Lebanon Phone Number Format: +961 Country Code & Validation Guide

Format, validate, and handle Lebanon phone numbers in your applications. This guide covers the +961 country code, number structures, carrier identification (Alfa, Touch, Ogero), validation patterns, and security considerations for developers working with Lebanese telecommunications.

Quick Reference

• Country: Lebanon
• Country Code: +961
• International Prefix: 00 (from landlines) / + (from mobiles)
• National Prefix: 0
• Regulatory Authority: Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) (http://www.tra.gov.lb/)
• TRA Established: Law 431/2002, operational since February 2007
• NSN Length: 8 digits
• Mobile Number Portability: Not implemented (as of 2025)
• Latest Numbering Update: May 26, 2025 (Ministerial Decisions No. 172/1, 173/1) – Source: ITU Communication T02020000770005

How to Dial Lebanon Phone Numbers

From abroad to Lebanon: Dial your country's international access code + 961 + local number (without leading 0)

• From US: 011 961 1 234567 (calling Beirut number 01 234567)
• From UK: 00 961 3 123456 (calling mobile 03 123456)

Within Lebanon: Dial the full 8-digit number including area code with leading 0

• Example: 01 234567 (Beirut landline) or 03 123456 (mobile)

Emergency Numbers in Lebanon

• Police (Internal Security Forces): 112
• Ambulance (Lebanese Red Cross): 140
• Fire Department: 175 (Beirut: +961 1 445 000)
• Civil Defense: 125
• Lebanese Army: 1701
• General Security: 1717

Source: National News Agency

Understanding Lebanon Phone Number Format

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) manages Lebanon's numbering system, which combines fixed-line and mobile networks. All Lebanese numbers follow the ITU-T E.164 international phone number standard, with a maximum length of 15 digits in international format.

Core Structure

• International Format: +961 X XXXXXX (Example: +961 1 234567)
• National Format: 0X XXXXXX (Example: 01 234567)

When to Use Each Format:

• International format (+961XXXXXXXX): Use for database storage, API integrations, SMS/voice routing, international communications, and cross-border operations. This format ensures global compatibility.
• National format (0XXXXXXXX): Use for display to Lebanese users, local marketing materials, and printed materials within Lebanon. Accept this format as user input, but convert to international format before storage.

Handling User Input:

Users enter phone numbers with various formatting characters. Accept and normalize these variations:

// Common input formats to handle
const inputVariations = [
  '+961 1 234567',      // International with spaces
  '+961-1-234567',      // International with dashes
  '+961 (1) 234567',    // International with parentheses
  '961 1 234567',       // International without +
  '01 234 567',         // National with spaces
  '01-234-567',         // National with dashes
  '(01) 234567',        // National with parentheses
  '01234567'            // National compact
];

function normalizeLebanonNumber(input) {
  // Remove all non-digit characters except leading +
  const cleaned = input.replace(/[^\d+]/g, '').replace(/\+(?=.)/g, '');

  // Handle various formats
  if (cleaned.startsWith('+961') || cleaned.startsWith('961')) {
    const digits = cleaned.replace(/^\+?961/, '');
    if (digits.length === 8 && /^[1-9]/.test(digits)) {
      return `+961${digits}`;
    }
  } else if (cleaned.startsWith('0') && cleaned.length === 8) {
    return `+961${cleaned.substring(1)}`;
  } else if (cleaned.length === 7 && /^[1-9]/.test(cleaned)) {
    return `+961${cleaned}`;
  }

  return null; // Invalid format
}

Best Practice: Store phone numbers in your database using the E.164 international format (+961XXXXXXXX) without spaces or special characters. This ensures consistency and simplifies processing across your application.

Lebanon Area Codes and Mobile Prefixes

Identify Lebanese number types by prefix:

Critical Note: Lebanon has not implemented Mobile Number Portability (MNP) as of 2025. Prefixes reliably indicate the carrier that originally assigned the number, but operators recycle numbers when subscribers switch providers or accounts become inactive.

Security Warning: Touch recycles prepaid numbers after 30 days of inactivity and postpaid numbers after 90 days. Alfa uses a digital system to randomly select and recycle inactive numbers.

