What Australian Phone Numbers Start With
Which prefixes mean what — 13, 1300 and 1800 for inbound business numbers, area codes for geographic landlines. Published structure, no invented rules.
What an Australian number starts with tells you what it is. The published inbound family here comes in three prefixes — 13, 1300 and 1800 — and geographic landline numbers start with an area code (02, 03, 07, 08). This page maps the prefixes to their meanings, using only the published structure, and shows how the prefix shapes your choice.
The prefixes and what they mean
| Starts with | What it is | Published character |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Six-digit inbound number | Typically used by larger national companies (per the published FAQ) |
| 1300 | Inbound number, prefix + six-digit tail | Shared cost — caller pays a local call cost, business pays the remainder |
| 1800 | Inbound number, prefix + six-digit tail | Caller-free in the stated Australian 1800-number context; business pays call charges |
| 02 / 03 / 07 / 08 | Geographic landline prefixes | Not sold here — fixed-line territory |
What the prefix decides — and does not
The prefix decides the caller arrangement: 1300 shares the call cost with the customer, 1800 removes the caller's charge entirely in the Australian context. It also decides the format a Phoneword can take — a word rides the six-digit tail on a 1300 or 1800 base (up to six letters) or the shorter 13 format (up to four letters).
What the prefix does not decide, on the published pages: geography. The inbound prefixes carry no area-code meaning, and the pages make no geographic or nationwide claims — a caution this page repeats rather than resolves. For a landline's area-code number, a carrier is the right provider.
Reading a number you have been given
The prefix is also how you sanity-check any number someone offers you. A genuine inbound business number starts 13, 1300 or 1800 with the published digit counts behind it; a 1300 number written with five or seven digits in the tail is mistyped, and a "1300 number" that starts with an area code is not a 1300 number at all. Copy the number exactly as confirmed rather than reconstructing it from memory — the digits are the product.
Choosing your prefix
If callers should contribute a local call cost, 1300 is the published choice; if the call should cost them nothing, 1800. Search available 1300/1800 Phonewords by word or last six digits — the prefix is not needed in the search — and compare plans on the pricing page, where 1300 and 1800 plans both start at $10 per month with their own rate tables.
Related reading: toll telephone number for the toll-free comparison, or the 1300 numbers and 1800 numbers overviews.
Prefix questions
Do 1300 and 1800 numbers have area codes?
No — they are inbound numbers with their own prefixes, not geographic lines. The published pages make no area-code or coverage claims for them.
Can I choose my number's tail?
Yes, from the available listing — the search works on the last six digits, so any available tail is as findable as a word.
Which prefix is cheaper?
Published plans for both 1300 and 1800 start at $10 per month; the difference is who pays call charges. Compare the rate tables on the pricing page.
Where do 13 numbers fit?
They are the shortest inbound format, typically used by larger national companies per the published FAQ. No 13 plans appear on the pricing page — ask the team about 13 availability and cost.
Prefixes explained
Choose what your number starts with
Search available 1300 and 1800 Phonewords, or compare the published plans first.