Service numbers in the Netherlands come in two variants: short and long service numbers.

Short numbers are 8 digits long, consisting of 4 digits after the 0800/0900 prefix (e.g., 0800-xxxx). Long numbers are 11 digits in total, consisting of 7 digits after the prefix (e.g., 0800-xxxx xxx).

A short number is slightly more expensive to request because the ACM (formerly OPTA) charges additional fees for it.

But how do you know if your chosen number is short or long?

Example

If you want a number, for example, 0800-3931, it’s important to know if this number fits the length defined in the number plan. The number plan specifies which series are short or long. This is predetermined to avoid confusion. After all, people need to know whether the number 0800-0303 can be registered or if it’s 0800-0303 0303 3.

The number 0800-3931 cannot be registered. As you can see in the table below, 0800-3 is defined as a long series.

The number 0800-0303 can be registered. However, the number 0800-03 03 030 cannot. This is because 0800-03 xx is defined as a short series. The number plan makes this clear.

It takes a moment to look at the schema, but once you understand it, it’s easy to follow. Alternatively, you can check the 0800 and 0900 pages to see if a number is available!

0800 Number Plan Table

0900 Number Plan Table

You can also find the number plan on overheid.nl.