Number Recycling Impact on Applications:

Number recycling creates these critical security and UX risks:

• Account takeover risk: New subscriber receives SMS verification codes meant for previous owner
• Privacy breaches: Personal data, notifications, and sensitive messages sent to wrong person
• Two-factor authentication bypass: Attacker obtains recycled number to hijack accounts
• Marketing/notification waste: Messages sent to users who never opted in
• Support ticket confusion: Multiple users with same historical phone number in your system

Mitigation: Implement phone number re-verification every 60–90 days for security-critical features. Use SMS OTP or phone call verification described in the Troubleshooting section.

How to Validate Lebanon Phone Numbers

Validate Lebanese phone numbers using regex patterns and validation logic. Since Lebanon doesn't have number portability, rely on prefix-based identification to determine the original carrier.

Validation Strategy

Client-side validation:

• Provide immediate feedback for formatting errors
• Use simple regex to check basic structure
• Display helpful error messages with example formats
• Allow partial validation as users type

Server-side validation:

• Always validate on server (never trust client alone)
• Use comprehensive regex with all prefix ranges
• Verify the number hasn't been blocklisted or recycled
• Log validation failures for monitoring
• Implement rate limiting to prevent enumeration attacks

Special Service Numbers:

Lebanon uses special short codes that should not be validated as regular numbers:

• Emergency services: 112, 125, 140, 175, 1701, 1717 (4 digits)
• Utility services: 1707 (Electricité du Liban)
• MMS services: 119 (3 digits)

Explicitly exclude these short codes from validation, or handle them separately if your application needs to support them.

Regular Expressions for Lebanon Phone Number Validation

Use these regular expressions to validate Lebanese number types:

// International format validation (+961 followed by 8 digits)
// Updated to include new 76, 78, 79, 81 mobile ranges (ITU May 2025)
const internationalPattern = /^\+961[1-9]\d{6,7}$/;

// National format validation with comprehensive prefix coverage
// Includes all prefixes: 01, 03, 04-09, 70, 71, 76, 78, 79, 81
const nationalPattern = /^0(?:1\d{6}|[4-9]\d{6}|3(?:0|1[1-5]|[2-5]|6[6-9]|7|8|9)\d{5}|70[0-9]\d{5}|71[0-9]\d{5}|76[0-9]\d{5}|78[7-9]\d{5}|79[1-3]\d{5}|81[0-9]\d{5})$/;

// Landline validation (01, 04-09)
const landlinePattern = /^0[1456789]\d{6}$/;

// Mobile validation (Alfa and Touch)
// Updated patterns for all mobile prefixes
const mobilePattern = /^0(?:3(?:0|1[1-5]|[2-5]|6[6-9]|7|8|9)|70[0-9]|71[0-9]|76[0-9]|78[7-9]|79[1-3]|81[0-9])\d{5}$/;

// Emergency/special service numbers (3-4 digits)
const emergencyPattern = /^(112|125|140|175|1701|1707|1717|119)$/;

// Example usage
function isValidLebaneseNumber(number) {
  return internationalPattern.test(number) || nationalPattern.test(number);
}

function isLebaneseMobile(number) {
  const cleaned = number.replace(/^\+961/, '0').replace(/\D/g, '');
  return mobilePattern.test(cleaned);
}

function isEmergencyNumber(number) {
  const cleaned = number.replace(/\D/g, '');
  return emergencyPattern.test(cleaned);
}

// Test cases for validation
const testCases = [
  // Valid international mobile
  { input: '+9613123456', expected: true, type: 'Alfa mobile' },
  { input: '+9617623456', expected: true, type: 'Touch mobile' },
  { input: '+9617870000', expected: true, type: 'Touch mobile (new range)' },

  // Valid national mobile
  { input: '03123456', expected: true, type: 'Mobile national' },
  { input: '07012345', expected: true, type: 'Mobile 070 range' },
  { input: '07612345', expected: true, type: 'Mobile 076 range' },

  // Valid landlines
  { input: '+9611234567', expected: true, type: 'Beirut landline' },
  { input: '01234567', expected: true, type: 'Beirut national' },
  { input: '04123456', expected: true, type: 'Mount Lebanon' },

