Business phone numbers in France

France uses a unified 10-digit format across all lines. A foreign business can freely get an 01 to 05 geographic VoIP number or an 0800 toll-free number. But ARCEP reserves 06 and 07 mobile numbers for individual natural persons, so they are not a general-purpose business DID product.

Number types in France

Type	National format	E.164	Notes
Local	01 23 45 67 89	+33 1 23 45 67 89	01-05 geographic prefixes by region (01 Paris). Since 1 January 2023, businesses can keep an 01-05 number when relocating anywhere in mainland France, as of July 2026.
National	09 87 65 43 21	+33 9 87 65 43 21	09 is a non-geographic range for innovative machine-to-subscriber and platform use cases.
Mobile	06 12 34 56 78	+33 6 12 34 56 78	06 and 07 are reserved for interpersonal communications tied to a natural person; ARCEP bars pooling one number across multiple company users, as of July 2026.
Toll-free	0800 123 456	+33 800 123 456	0800-0805 are freephone. 0806-0809 are shared-cost and mandatory for customer service lines under French law.

Porting

ARCEP regulates porting. The receiving operator handles the whole process, including contacting the losing operator, so the customer doesn't deal with the old provider directly, as of July 2026.

Current deadlines are up to 3 business days for consumer-market ports and up to 7 business days for business-market ports. ARCEP's simplification programme aims to cut the business-market window to 3 business days by 1 July 2027.

As of 1 January 2026, calls arriving from abroad displaying a French 06/07 number that cannot be authenticated via the STIR/SHAKEN-based anti-spoofing mechanism must have the caller ID hidden by the receiving operator, adding friction for foreign-hosted VoIP platforms.

Requirements

·ARCEP's numbering-resource application forms ask for applicant name, company name, capacity and address, and a SIRET or foreign equivalent, though this applies at the operator or reseller level rather than the end customer for standard number resale, as of July 2026.
·01-05 geographic numbers are explicitly available for professional VoIP telephony and are the practical route for a foreign business wanting a French business number.
·Real 06/07 mobile numbers are tied to an individual subscriber and are not generally resellable as a standalone business DID the way geographic numbers are.

Compliance notes

·Emergency number is 112 (EU-wide). Providers must supply caller location free of charge to emergency responders, routed via the national PFLAU location platform, as of July 2026.
·Call recording requires consent from every party under Article 226-1 of the Code pénal, punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment and a €45,000 fine. CNIL guidance recommends deleting business recordings within 6 months absent another justification.
·ARCEP restricts 06/07 mobile numbers to natural persons, meaning the safe compliant product for a foreign company is an 01-05 geographic number or an 08 non-geographic/toll-free number, not a French mobile DID.

Regulatory details verified July 2026 and re-checked quarterly. wlur offers numbers in France; add one from the app in about a minute.

Frequently asked questions

Can a US company get a French phone number?

Yes, for an 01-05 geographic VoIP number or an 0800 toll-free number. A genuine 06/07 mobile number is reserved for individual subscribers under ARCEP rules, as of July 2026.

How long does porting take in France?

Up to 3 business days for consumer-market numbers and up to 7 business days for business-market numbers. ARCEP is targeting a 3-day business standard by 1 July 2027.

Why can't I buy a French mobile number for my business?

ARCEP reserves 06 and 07 numbers for interpersonal communications tied to one natural person. It bars pooling a single number across multiple company users.

Is call recording legal in France without consent?

No. Article 226-1 of the Code pénal requires consent from every party, with narrow exceptions when recording happens openly and no one objects.