Area Code 8 – Perth, Adelaide & Western/South Australia
The phone area code for Perth, Adelaide & Western/South Australia is 8 (international format +61 8). Browse local exchange codes (NXX) and carrier assignments below.
📞 Exchange Codes (NXX) for Area Code 8
Select a central office code to view local carrier data and detailed information
📍 Geographic Location of Perth, Adelaide & Western/South Australia
Overview of Australian Area Code 8
Area code 8 is one of Australia's four geographic numbering zones, designated under the national numbering plan administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). It covers the states of Western Australia and South Australia, including the Northern Territory. The primary cities served are Perth (Western Australia's capital) and Adelaide (South Australia's capital). This code is used for fixed-line (PSTN) and some VoIP services that are geographically tied to these regions.
Geographic Coverage and Major Centres
The code 8 encompasses a vast area, including major urban centres and remote communities. Key cities and towns within this zone include:
- Perth – the largest city in Western Australia, with a metropolitan population exceeding 2 million.
- Adelaide – the capital of South Australia, with a population of about 1.4 million.
- Darwin – the capital of the Northern Territory, though it uses the same area code, it is often dialed as 08 8x.
- Other notable centres: Fremantle, Bunbury, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Alice Springs, and Whyalla.
Because of the vast distances, the code 8 covers a mix of metropolitan and rural exchanges, but the number format remains consistent: 08 XXXX XXXX for local calls within the same area code.
Dialing Formats and Instructions
For callers within Australia, the national significant number is 10 digits, including the leading trunk prefix '0'. To call a number in Perth or Adelaide from elsewhere in Australia, you must dial: 08 XXXX XXXX. For example, a Perth landline might be 08 9123 4567.
For international callers, the country code for Australia is +61, and the leading '0' of the area code is dropped. Thus, the same number would be dialed as +61 8 9123 4567. Note that the area code is a single digit '8', not '08' when dialed internationally.
Local calls within the same area code (e.g., from Perth to Adelaide) do not require the area code if you are in the same geographic region? Actually, in Australia, local calls are defined by the exchange area, not the entire area code. For calls between different states (e.g., Perth to Adelaide), you must dial the full national number including the area code, even though both use '08'. For calls within the same city, you can often dial just the 8-digit local number, but it is always safe to dial the full 10-digit number.
Overlays and Numbering Changes
Currently, there are no overlay codes for area code 8; it remains the sole geographic code for these regions. However, as number exhaustion approaches, ACMA may introduce overlays, but as of now, no changes are planned. This means that new fixed-line services in these areas will continue to be assigned numbers under the 08 prefix.
Caller Guidance
For local callers within the same state, dial the 8-digit local number if you are in the same charging area; otherwise, dial the full 10-digit number. For international callers, always use +61 8 followed by the 8-digit subscriber number. Remember that mobile numbers in Australia always begin with 04 and are not tied to geographic area codes.