Last updated: 2 January 2026
When you are going on a trip to Argentina, be sure to pack the appropriate travel plug adapter that fits the local sockets. But what do those electrical outlets look like? Argentina has standardized on the Australasian type I plug and socket system, but because of the widespread use of the Europlug (Type C), many households and hotels have hybrid sockets supporting both types C and I.
The voltage in Argentina is 230 volts and the frequency is 50 Hz.
Type I is mainly used in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, China and Argentina. (Click here for the full list of all countries that use type I)
The standard 10-amp plug features two flat blades, each 1.6 mm thick, positioned at a 30° angle from the vertical to form an inverted V shape. The centers of these blades are spaced 13.7 mm apart, and both prongs measure 17.3 mm in length and 6.3 mm in width. The grounding blade is also flat, with dimensions of 6.3 mm by 1.6 mm, but it is slightly longer at 20 mm. The distance from the center of the grounding pin to the middle of the plug is 10.3 mm. There is also an ungrounded version of this plug, which includes only the two V-shaped prongs. Both versions incorporate insulated live and neutral pins, ensuring that even if the plug is partially inserted into a socket, touching the exposed sections of the prongs will not result in an electric shock.
The reason why the Argentinian type I plug looks so much like type A is that it actually comes from an old American design. It was patented back in 1916 by Harvey Hubbell II—the same engineer who invented the American type A plug. Hubbell’s three-blade design never really caught on in the U.S. because it did not work with the existing type A, but it was favoured in Argentina over the European type C and F systems.
In Australasia and Argentina, type I receptacles typically have the earth contact positioned downwards, whereas in China sockets usually have the earth contact at the top.
Argentinian hybrid socket that accepts both type C and type I plugs
The Europlug (type C) is very common in Argentina, which explains why many homes and hotels have hybrid sockets that support both types C and I.
Click here for a global map showing the spread of the different plug types used around the world.
Click here for a detailed list of the countries of the world with their respective plug and outlet types, voltage and frequency.