  // Invalid formats
  { input: '+96112345', expected: false, type: 'Too short' },
  { input: '+961012345678', expected: false, type: 'Leading zero in intl' },
  { input: '12345678', expected: false, type: 'Missing prefix' },
  { input: '+961 1 234567', expected: false, type: 'Contains spaces' },

  // Emergency numbers
  { input: '112', expected: true, type: 'Police emergency' },
  { input: '140', expected: true, type: 'Ambulance emergency' },
];

// Run tests
testCases.forEach(test => {
  const result = isValidLebaneseNumber(test.input) || isEmergencyNumber(test.input);
  console.log(`${test.type}: ${result === test.expected ? 'PASS' : 'FAIL'}`);
});

Phone Number Formatting and Sanitization

Maintain consistent formatting to improve data quality and user experience:

function sanitizePhoneNumber(input) {
  return input.replace(/\D/g, ''); // Remove all non-digit characters
}

function formatLebaneseNumber(number) {
  const cleaned = sanitizePhoneNumber(number);

  // Handle various input formats
  if (cleaned.length === 8 && /^[0-9]/.test(cleaned)) {
    // National format: add +961
    const withoutLeadingZero = cleaned.startsWith('0') ? cleaned.substring(1) : cleaned;
    return `+961${withoutLeadingZero}`;
  } else if (cleaned.startsWith('961') && cleaned.length === 11) {
    // International without +
    return `+${cleaned}`;
  } else if (cleaned.startsWith('0') && cleaned.length === 8) {
    // National with leading zero
    return `+961${cleaned.substring(1)}`;
  } else if (!cleaned.startsWith('0') && cleaned.length === 7) {
    // 7 digits without prefix
    return `+961${cleaned}`;
  }

  return null; // Invalid format
}

// Error handling for formatting
function formatWithErrorHandling(number) {
  const formatted = formatLebaneseNumber(number);

  if (formatted === null) {
    // Log error for monitoring
    console.error('Invalid Lebanese phone number format:', number);

    // Return user-friendly error
    throw new Error(
      'Invalid phone number format. Enter a Lebanese number ' +
      'like 01 234567 (national) or +961 1 234567 (international)'
    );
  }

  return formatted;
}

// Complete validation + formatting workflow
function processUserPhoneInput(rawInput) {
  try {
    // Step 1: Normalize input (handle spaces, dashes, parentheses)
    const normalized = normalizeLebanonNumber(rawInput);

    if (!normalized) {
      return {
        success: false,
        error: 'Unable to parse phone number. Check the format.',
        example: '+961 1 234567 or 01 234567'
      };
    }

    // Step 2: Validate format
    if (!isValidLebaneseNumber(normalized) && !isEmergencyNumber(normalized)) {
      return {
        success: false,
        error: 'Invalid Lebanese phone number.',
        details: 'Number must start with valid prefix (01-09, 70-79, 81)',
        example: '03 123456 (mobile) or 01 234567 (landline)'
      };
    }

    // Step 3: Format for storage
    const formatted = formatLebaneseNumber(normalized);

    // Step 4: Identify carrier (optional)
    const carrier = identifyCarrier(formatted);

    return {
      success: true,
      formatted: formatted,
      carrier: carrier,
      type: isLebaneseMobile(formatted) ? 'mobile' : 'landline'
    };

  } catch (error) {
    return {
      success: false,
      error: error.message
    };
  }
}

// Usage example
const result = processUserPhoneInput('03-123-456');
if (result.success) {
  console.log('Formatted:', result.formatted);  // +9613123456
  console.log('Carrier:', result.carrier);       // Alfa
  console.log('Type:', result.type);             // mobile
} else {
  console.error('Error:', result.error);
}

Lebanon Mobile Carriers: Alfa and Touch

Lebanon operates three state-owned telecommunications providers:

• Alfa (MIC1): State-owned mobile operator managed by Orascom Telecom. Uses prefixes 03 (031–035), 070 (1–5), 071 (6–9), 076 (1, 3–5), 079 (1–3), and 081 (2–4). Originally launched in 1994 as the first GSM network in Lebanon.
• Touch (MIC2): State-owned mobile operator managed by Zain Group. Uses prefixes 03 (030, 036–039), 070 (0, 6–9), 071 (1–5), 076 (0, 6–9), 078 (7–9), and 081 (6–8). Formerly known as MTC Touch.
• Ogero Telecom: Government-owned fixed infrastructure operator handling all landline services (prefixes 01, 04–09). Founded in 1972, Ogero provides backbone infrastructure for all telecom networks, including mobile operators, Data Service Providers (DSPs), and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

MVNO Status: Lebanon does not have Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) or third-party mobile providers. Alfa and Touch provide all mobile services exclusively. No regulatory framework for MVNO licensing exists as of 2025, though this may change with future telecommunications reforms.

