+1 809, 829 and 849: Dominican Republic Phone Numbers

A +1 809, +1 829 or +1 849 number is a phone in the Dominican Republic. The country is in the North American Numbering Plan, so the number looks domestic, but from the US or Canada it is an international call. The FCC uses '809 goes to the Dominican Republic' as its example in its warning about one-ring callback scams.

Dominican Republic · Caribbean area codes · Facts checked November 9, 2026

What these numbers look like

From abroad
+1 809 XXX XXXX, +1 829 XXX XXXX, +1 849 XXX XXXX
Inside Dominican Republic
809 XXX XXXX (all 10 digits are dialed for local calls)

From the US you dial 1 + the area code + seven digits, the same way as a call to another US state.

Who uses +1 809 / 829 / 849 numbers?

809 is one of the oldest NANP codes: NANPA's database shows it in service since 1958. It once covered most of the Caribbean, and codes such as 876 (Jamaica), 268 (Antigua), 767 (Dominica) and 649 (Turks and Caicos) were split from it in the 1990s. Today 809 belongs to the Dominican Republic alone. When it ran short, 829 was added as an overlay (in service 1 August 2005), then 849 (in service 1 July 2009). All three cover the whole country. Numbering is managed by INDOTEL, the Dominican telecoms regulator, under its Plan Técnico Fundamental de Numeración (Resolution 142-10, amended by 078-19). Number portability exists in the Dominican Republic, so the area code tells you neither the operator nor whether the number is mobile.

Who is calling you from a +1 809 / 829 / 849 number?

Most 809, 829 and 849 calls come from people and businesses in the Dominican Republic: family, hotels, call centers that serve US customers. A missed call from one of these codes when you know nobody there fits the one-ring pattern the FCC and FTC warn about. Calling back can connect you to a line abroad that keeps you on hold while international charges add up.

Scams seen with +1 809 / 829 / 849 numbers

  • One-ring callback: the FCC says one-ring calls often use international numbers with three-digit codes that look like US area codes, giving '809' for the Dominican Republic as an example. If you call back you may pay a connection fee plus per-minute charges that appear on your bill as premium services, international calling or toll calling.
  • The FTC's 2014 one-ring alert lists 809, 829 and 849 among the Caribbean codes to watch, alongside 268, 284, 473, 649, 664, 767 and 876.
  • FCC variation: voicemails asking you to call an unfamiliar area code to 'schedule a delivery' or about a 'sick' relative.

What to do about a call from +1 809 / 829 / 849

  1. Don't return a missed call from 809, 829 or 849 unless you know someone in the Dominican Republic.
  2. If you never make international calls, ask your phone company to block outgoing international calls on your line (FCC advice).
  3. If you were charged after calling back, take it up with your phone company first. If that doesn't work, file a complaint with the FCC at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov and with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
  4. Check your bill line by line for premium, international or toll charges you don't recognize.

Check the exact number

A series tells you what kind of line called. To check the full number you got, use these free tools:

Frequently asked questions

What country is area code 809?

The Dominican Republic. 829 and 849 are overlay codes for the same country.

Is a call from 809 a scam?

Not by itself. Millions of Dominican numbers use these codes. The risk is calling back an unknown number after a one-ring missed call, which is billed as an international call.

Can I tell if an 809 number is a mobile?

No. All three codes cover the whole country, and number portability lets people keep their number when they switch operators.

Why does 809 look like a US area code?

The Dominican Republic shares the +1 country code with the US and Canada under the North American Numbering Plan, so its numbers have the same 3+7 digit format.

Sources

Numbering facts on this page come from the regulator or operator sources below, checked November 9, 2026. We never publish individual personal phone numbers.

  • FCC Consumer Guide - 'One Ring' Phone Scam (last reviewed May 15, 2019; read via Wayback Machine copy because fcc.gov blocked automated access) (fcc.gov)
  • FCC 'One Ring' Phone Scam - Wayback Machine copy used for verification (web.archive.org)
  • FTC Consumer Alert - 'One-ring' cell phone scam can ding your wallet (Feb 2014) (consumer.ftc.gov)
  • NANPA - NPA (area code) database report, file dated 11/09/2026 (reports.nanpa.com)
  • INDOTEL - Resolución 142-10, Plan Técnico Fundamental de Numeración (modified by 078-19) (indotel.gob.do)

Other number series