Vanity 1300 Numbers Australia: Custom Numbers, Costs, and How to Get One

This guide covers how vanity 1300 numbers work in Australia, how to get one through the ACMA smartnumbers system, what they cost, the rules around advertising them, and whether they are compatible with a standard Australian VOIP phone system. By the end you will know whether a vanity number is worth pursuing for your business and how to go about getting one.

What a Vanity 1300 Number Is

All Australian phone keypads map letters to numbers: 2 = ABC, 3 = DEF, 4 = GHI, and so on. A vanity number uses this mapping to make a phone number spell a word. 1300 PLUMBER, for example, maps to 1300 758 623. A customer who sees "1300 PLUMBER" on a van or billboard can dial the word and reach the business without writing down or remembering a string of digits.

Vanity numbers sit within the standard 1300 number framework. A 1300 number, or shared cost service number, is a 10-digit number in the format 1300 XXX XXX. The caller pays a local call rate from a landline; the business pays an access charge and per-minute rates. A vanity 1300 number is simply a 1300 number whose digit sequence corresponds to a meaningful word or phrase.

How Smartnumbers Works in Australia

ACMA (the Australian Communications and Media Authority) manages a program called smartnumbers for 1300, 1800, and 13-series numbers with commercial or mnemonic value. Desirable number sequences are auctioned via the smartnumbers marketplace at smartnumbers.com.au, which is operated by the ACMA-authorised wholesaler Communications Alliance.

The auction process works as follows. Candidate numbers are advertised for a set registration period (typically 20 business days). Any business can bid. At the close of the registration period, the highest bidder wins the right to use the number. The number is then assigned to a carriage service provider (your VOIP or telecommunications provider), who activates it on your service.

Not all 1300 numbers go through smartnumbers. Standard 1300 numbers with no particular mnemonic value are available directly through telecommunications providers at no auction premium. Smartnumbers applies only to numbers that have been identified as having commercial or mnemonic desirability.

How Much Does a Vanity 1300 Number Cost?

The cost of a vanity 1300 number has two components: the auction price (one-off, paid at acquisition) and ongoing monthly costs (carriage charges from your provider).

Auction prices vary widely based on how desirable the number is. Highly sought-after sequences (single common words, short phrases) can sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Numbers that spell industry-specific terms with less competition may go for a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. In 2024 and 2025, median auction prices for moderately desirable vanity numbers ranged from approximately $500 to $5,000 AUD. Very desirable numbers (single common English words, numbers popular in multiple industries) regularly exceed $10,000.

Ongoing costs are the same as a standard 1300 number: a monthly service fee from your provider (typically $10 to $30 per month for a basic 1300 service) plus per-minute call charges from mobiles (callers on mobiles pay mobile rates to call 1300 numbers; the business does not pay for those calls unless they opt into a mobile answering component). For a detailed breakdown of standard 1300 number pricing, see our guide on 1300 numbers in Australia.

How to Check Whether a Vanity Number Is Available

The smartnumbers marketplace at smartnumbers.com.au has a search tool that lets you enter a word or phrase and shows you the corresponding number sequence and its current availability status. Numbers can be: available immediately through a provider (not listed as smartnumbers, no auction required), available via smartnumbers auction, or currently assigned to an existing user.

If the number you want is currently assigned, it is not available for acquisition unless the current holder surrenders it or the number reaches the end of its assignment period. There is no legal mechanism to purchase a number from its current holder through ACMA. Secondary market transfers do happen in practice but they are informal and carry risk.

ACMA Rules for Advertising 1300 Numbers

ACMA publishes specific rules for how 1300, 1800, and 13-series numbers must be advertised. The core rule is that the numeric form of the number must be displayed wherever the mnemonic (word) form is shown. If your advertisement says "call 1300 PLUMBER," it must also show "1300 758 623" in equal or greater prominence. You cannot advertise the word form alone.

This rule exists because not all phone keypads display letters, and callers should be able to dial the number without decoding the mnemonic. The requirement applies to all advertising formats: print, digital, outdoor, broadcast, and vehicle signage. Breaching this requirement is an ACMA compliance matter and can result in formal warnings or fines for repeat offenders.

For the full regulatory picture, see our guide on ACMA 1300 number regulations.

Are Vanity 1300 Numbers Compatible With VOIP?

Yes. A 1300 number, including a vanity number, is a routing number. It directs incoming calls to a destination number you specify. That destination can be a fixed line, a mobile, or a VOIP service. For businesses using a hosted VOIP phone system, the 1300 number is simply pointed at your VOIP service number and calls arrive there like any other inbound call.

Most AU VOIP providers can accept 1300 number portability and manage 1300 numbers as part of their service. If you are acquiring a new vanity 1300 number, you apply for it via smartnumbers and then have it assigned to your VOIP provider. If you have an existing 1300 number and want to port it to a new VOIP provider, the porting process for 1300 numbers is slightly more involved than for standard geographic numbers. See our guide to porting a 1300 number to VOIP for the process and timeline.

Is a Vanity 1300 Number Worth It for Your Business?

A vanity number delivers the most value when the number will appear prominently in advertising where potential customers see it without the context of your business name. Vehicle signage, billboards, radio ads, and TV spots are the classic use cases. A customer who hears "call 1300 PLUMBER" once in a radio ad can recall it when they need a plumber three weeks later. A standard number sequence cannot do that.

For businesses that operate primarily through referral, repeat customers, or digital channels where the number is hyperlinked, a vanity number has limited practical advantage over a standard 1300 number. The premium for the vanity sequence is hard to justify when customers are clicking a link or saving a contact rather than dialling from memory.

The honest calculation: estimate how many calls per year could be attributed to a customer remembering a memorable number versus looking you up. Multiply that by the average value of a new customer. Compare against the auction cost amortised over five years plus the monthly service cost. If the numbers work, a vanity number is a legitimate investment. If your business model does not depend on phone number recall, a standard 1300 number delivers the same technical functionality at no auction premium.

What Most Businesses Get Wrong

The most common mistake is purchasing a vanity 1300 number before confirming a VOIP provider can accept it and route it correctly. Confirm with your provider that they can host a 1300 number and what their monthly fee for the 1300 service is, before committing to the auction.

The second mistake is advertising the word form of the number without displaying the numeric equivalent. This is an ACMA compliance requirement, not a suggestion. Every piece of advertising material showing "1300 YOURWORD" must also show the full numeric form. Build this into your design templates from the start.

The third mistake is assuming a vanity number is available because a search for the word does not show it in common use. Check smartnumbers.com.au directly. Many numbers that appear to be unused are assigned to a business that simply does not advertise them prominently.

Your Next Steps

Search for your target word or phrase at smartnumbers.com.au and check availability and any current auction activity. Confirm with your current or intended VOIP provider that they can manage 1300 numbers and what their monthly hosting fee is. Review the ACMA advertising rules for 1300 numbers before finalising any marketing creative. For comparison, review our 1300 vs 1800 number guide to confirm a 1300 number is the right type for your business.