. E.g.: "JEWELER" (5393537), which would otherwise be too long. |
 Indonesia | xxxx | Codes come with aRp2000 premium price. |
 Republic of Ireland | 5xxxx | The second digit generally indicates the maximum price (0 = free,1 = standard text rate,3 =€0.60,7 = no maximum).59xxx codes are ostensibly intended for adult services, but few if any of these codes are used.[14] |
 Italy | xxx[...] | Codes have no fixed length, but are typically three to five digits long. Codes starting with "4" are designated by law for "network services".Widely known short codes are in the48xxx range, commercial ringtones and mobile stuff download.[clarify] |
 South Korea | xxxx[...] | Codes have no fixed length, but are typically four to six digits long. |
 Latvia | xxx[...] | Codes have no fixed length, but are typically three to five digits long.118x and1184x codes are designated to information service providers. |
 Lithuania | xxx | Codes have no fixed length, but are typically three to five digits long. Codes starting with "1" are designated by law for "network services". |
 Malaysia | 2xxxx,3xxxx | |
 Morocco | xxxx | |
 Nepal | xxx,xxxx | Dialed codes are generally three digits long and reserved for public services. SMS codes are four digits long and are used for a wide range of purposes. |
 The Netherlands | xxxx[citation needed] | |
 New Zealand | xxx,xxxx | |
 Nigeria | xxxx,xxxxx | |
 Norway | xxxx,xxxxx | |
 Pakistan | xxx,xxxx | |
 Panama | xxxx | |
 Poland | 1xxxx | |
 The Philippines | xxxxxxx | |
 Russia | xxxx | Calls and text messages cost between 1.2 to 300rubles, depending on the number and the carrier. |
 Serbia | xxxx | |
 Singapore | xxxxx | |
 South Africa | 3xxxx,4xxxx | Codes and code ranges (ranges are generallyxxxx0 toxxxx9) are assigned specific tariffs or end user prices (EUP). Charges can range fromR0.50 to R30.00 (for MO billing), or R0.50 to R50.00 (for MT billing).[15][16] Due to high costs for short code rental, many providers offer shared codes, greatly reducing the cost.[17] |
 Spain | xxxx | |
 Sweden | xxxxx | |
 Switzerland | xxx,xxxx,xxxxx | Most popular codes are three digits long. Codes starting with "6" are reserved for adult services. |
 Taiwan | 19xx | Codes are usually four digits long and start with "19". |
 Turkey | xxxx | |
 United Kingdom | xxxxx,xxxxxx,xxxxxxx | Codes are usually between five and seven digits long and start with "6", "7" or "8".[18] Codes starting with "70" are used by charities,[19] "72" are used by Society Lotteries,[19] and "69" and "89" are used by adult services. Mobile operators sometimes use proprietary codes for operator-specific functions. |
 United States | xxxxx,xxxxxx[20] | Codes never start with "1" and only work in the U.S.[21] |
Canadian short codes are called Canadian Common Short Codes. Short code-based messages vary betweenzero-rated (paid for by the campaign),standard rate (user pays standard carrier charges), andpremium rate (varies, betweenC$1-10).
In February 2020, the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) announced that Rogers Wireless will no longer participate in general use mobile codes. A common short code is a code that is shared by more than one brand for multiple or general uses.[22]
Messages sent to or from short codes in the Czech Republic are known as Premium Rate SMS. The three leading digits are make up a "purpose type" prefix (e.g.: "908" for micro payments, "909" for adult content and "900" for everything else), while digits four and five determine the service provider (registered by a network operator). There are also other four digit short codes that are used by network operators for service-only purposes and are operator dependent.[citation needed]
Although the telecom sector in Ethiopia is controlled by the government, short code services are outsourced to the private sector.
Many companies in the Indian market rent keywords on a monthly basis. The numbers on a typicaltelephone keypad corresponding to the letters in the keyword represent a short code. These codes are five digits long and have to start with the digit "5", but the code can be extended by three additional digits to represent three additional characters. Texts sent to these codes are commonly referred to as Premium Rate SMS Messages and cost aroundRs 1 to Rs 3 per text, depending on the operator as well as the service. Messages up to 100 to 500 characters long can be sent, depending on the provider.