Number Portability Status: Lebanon has not implemented Mobile Number Portability (MNP) as of 2025. Users surrender their number when switching between Alfa and Touch. You can reliably use prefix-based carrier identification to determine the original network assignment.

Number Recycling Practices

Understand how operators recycle inactive numbers:

• Touch: Recycles prepaid numbers after 30 days of inactivity; recycles postpaid numbers after 90 days
• Alfa: Uses a digital system that randomly selects inactive numbers for recycling and re-release

Developer Implication: If your application requires long-term number ownership verification (security, account recovery), implement periodic re-verification. Don't assume permanent number-to-user associations given aggressive recycling timelines.

Re-verification Implementation:

// Database schema example
const userSchema = {
  id: 'string',
  phone: 'string',              // E.164 format
  phoneVerified: 'boolean',
  phoneVerifiedAt: 'timestamp', // Last verification date
  phoneVerificationCode: 'string',
  phoneVerificationExpiry: 'timestamp'
};

// Check if phone needs re-verification (every 60 days)
function needsPhoneReverification(user) {
  if (!user.phoneVerified) return true;

  const daysSinceVerification =
    (Date.now() - user.phoneVerifiedAt) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24);

  return daysSinceVerification > 60;
}

// Trigger re-verification for security-critical operations
async function performSecureOperation(userId) {
  const user = await getUser(userId);

  if (needsPhoneReverification(user)) {
    // Send SMS verification code
    await sendSMSVerification(user.phone);

    return {
      success: false,
      requiresVerification: true,
      message: 'Verify your phone number to continue'
    };
  }

  // Proceed with operation
  return await executeSecureOperation(user);
}

// SMS verification code sender
async function sendSMSVerification(phoneNumber) {
  const code = generateSecureCode(6); // 6-digit code
  const expiry = Date.now() + (10 * 60 * 1000); // 10 minutes

  // Store code in database
  await updateUser({
    phoneVerificationCode: hashCode(code),
    phoneVerificationExpiry: expiry,
    phoneVerified: false
  });

  // Send via SMS provider
  await smsProvider.send({
    to: phoneNumber,
    message: `Your verification code is ${code}. Valid for 10 minutes.`
  });
}

// Verify code submitted by user
async function verifyPhoneCode(userId, submittedCode) {
  const user = await getUser(userId);

  // Check expiry
  if (Date.now() > user.phoneVerificationExpiry) {
    return { success: false, error: 'Code expired' };
  }

  // Verify code
  if (hashCode(submittedCode) === user.phoneVerificationCode) {
    await updateUser({
      phoneVerified: true,
      phoneVerifiedAt: Date.now(),
      phoneVerificationCode: null
    });

    return { success: true };
  }

  return { success: false, error: 'Invalid code' };
}

Troubleshooting Lebanon Phone Number Issues

Common issues when handling Lebanese phone numbers:

Leading Zero Errors

• Problem: Missing or incorrect leading zero placement
• Solution: Include the leading zero in national format (01 234567) but remove it in international format (+961 1 234567)
• Fix: Use the normalization function above to handle both formats

Invalid Prefix Errors

• Problem: Your validation rejects a valid Lebanese number
• Solution: Verify the prefix exists in the table above. Common mistakes include assuming all 03 numbers belong to Alfa when some (030, 036–039) belong to Touch. Update your regex to include new ranges 76, 78, 79, and 81 added in May 2025.
• Debugging tip: Log rejected numbers with prefixes to identify patterns

