In any emergency in Kuwait dial 112 – it connects to police, ambulance and fire from any phone, free of charge. The other numbers expats need most are the MOH hotline 151, PACI 1889988 for Civil ID questions, PAM 103 for labour complaints, 135 for consumer complaints, 152 for electricity and water emergencies and 150 for road hazards. All numbers below are dialled without a prefix inside Kuwait; add +965 when calling from abroad.
On this page
- Emergency numbers in Kuwait
- Government service numbers
- Telecom customer care: Zain, Ooredoo and stc
- Bank call centres
- Taxis, pharmacies and car rental
- Which number to call – common situations
- Medical help: when to call and where to go
- Numbers to save in your phone on day one
- Is 1800200 a Kuwait number? (talabat)
- How phone numbers work in Kuwait
- Avoiding phone scams in Kuwait
- Frequently asked questions
- Related guides
Emergency numbers in Kuwait
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Emergency – police, ambulance, fire | 112 |
| Ambulance headquarters (Emergency Medical Services) | 24722000 |
| Civil Defense | 1804000 |
| Coast Guard | 1880888 |
112 is the single emergency number for police, ambulance and fire. It works from mobiles and landlines, from any network, and even from a phone without credit. Operators speak Arabic and English. Save it in your phone and teach it to children and domestic workers.
When you call 112, say the area, block, street and building number first, then a nearby landmark such as a co-op, mosque or petrol station. If asked, share your live location on WhatsApp. Stay on the line until the operator ends the call.
Government service numbers
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Health hotline (medical enquiries) | 151 |
| PACI (Civil ID) | 1889988 |
| Public Authority for Manpower (labour complaints) | 103 |
| Ministry of Commerce – consumer complaints | 135 |
| Kuwait Municipality – complaints | 139 |
| Ministry of Public Works – road emergencies (potholes, flooding) | 150 |
| Electricity & water emergencies (MEW) | 152 |
| CITRA (telecom regulator complaints) | 125 |
Short three-digit numbers work from both mobiles and landlines. Seven-digit numbers starting with 18 are toll-free or local-rate service lines. Many government services also respond on WhatsApp and through the Sahel app, which is often faster than calling during busy periods.
Telecom customer care: Zain, Ooredoo and stc
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Zain customer care | 107 |
| Ooredoo customer care | 121 |
| stc customer care | 102 |
- Call these numbers from your own line for account issues, lost SIM cards and bill disputes.
- Balance checks are quicker by code: for example, stc prepaid balance is *555#. Zain and Ooredoo show balance in their apps.
- If a telecom complaint is not resolved, escalate it to CITRA on 125 with your complaint reference number.
- For new lines and SIM registration, see our new SIM card guide.
Bank call centres
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) | 1801801 |
| Kuwait Finance House (KFH) | 1803333 |
| Gulf Bank | 1805805 |
| Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) | 1888225 |
| Burgan Bank | 1804080 |
| Boubyan Bank | 1820082 |
| Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) | 1899899 |
| Warba Bank | 1825555 |
| Kuwait International Bank (KIB) | 1866866 |
Call your bank immediately if your card is lost, stolen or used without your permission – most banks also let you freeze the card instantly in the app. Never share your PIN, CVV or OTP with anyone who calls you, even if they say they are from the bank, the Central Bank or a ministry; real banks never ask for these on the phone.
Taxis, pharmacies and car rental
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Al Hajery pharmacy hotline | 1800077 |
| Basha Taxi | 1808055 |
| Al-Areej Taxi | 1808022 |
| Hertz car rental – airport (24h) | 24319326 |
| National car rental – airport | 24343470 |
Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem are widely used, but call-taxi companies are still useful for airport runs and late nights. For full lists of taxi companies and their fares, see our taxi guide; for pharmacies open all night, see 24-hour pharmacies in Kuwait.
Which number to call – common situations
- Accident, crime, fire or medical emergency: 112. Give the area, block, street and a landmark.
- Minor traffic accident with no injuries: move the cars if it is safe and go to the nearest police station; call 112 only if the road is blocked or someone is hurt.
- Power cut or water outage: 152 (MEW), and check your bill is paid – see MEW bills.
- Unpaid salary or passport held by employer: PAM 103 or Sahel → Public Authority for Manpower – see the Labour Law guide.
