Business phone numbers in Ireland

Ireland ties geographic numbers to physical presence in that numbering area under ComReg rules. But 0818 standard-rate and 1800 freephone numbers only need evidence of an Irish nexus, such as a CRO or VAT number. Porting downtime is capped at 1 working day.

Number types in Ireland

Type	National format	E.164	Notes
Local	01 234 5678	+353 1 234 5678	Dublin 01, Cork 021, Limerick 061, Galway 091. E.164 drops the leading 0, as of July 2026.
National	0818 123 456	+353 818 123 456	0818 is one of two surviving non-geographic ranges, standard-rate, costing no more than a landline call. 1890 and 1850 were withdrawn 1 January 2022.
Mobile	085 123 4567	+353 85 123 4567	Prefixes 083, 085, 086, 087, 089. 088 is reserved for M2M/IoT. Prefixes no longer indicate carrier since porting began in 2003.
Toll-free	1800 123 456	+353 1800 123 456	Free to the caller.

Porting

ComReg regulates porting under S.I. No. 444/2022. Loss of service during a port must not exceed 1 working day, and ComReg Decision D01/24 mandates end-user compensation for porting failures, as of July 2026.

A realistic business VoIP port takes roughly 1 to 4 weeks of total processing, though the cutover downtime itself stays capped at 1 working day. Authorization uses a signed Letter of Authorization dated within 90 days plus a recent invoice, not a PAC-style code.

Closing the old account before the port completes can permanently release the number. Wrong account or billing references and partial-range submissions are the most common rejection causes.

Requirements

·ComReg rules assign geographic numbers only to end-users physically located within that number's Minimum Numbering Area, a genuine local-address requirement for 01, 021 and similar prefixes, as of July 2026.
·Non-geographic 0818 and 1800 numbers only require evidence of an Irish nexus, such as a CRO number, VAT registration, or Irish premises, with no area-specific address needed.
·Provider practice varies beyond the ComReg minimum: some providers require a matching Irish-locality address and CRO details even for non-geographic numbers, so confirm with the specific carrier before assuming the lighter requirement applies.

Compliance notes

·Emergency numbers are 999 and 112, both working identically. Providers must disclose any limitations on emergency access in their terms and conditions before sign-up, as of July 2026.
·ComReg's consultation on VoIP emergency caller location (ComReg 23/117) had no published final decision as of July 2026, so VoIP-specific location obligations remain unsettled.
·Call recording is one-party consent under the Interception Act 1993, but GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 make a 'this call may be recorded' notice functionally required for businesses.

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

Frequently asked questions

Can a US company get an Irish phone number?

Yes for 0818 standard-rate or 1800 freephone numbers. These only need evidence of an Irish nexus, such as a CRO or VAT number. A geographic 01 number requires physical presence in that numbering area, as of July 2026.

How long does porting take in Ireland?

Cutover downtime is capped at 1 working day by ComReg rule. Total processing for a business VoIP port realistically takes 1 to 4 weeks.

What happened to 1890 and 1850 numbers?

Both were permanently withdrawn from service on 1 January 2022, alongside 076 numbers, and should not be referenced as current ranges.

Is call recording legal in Ireland without telling the caller?

Recording itself is one-party consent under the Interception Act 1993. But GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 make disclosure to the caller functionally required for businesses.