Carrier Misidentification

• Problem: Your system assigns the wrong carrier to a number
• Solution: Use the specific prefix ranges listed in the carrier section. Lebanon doesn't have MNP, so prefix-based lookup remains reliable. Reference ITU numbering plan updates.
• Example:

function identifyCarrier(phoneNumber) {
  // Normalize to national format for prefix checking
  const national = phoneNumber.replace(/^\+961/, '0');

  // Alfa (MIC1) prefixes
  const alfaPrefixes = /^0(?:3[1-5]|70[1-5]|71[6-9]|76[1345]|79[1-3]|81[234])/;

  // Touch (MIC2) prefixes
  const touchPrefixes = /^0(?:30|3[6-9]|70[0689]|71[1-5]|76[0689]|78[789]|81[678])/;

  if (alfaPrefixes.test(national)) {
    return 'Alfa (MIC1)';
  } else if (touchPrefixes.test(national)) {
    return 'Touch (MIC2)';
  } else if (/^0[1456789]/.test(national)) {
    return 'Ogero (Landline)';
  }

  return 'Unknown';
}

Number Recycling Issues

• Problem: A phone number that worked for one user now belongs to someone else
• Solution: Implement regular verification checks using SMS OTP or phone call verification. Numbers can be reassigned after 30–90 days of inactivity

Verification Methods:

1. SMS OTP (One-Time Password): Send 6-digit code via SMS, user enters code within 10 minutes
2. Phone Call Verification: Make automated call with spoken code or callback verification
3. Silent SMS Verification: Send SMS with delivery receipt (less intrusive but less secure)

Production Debugging Tips:

• Structured logging: Log validation failures with input format, detected prefix, and rejection reason
• Metrics tracking: Monitor validation failure rates by prefix to catch new number ranges
• User feedback loop: Allow users to report "number not accepted" issues
• Test with real data: Maintain test suite with real Lebanese numbers (anonymized) covering all prefixes

// Production logging example
function validateWithLogging(phoneNumber, context = {}) {
  const result = processUserPhoneInput(phoneNumber);

  if (!result.success) {
    logger.warn('Phone validation failed', {
      input: maskPhoneNumber(phoneNumber),  // Mask for privacy
      error: result.error,
      context: context,  // e.g., userId, page, flow
      timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
    });
  }

  return result;
}

function maskPhoneNumber(phone) {
  // Mask middle digits: +9613****56
  if (phone.length < 8) return phone;
  return phone.slice(0, -6) + '****' + phone.slice(-2);
}

Best Practices for Lebanon Phone Number Implementation

Handle Lebanese phone numbers effectively:

Input Sanitization Sanitize user input to remove non-digit characters, spaces, and formatting before validation. Use the normalizeLebanonNumber() function provided above.

Comprehensive Validation Use regular expressions that cover all valid prefix ranges, including the new 76, 78, 79, and 81 ranges added in May 2025. Don't rely on length checks alone.

Clear Error Messages Write specific error messages that help users fix issues:

• Instead of "Invalid phone number," say "Lebanese phone numbers must start with 0 and have 8 digits (e.g., 01 234567)"
• Instead of "Wrong format," say "Enter your number with the country code (+961 1 234567) or without (01 234567)"

Internationalization Accept and display both national and international formats seamlessly. Convert to E.164 for storage, display in user's preferred format.

Stay Updated Monitor TRA regulations for changes to the numbering plan or MNP implementation announcements. The most recent update was May 26, 2025. Subscribe to ITU operational bulletins or TRA updates at http://www.tra.gov.lb/.

Account Security Given rapid number recycling (30–90 days), avoid using phone numbers as sole authentication or account recovery. Implement additional verification methods like email or security keys.

Prefix-Based Routing Since Lebanon doesn't have MNP, reliably route SMS and calls based on prefix to optimize costs through carrier-specific agreements.