Codes have premium pricing ranging fromRM0.30 up to 10.00. Codes are MT billed so subscription services are allowed. Upon service description approval by mobile operators, dedicated codes are generally live in 4 weeks, and shared codes after 1 week.
Users are chargedPKR 5 to PKR 25 per SMS sent on short codes. Mobile operators charge a setup fee, monthly fee and fee per keyword for short codes. Short codes usage must abide by the rules set by Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA).
Commercial codes are reachable from mobile and fixed networks. Calls from any type of network to short codes are routed based on the location of the number originating the call. Thus, the subscriber might need to prefix the code with an appropriate area code depending on the area they are trying to reach.
TheNational Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is a regulatory agency for information and communications technology in the Philippines.[23] Although the NTC is ultimately responsible for the governance of premium and non-premium short codes, the NTC's regulatory guidelines are not comprehensive when applied to short codes. Instead the NTC's guidelines focus more on the carriers and the carriers' technical infrastructure. While the NTC's website does have documentation for bulk SMS and spam control (the "AMENDMENT TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ON BROADCAST MESSAGING SERVICES"), it does not contain any specific information with regard to premium SMS or standard rate SMS.
Short codes are often owned by holding companies[24] who then lease them out to service providers and advertisers to promote SMS services, charitable fundraising and marketing promotions such as news alerts, voting and quizzes.
Codes that start with "70" are used by charities,[19] while codes that start with "72" are used by Society Lotteries.[19] Adult-related mobile services are required to use codes starting with "69" or "89". Mobile operators sometimes use proprietary codes (that either have a different leading digit, or are shorter in length) for operator-specific functions. Depending on the service offered, users may interact with service providers by calling or texting the number.
Calls to mobile short codes may be free, or charged at a rate per call or per minute. Where the number can be called from any mobile network, the same charge will apply regardless of which network is used. Messagessent to mobile short codes may be charged at a "standard rate" or with an additional premium charge. Where messages incur a "standard rate" charge, this is set by the sender's mobile provider and varies by provider. Messagesreceived from short codes may be free or may incur a premium charge. Messages can be used to deliver additional content, or a link that opens up the user'sweb browser to a specific web page. For subscription services, the charges may recur on a daily, weekly, monthly or other basis. These subscriptions can be stopped by texting the word "STOP" to the short code number.
The service provider must state all applicable charges alongside the number. Calls and messages to mobile short codes do not count towards inclusive allowances or bundles.
Where the benefit passed on to the service provider is more than 10p per call, per minute or per message, Ofcom'sPremium Rate Services Condition[25][26] defines it as being aControlled Premium Rate Service (CPRS) and is subject to the additional regulations detailed inThe Regulation of Premium Rate Services Order 2024.[27]
Until 31 January 2025, these services were regulated by thePhone-paid Services Authority.[28] As of 1 February 2025, Ofcom has regulated these services directly.[29][30] A number of key PSA staff had already been embedded within Ofcom for some time in preparation for this move.[31]
Codes are leased by the short code program's registry service provider GCH Technologies, under a deal with the Common Short Code Administration[32] andCellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA).[33] It costs twice as much to choose a specific code as it does to get one that is randomly assigned.[33] Some carriers assign a subset of their carrier-specific codes to third parties.[34]
TheShort Code Registry[35] maintains a single database of available, reserved and registered short codes. CTIA administers the Common Short Code program, andGCH Technologies[36] became the official U.S. Short Code Registry service provider in January, 2026. For more information, please see theShort Code Registry’s Best Practices[37] and theShort Code Monitoring Handbook.[38][39]
Texting "HELP" to a short code causes the short code service to return a message with terms and conditions, support information – consisting of either a toll-free phone number oremail address at minimum – and other information from the leaseholder of the short code.[40][41] Texting "STOP", "END", "QUIT", "CANCEL", or "UNSUBSCRIBE" to the short code opts the user out of receiving any further messages. After doing so, one final message is sent to confirm the opt-out.[42][38]