- Overcharged by a shop, taxi or tow truck: Ministry of Commerce 135 with your invoice.
- Civil ID not ready or lost: PACI 1889988 – see PACI services.
- Medical question that is not an emergency: MOH hotline 151, or book a clinic visit online.
- Pothole, flooded road or fallen sign: Ministry of Public Works 150.
- Rubbish, illegal street vendors or building violations: Kuwait Municipality 139.
Medical help: when to call and where to go
For a life-threatening problem – chest pain, breathing difficulty, severe bleeding, a serious accident – call 112 and ask for an ambulance. For urgent but not life-threatening problems, go to the emergency department of the nearest government hospital or a private hospital. Expats with a valid health insurance card pay a small fee at government emergency rooms; private hospitals charge their own rates unless you have private insurance. Our guides to private hospitals and expat health insurance explain the costs.
For non-urgent questions, the MOH hotline 151 can direct you to the right clinic, and your local primary health centre handles routine visits, vaccinations and prescriptions. Keep your Civil ID with you – it is your health card.
Numbers to save in your phone on day one
- 112 – all emergencies.
- Your embassy’s emergency line – take it from the embassy’s official website or social-media account, not from a third-party list.
- Your employer’s HR and your sponsor – needed for residency, visas and emergencies.
- Your building watchman (haris) and landlord – for water leaks, lifts and power problems.
- Your bank’s call centre – to block a card quickly.
- A taxi company and your nearest 24-hour pharmacy.
Also write your full address – area, block, street, building and flat – in your phone notes in English and Arabic. In an emergency you or someone helping you can read it out to the operator.
Is 1800200 a Kuwait number? (talabat)
Many people search for 1800200. Third-party directories list it as the Kuwait hotline of the food-delivery app talabat. We could not confirm it on an official talabat page, and talabat directs most customers to the live chat in the app’s Help section, which is usually the fastest way to sort out a late order, a refund or a missing item. Be careful with “customer care” numbers found on social media – scammers post fake numbers to steal card details.
How phone numbers work in Kuwait
| Type | Format | Example of use |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile numbers | 8 digits, usually starting with 5, 6 or 9 | Personal and WhatsApp numbers |
| Landlines | 8 digits starting with 2 | Offices, hospitals, rental counters |
| Short service numbers | 3 digits (for example 112, 151, 152) | Emergency and government hotlines |
| Service lines | 7 digits starting with 18 | Banks, PACI, taxi companies |
| From abroad | +965 followed by the 8-digit number | Calling Kuwait from another country |
Kuwait has no area codes, so the same 8-digit number works from anywhere in the country. Because customers can keep their number when switching networks, the first digit no longer reliably tells you which operator a mobile belongs to. To call home from Kuwait, dial 00 (or +), then your country code and number. Many expats use WhatsApp or other internet calls for family calls, but emergency and government numbers must be dialled as normal phone calls.
Avoiding phone scams in Kuwait
- Government bodies do not ask for card numbers, CVV codes or OTPs by phone or WhatsApp.
- Fake messages about unpaid traffic fines, parcels or Civil ID renewals often include links to look-alike websites. Pay only on official sites such as moi.gov.kw, paci.gov.kw or in Sahel.
- Hang up on callers who claim your bank account will be frozen unless you act immediately, then call your bank on the number printed on your card.
- Report fraud attempts to your bank and to the Ministry of Interior.
- Do not install apps or remote-access tools that a caller asks you to download – they can give the caller control of your phone and your banking app.
- If you have already shared card details, block the card in your bank app at once and call the bank; quick action often stops the fraudulent payment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the emergency number in Kuwait?
112 for police, ambulance and fire.
Is 112 free from a mobile without credit?
Yes. Emergency calls are free and work from any network.
What is the PACI phone number?
1889988.
What is the Ministry of Health hotline in Kuwait?
151 for medical enquiries.
How do I complain about my employer in Kuwait?
Call the Public Authority for Manpower on 103 or file a complaint through Sahel.
What number do I call for a power cut in Kuwait?
152, the MEW emergency line.
What is 1800200?
Directories list it as talabat’s Kuwait hotline; we could not verify it officially, and the in-app chat is talabat’s main support channel.
What is Kuwait’s country code?
+965. Kuwaiti numbers have 8 digits and no area codes.