Routing Implementation:

// Carrier routing configuration
const carrierRoutes = {
  'Alfa': {
    prefixes: ['31', '32', '33', '34', '35', '701', '702', '703', '704',
               '705', '716', '717', '718', '719', '761', '763', '764', '765',
               '791', '792', '793', '812', '813', '814'],
    provider: 'alfa-sms-gateway',
    costPerSMS: 0.045  // USD
  },
  'Touch': {
    prefixes: ['30', '36', '37', '38', '39', '700', '706', '707', '708',
               '709', '711', '712', '713', '714', '715', '760', '766', '767',
               '768', '769', '787', '788', '789', '816', '817', '818'],
    provider: 'touch-sms-gateway',
    costPerSMS: 0.043  // USD
  }
};

function routeSMSByCarrier(phoneNumber, message) {
  const carrier = identifyCarrier(phoneNumber);
  const route = carrierRoutes[carrier];

  if (!route) {
    throw new Error(`No route configured for carrier: ${carrier}`);
  }

  return {
    gateway: route.provider,
    recipient: phoneNumber,
    message: message,
    estimatedCost: route.costPerSMS
  };
}

// Bulk SMS optimization
async function sendBulkSMS(recipients, message) {
  // Group by carrier for optimal routing
  const byCarrier = recipients.reduce((acc, phone) => {
    const carrier = identifyCarrier(phone);
    if (!acc[carrier]) acc[carrier] = [];
    acc[carrier].push(phone);
    return acc;
  }, {});

  // Send via appropriate gateway
  const results = await Promise.all(
    Object.entries(byCarrier).map(([carrier, phones]) => {
      const route = carrierRoutes[carrier];
      return sendViaGateway(route.provider, phones, message);
    })
  );

  // Calculate savings
  const totalCost = results.reduce((sum, r) => sum + r.cost, 0);
  const singleRouteCost = recipients.length * 0.05;  // Generic rate
  const savings = singleRouteCost - totalCost;

  console.log(`Sent ${recipients.length} SMS via optimized routing`);
  console.log(`Cost: $${totalCost.toFixed(2)} (saved $${savings.toFixed(2)})`);

  return results;
}

Typical Cost Optimization:

• Direct carrier routing: 10–20% cost reduction compared to generic SMS gateways
• Reduced failed delivery rates due to proper carrier identification
• Better delivery speeds through direct carrier connections

Performance Considerations:

• Regex caching: Compile regex patterns once, reuse for all validations
• Bulk validation: Process phone numbers in batches when validating large datasets
• Database indexing: Index phone number columns for fast lookup
• Rate limiting: Implement rate limits on SMS verification to prevent abuse (3 attempts per number per hour)

// Regex caching example
class LebanonPhoneValidator {
  constructor() {
    // Compile patterns once during initialization
    this.patterns = {
      international: /^\+961[1-9]\d{6,7}$/,
      national: /^0(?:1\d{6}|[4-9]\d{6}|3(?:0|1[1-5]|[2-5]|6[6-9]|7|8|9)\d{5}|70[0-9]\d{5}|71[0-9]\d{5}|76[0-9]\d{5}|78[7-9]\d{5}|79[1-3]\d{5}|81[0-9]\d{5})$/,
      mobile: /^0(?:3(?:0|1[1-5]|[2-5]|6[6-9]|7|8|9)|70[0-9]|71[0-9]|76[0-9]|78[7-9]|79[1-3]|81[0-9])\d{5}$/,
      emergency: /^(112|125|140|175|1701|1707|1717|119)$/
    };
  }

  validate(number) {
    return this.patterns.international.test(number) ||
           this.patterns.national.test(number);
  }

  isMobile(number) {
    const cleaned = number.replace(/^\+961/, '0').replace(/\D/g, '');
    return this.patterns.mobile.test(cleaned);
  }
}

// Create singleton instance
const validator = new LebanonPhoneValidator();

// Use everywhere in your app
validator.validate('+9613123456');  // true

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the country code for Lebanon?

The international country code for Lebanon is +961. When dialing from abroad, dial +961 followed by the 8-digit national number (without the leading 0). To call 01 234567 from outside Lebanon, dial +961 1 234567.

How many digits are in a Lebanon phone number?

Lebanese phone numbers contain 8 digits in national format (NSN length). When including the country code, the full international format is 11 digits: +961 followed by 8 digits.

Does Lebanon have mobile number portability?

No, Lebanon has not implemented Mobile Number Portability (MNP) as of 2025. Users give up their phone number when switching between Alfa and Touch mobile operators. You can reliably identify carriers based on number prefixes.

What are Lebanon mobile number prefixes?

