Plug & socket types

Last updated: 22 January 2024

Plug & socket types around the world

There are currently 15 types of domestic electrical outlet plugs in use worldwide, each of which has been assigned a letter by the US Department of Commerce International Trade Administration (ITA), starting with A and moving through the alphabet. These letters are completely arbitrary: they don’t actually mandate anything.

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.

Type A

mainly used in the USA, Canada, Mexico & Japan
2 pins
not grounded
15 A
almost always 100 – 127 V
socket compatible with plug type A

Type B

mainly used in the USA, Canada & Mexico
3 pins
grounded
15 A
almost always 100 – 127 V
socket compatible with plug types A & B

Type C

commonly used in Europe, South America & Asia
2 pins
not grounded
2.5 A, 10 A & 16 A
almost always 220 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug type C

Type D

mainly used in India
3 pins
grounded
6 A
220 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug type D (partial and unsafe compatibility with C, E & F)

Type E

primarily used in France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia & Czechia
2 pins
grounded
16 A
220 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug types C, E & F

Type F

used almost everywhere in Europe & Russia, except for the UK & Ireland
2 pins
grounded
16 A
220 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug types C, E & F

Type G

mainly used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, Malaysia, Singapore & the Arabian Peninsula
3 pins
grounded
13 A
220 – 250 V
socket compatible with plug type G

Type H

used exclusively in Israel, the West Bank & the Gaza Strip
3 pins
grounded
16 A
220 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug types C & H (partial and unsafe compatibility with E & F)

Type I

mainly used in Australia, New Zealand, China & Argentina
2 or 3 pins
2 pins: not grounded / 3 pins: grounded
10 A
220 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug type I

Type J

used almost exclusively in Switzerland & Liechtenstein
3 pins
grounded
10 A
220 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug types C & J

Type K

used almost exclusively in Denmark & Greenland
3 pins
grounded
16 A
220 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug types C & K (partial and unsafe compatibility with E & F)

Type L

used almost exclusively in Italy & Chile
3 pins
grounded
10 A & 16 A
220 – 240 V
10 A socket compatible with plug types C & L (10 A version)
16 A socket compatible with plug type L (16 A version)

Type M

mainly used in South Africa
3 pins
grounded
16 A
220 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug type M

Type N

used in Brazil and South Africa
3 pins
grounded
10 A, 16 A & 20 A
100 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug types C & N

Type O

used exclusively in Thailand
3 pins
grounded
16 A
220 – 240 V
socket compatible with plug types C & O (partial and unsafe compatibility with E & F)