Last updated: 12 July 2025
When you are going on a trip to Laos, be sure to pack the appropriate travel plug adapter that fits the local sockets. But what do those electrical outlets look like? Laos uses U.S. style plugs and outlets (types A & B), but at the same time it also uses type C, which is why most sockets in Laos are designed to accept both types.
The voltage in Laos is 230 volts and the frequency is 50 Hz.
Socket that accepts types A and B as well as C
Since Laos mixes two kinds of plugs and sockets, most outlets are hybrids that work with both. There are two types of universal sockets: the ungrounded version (which accepts types A and C) and the grounded version (which supports types A, B and C).
Keep in mind, that despite using American-style plugs, Laos's electricity does not run at 120 volts, but at 230 volts. Because of this, tourists from North and Central America — where the standard voltage is 120 volts — should make sure their appliances can handle 230 V. Always check your device’s voltage specification to avoid any issues: "INPUT: 100-240 V" means that your appliance is multi-voltage and that it will work with any voltage between 100 V and 240 V. Luckily, many travel gadgets (such as laptops or phone chargers) are multi or dual voltage, so most tourists will not have a problem. If your device is single voltage (e.g. "INPUT: 120V"), you will need a transformer to step down the voltage.
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.