Lebanon mobile numbers use these prefixes:

• Alfa (MIC1): 03 (031–035), 070 (1–5), 071 (6–9), 076 (1, 3–5), 079 (1–3), 081 (2–4)
• Touch (MIC2): 03 (030, 036–039), 070 (0, 6–9), 071 (1–5), 076 (0, 6–9), 078 (7–9), 081 (6–8)

Some 03 prefixes belong to Alfa while others belong to Touch – check the specific ranges for accurate carrier identification. New mobile prefixes 76, 78, 79, and 81 were added in May 2025 per ITU Communication.

How do I format a Lebanon phone number for international dialing?

Format Lebanese numbers for international use in E.164 format: +961XXXXXXXX (no spaces or special characters). Remove the leading 0 from the national format and prefix with +961. Example: 01 234567 becomes +9611234567.

What is Lebanon's Beirut area code?

Beirut's area code is 01. Within Lebanon, dial 01 followed by 6 digits. From abroad, dial +961 1 followed by 6 digits. The 01 prefix identifies landline numbers in the Beirut metropolitan area.

How long before Lebanon mobile numbers are recycled?

Lebanon mobile operators recycle inactive numbers quickly:

• Touch: Recycles prepaid after 30 days, postpaid after 90 days
• Alfa: Uses random selection for recycling inactive numbers

This aggressive recycling means phone numbers can be reassigned to new users within 1–3 months of inactivity.

How do I validate a Lebanon phone number in JavaScript?

Use regex patterns to validate Lebanese numbers. For international format:

const pattern = /^\+961[1-9]\d{6,7}$/;

For national format with comprehensive prefix validation, see the full patterns in the validation section above. Include the new 76, 78, 79, and 81 prefixes added in May 2025.

Additional Resources

Explore these official sources for more information:

• TRA Official Website: http://www.tra.gov.lb/
• ITU E.164 Standard: E.164 Phone Format Guide
• ITU Operational Bulletin: Lebanon Numbering Plan Updates
• Ogero Telecom: https://www.ogero.gov.lb/
• Alfa Mobile: https://www.alfa.com.lb/
• Touch Mobile: https://www.touch.com.lb/

Phone Validation Libraries:

• libphonenumber: Google's comprehensive phone number parsing, formatting, and validation library (GitHub)
• libphonenumber-js: JavaScript port of libphonenumber, smaller bundle size (GitHub)
• phone: Lightweight phone validation library (npm)

Next Steps

Implement Lebanese phone number handling in your application:

1. Copy the validation patterns from the Regular Expressions section into your codebase
2. Update your database schema to store numbers in E.164 international format (+961XXXXXXXX)
3. Implement input sanitization to handle various user input formats using the normalizeLebanonNumber() function
4. Add carrier identification logic using the prefix tables and identifyCarrier() function above
5. Set up periodic verification for security-critical applications to handle number recycling (every 60–90 days)
6. Write clear error messages that help users correct formatting issues
7. Optimize SMS routing by carrier to reduce costs by 10–20%
8. Monitor and log validation failures to catch new number ranges or patterns

Database Schema Example:

-- PostgreSQL example
CREATE TABLE users (
  id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
  email VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
  phone VARCHAR(15),  -- E.164 format: +961XXXXXXXX
  phone_verified BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,
  phone_verified_at TIMESTAMP,
  phone_carrier VARCHAR(20),  -- 'Alfa', 'Touch', 'Ogero'
  phone_type VARCHAR(10),  -- 'mobile', 'landline'
  created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
  updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
);

-- Index for fast phone lookup
CREATE INDEX idx_users_phone ON users(phone);

-- Migration script to convert existing data
UPDATE users
SET phone = '+961' || LTRIM(phone, '0')
WHERE phone LIKE '0%' AND LENGTH(phone) = 8;

Lebanon hasn't implemented mobile number portability, which means prefix-based carrier identification remains reliable. However, aggressive number recycling practices (30–90 days) may affect long-term number-to-user associations. Stay informed about TRA regulatory changes and monitor ITU operational bulletins for numbering plan updates. The most recent update was May 26, 2025 (Ministerial Decisions No. 172/1, 173/1), adding new mobile number ranges.