Phone Number Format Naming Conventions
Summary: Use XXX-XXX-XXXX format on paper and digital.

The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) formatting convention for phone numbers is NPA-NXX-XXXX, where NPA is the three-digit area code and NXX-XXXX is the seven-digit subscriber number.
- The prefix NXX of the subscriber number is a code for the local central office, unique in the numbering plan area.
- The place holder N stands for the digits 2 to 9, as the subscriber number may not begin with the digits 0 and 1.
- Mandatory ten-digit dialing rules require the area code to be dialed for all calls. The trunk code 1 may be optional for local calls in some areas.
Phone Number Recognition
Phone Number Formats Google Prefers
XXX-XXX-XXXX or (XXX) XXX-XXXX ranked the best for every phone number format search.
Phone Number Formats Google Does Not Recognize
The phone number format you should avoid at all costs is XXX.XXX.XXXX
Two other formats that Google did not rank in most cases (XXX)XXXXXXX and (XXX) XXXXXXX
Formats that may appear…but not always. (XXX)XXX-XXXX, XXX XXX XXXX, (XXX) XXX XXXX and (XXX)XXX-XXXX
Phone Number HTML Code
Phone number “click to call” HTML code:
