The 0131 area code: Edinburgh

0131 is the UK dialling code for Edinburgh, in City of Edinburgh. It is a geographic landline code, so calling it costs the same as any other UK landline number and is usually included in call allowances.

Built from Ofcom numbering data, last refreshed 2026-07-24.

0131 at a glance

Area
Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland
Number format
(0131) XXX XXXX, 7-digit local numbers
Calling from abroad
+44 131 then the local number, dropping the first 0
Call cost
Standard UK landline rate, usually included in call allowances

Where 0131 reaches

The 0131 code serves Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Bonnyrigg, South Queensferry, Currie and the surrounding area.

The City of Edinburgh council area had a population of around 514,500 at Scotland's 2022 census.

Edinburgh was a director area from 1950 and used the 031 code from the move to all figure dialling in 1966; 031 became 0131 on PhONEday, 16 April 1995.

In the old director code 031, the 3 corresponded to E for Edinburgh on the letter dial.

Getting calls from a 0131 number?

0131 is a legitimate geographic code, so most calls from it are ordinary: local businesses, surgeries, schools, councils and households in the Edinburgh area. Two things are worth knowing before you call back.

First, caller display can be faked. Scammers spoof real UK area codes to look local, so a 0131 number on your screen is not proof the call came from Edinburgh. Second, the safe habit is simple: if a caller you were not expecting asks for personal or payment details, hang up and ring the organisation back on a number you found independently.

Sometimes misquoted as a four digit code such as 01315; the code is 0131 and local numbers have seven digits.

Checking a full number rather than just the code? Try our free UK phone number checker, which identifies the area and original provider of any UK number from Ofcom data.

Who issues 0131 numbers?

Ofcom allocates 0131 numbers to communications providers in blocks. These providers currently hold the most number blocks in the Edinburgh area:

  • BT - 99 number blocks
  • Vodafone Ltd (C&W) - 36 number blocks
  • Virgin Media Limited - 21 number blocks
  • Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited - 13 number blocks
  • GCI Network Solutions Limited - 8 number blocks

358 blocks allocated in total. The provider a number was first issued to is not necessarily who serves it today, because numbers move between providers when ported.

Get a 0131 number for your business

A Edinburgh number makes your business local to the people searching for it, wherever you actually answer the phone. ONSIM supplies 0131 numbers two ways: a virtual number that diverts to any phone from £5 a month, or on a Landline SIM from £10 a month so your mobile rings and dials as the 0131 number, with call recording available for regulated trades.

Already have a 0131 number? You can bring it with you. Porting in is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.

Get a quote Virtual landline → Landline SIM → Edinburgh 0131 numbers →

Not sure which number type fits? Two minutes with the business number chooser will tell you.

0131 area code questions

Where is the 0131 area code?

0131 is the dialling code for Edinburgh, in City of Edinburgh, Scotland. It serves Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Bonnyrigg, South Queensferry, Currie and the surrounding area. The code and the areas it serves are set by Ofcom, the UK communications regulator.

How much does it cost to call a 0131 number?

0131 numbers are standard UK geographic landline numbers, charged at the same rate as any other 01 or 02 number. Most mobile and landline tariffs include them in inclusive minutes, so the call usually costs nothing extra. From abroad, dial +44 131 followed by the local number, charged at your provider's international rate to the UK.

Why am I getting calls from a 0131 number?

Most calls from 0131 numbers are exactly what they look like: a business, GP surgery, school or household in the Edinburgh area. But caller display can be faked, a practice called spoofing, so an unexpected call showing 0131 is not proof the caller is really local. If a caller asks for personal or payment details, hang up and call the organisation back on a number you found yourself, for example from its website or a bill.

Can I get a 0131 number for my business?

Yes. You do not need an office in Edinburgh or a phone line from the dominant local provider. ONSIM can supply a 0131 number that diverts to any phone from £5 a month, or put it on a business SIM so your mobile makes and receives calls as the 0131 number. Existing 0131 numbers can be ported in: porting is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.

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