The 01481 area code: Guernsey
01481 is the dialling code for Guernsey. It looks like a normal UK landline code, but Guernsey is a separate telecoms jurisdiction: many UK tariffs exclude 01481 calls from inclusive allowances and charge substantially higher rates. Check your provider's price guide before a long call.
Built from Ofcom numbering data, last refreshed 2026-07-24.
01481 at a glance
- Area
- Guernsey
- Number format
- (01481) XXX XXX, usually 6-digit local numbers
- Calling from abroad
- +44 1481 then the local number, dropping the first 0
- Call cost
- Often EXCLUDED from UK allowances - check your provider before calling
Calling Guernsey regularly? Do not pay 65p a minute
Because most UK networks leave Guernsey out of inclusive allowances, our sister service PhoneGuernsey exists for exactly this: it connects you for 5p/min to Guernsey landlines and 15p/min to mobiles, instead of the up-to-65p rates UK networks charge. Pay as you go, £1/month, no contract, no change to your mobile network - you dial a UK number that is inside your bundle, and we carry the island leg over our own network. PhoneGuernsey is part of ONSIM.
Getting calls from a 01481 number?
01481 is a legitimate geographic code, so most calls from it are ordinary: local businesses, surgeries, schools, councils and households in the Guernsey 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 01481 number on your screen is not proof the call came from Guernsey. 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.
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 01481 numbers?
Ofcom allocates 01481 numbers to communications providers in blocks. These providers currently hold the most number blocks in the Guernsey area:
- Sure (Guernsey) Limited - 18 number blocks
- JT (Guernsey) Limited - 3 number blocks
- Guernsey Airtel Limited - 1 number blocks
- Business Telecom Limited - 1 number blocks
- Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited - 1 number blocks
24 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 01481 number for your business
A Guernsey number makes your business local to the people searching for it, wherever you actually answer the phone. ONSIM supplies 01481 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 01481 number, with call recording available for regulated trades.
Already have a 01481 number? You can bring it with you. Porting in is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.
Not sure which number type fits? Two minutes with the business number chooser will tell you.
01481 area code questions
Where is the 01481 area code?
01481 is the dialling code for Guernsey. The code and the areas it serves are set by Ofcom, the UK communications regulator.
How much does it cost to call a 01481 number?
Be careful here. 01481 numbers use the UK format, but Guernsey is a separate telecoms jurisdiction and many UK mobile and landline tariffs exclude 01481 calls from inclusive allowances, charging substantially higher per-minute rates instead - a long call can cost serious money. Some plans do include Crown dependency calls. Check the exact rate in your own provider's price guide before calling, and do not assume your minutes cover it.
Why am I getting calls from a 01481 number?
Most calls from 01481 numbers are exactly what they look like: a business, GP surgery, school or household in the Guernsey area. But caller display can be faked, a practice called spoofing, so an unexpected call showing 01481 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 01481 number for my business?
Yes. You do not need an office in Guernsey or a phone line from the dominant local provider. ONSIM can supply a 01481 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 01481 number. Existing 01481 numbers can be ported in: porting is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.