Kenya Phone Numbers: Formats, Dialing Rules, and Regulations

Quick Reference

• Country: Kenya
• Country Code: +254
• International Prefix: 000
• National Prefix: 0

Overview

Kenya's telephone numbering plan adheres to the ITU-T E.164 standard, ensuring a maximum length of 15 digits. This guide offers a detailed look at number formats, dialing procedures, and technical considerations for telecom professionals, developers, and system administrators.

Number Formats

General Structure

Kenyan phone numbers follow a specific structure:

• Country Code: +254
• Area Code/Mobile Prefix: 2 digits for landlines, 3 digits for mobile numbers
• Subscriber Number: 7 digits for both landlines and mobile numbers

Landline Numbers

Landline numbers in Kenya are 9 digits long, consisting of a 2-digit area code and a 7-digit subscriber number.

Format:

0[Area Code][Subscriber Number]

Example:

• Nairobi: 020XXXXXXX
• Mombasa: 041XXXXXXX

Mobile Numbers

Mobile numbers are also 9 digits, starting with a 3-digit mobile prefix followed by a 6-digit subscriber number.

Format:

07[XX][XXXXXX]

Example:

• Safaricom: 0722XXXXXX
• Airtel: 0733XXXXXX

Toll-Free Numbers

Toll-free numbers begin with the prefix 0800, followed by a 6-digit subscriber number.

Format:

0800[XXXXXX]

Example:

• 0800123456

Premium Rate Numbers

Premium rate services use the prefix 0900, followed by a 6-digit subscriber number.

Format:

0900[XXXXXX]

Example:

• 0900123456

Special Services

Emergency and special numbers are typically 3 digits long.

Example:

• Emergency Services: 999

Number Format Table

Regular Expressions

For developers, use these regular expressions to validate Kenyan phone numbers:

• Landline: ^0(20|41|[4-6][0-9])[0-9]{7}$
• Mobile: ^07[0-9]{8}$
• Toll-Free: ^0800[0-9]{6}$
• Premium Rate: ^0900[0-9]{6}$
• Emergency Services: ^999$

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial the area code followed by the subscriber number.
  • Example: 0201234567 (Nairobi to Nairobi)
• Landline to Mobile: Dial the mobile number directly.
  • Example: 0722123456
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial the mobile number directly.
  • Example: 0733123456

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial the international prefix 000, followed by the country code, area code, and subscriber number.
  • Example: 0001XXXXXXXXXX (to the USA)
• Incoming: Dial the Kenyan country code +254, followed by the area code (without the leading 0) and the subscriber number.
  • Example: +254201234567 (to a Nairobi landline)

Number Portability

Since April 2011, Kenya has implemented mobile number portability (MNP), allowing subscribers to retain their mobile numbers when switching carriers. This enhances consumer choice and competition among telecom operators.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Regulatory Body

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) regulates telecommunications in Kenya, including number allocation and management. For the latest updates on numbering plans and regulations, visit their official website.

Number Allocation and Management

Kenya's numbering resources are managed by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA). The CA ensures efficient allocation and use of numbering resources, following ITU-T E.164 recommendations.

Technical Considerations

For Developers

• Validation: Use the provided regular expressions to validate Kenyan numbers in your applications.
• Number Formatting: Ensure that international formats include the +254 country code and omit the leading 0 from the area code or mobile prefix.
• Portability: Implement MNP checks to ensure the correct network is identified for ported numbers.

Special Cases

• Golden Numbers: High-value numbers (e.g., easily memorable sequences) may be subject to special allocation procedures.
• Number Blocking: Some number ranges may be reserved or blocked for specific purposes, such as government use or future allocation.