Which number should I call in an emergency or when I need a doctor at night?
In short
It depends on the situation: 112 for an ambulance or the fire service, 101 for urgent police help, and 1733 for the duty doctor out of hours.
Video transcript
You have a fever in the middle of the night. You don't know which number to call. It depends: Ambulance and fire service 112, urgent police 101. Doctor on duty outside office hours 1733. Never call emergency lines as a joke. The right way: If it's not urgent, call 1733. If someone is unconscious or can't breathe, call 112 right away. Other numbers: Poison Centre: 070 245 245; Lost card: Card Stop: 078 170 170; To talk to someone: 106 (NL) · 107 (FR).
What is not allowed, what is required?
- 112: ambulance and fire service. It is free throughout Europe. 101: urgent police help.
- Out-of-hours duty doctor (huisarts van wacht / médecin de garde): 1733.
- If you suspect poisoning, call the Poison Centre (Antigifcentrum / Centre Antipoisons): 070 245 245. In an emergency, such as loss of consciousness or difficulty breathing, call 112 straight away.
- If your bank card is lost or stolen, call Card Stop straight away: 078 170 170.
- If you need someone to talk to: Tele-Onthaal 106 (Dutch) and Télé-Accueil 107 (French), both open 24/7. In Flanders, 1712 for violence and abuse (free, confidential, working days 09:00–18:00).
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- There is no penalty for calling the wrong number. But calling emergency lines for no reason or as a prank can lead to prosecution.
Legal basis:112.be – FAQ
- Court / prison
- In cases of misuse, the court decides the penalty; there is no penalty at all if you use the lines properly.
Legal basis:112.be – FAQ
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- Unnecessary calls tie up the line for someone in a real emergency
- If you do not block your card straight away, the risk of misuse increases
Legal basis:Cass. C.25.0390.N (WER, art. VII.44 §1)
- For health problems that are not urgent, call your GP or 1733 first
Why does this rule exist?
Calling the right number means the right team can get help to you as quickly as possible. Keeping emergency lines free for real emergencies saves lives.
Where can you go?
- The organisation that pays your benefitPension: Federal Pension Service (FPD / SFP) · Unemployment: RVA / ONEM or your payment organisation (trade union / HVW-CAPAC) · Sickness: ziekenfonds / mutualité
- OCMW / CPASQuestions about social assistance and social housing
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 10 / 10 statements in an official source
- Checked: 12.10.2026
- Last checked
- 12.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 10 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
112 ambulans ve itfaiye, Avrupa'da ücretsiz; 101 acil polis
112.be – Nummers - Found in an official source
1733 nöbetçi doktor
112.be – Nummers - Found in an official source
Antigifcentrum 070 245 245; acil durumda 112
Antigifcentrum – Wanneer bellen? - Found in an official source
Card Stop 078 170 170
Card Stop – ana sayfa - Found in an official source
Tele-Onthaal 106, 7/24
Tele-Onthaal – ana sayfa - Found in an official source
Télé-Accueil 107, ücretsiz, 7/24
Télé-Accueil - Found in an official source
1712 Flandre: ücretsiz, gizli, iş günleri 9–18
Vlaanderen.be – Hulplijn 1712 - Found in an official source
Acil hatları sebepsiz aramak kovuşturmaya yol açabilir
112.be – FAQ - Found in an official source
Acil numaraları sebepsiz/şaka amaçlı aramak hukuki işleme ve ceza kovuşturmasına yol açabilir
112.be – FAQ - Found in an official source
Kayıp/çalıntı bildirilene kadar izinsiz ödemelerden kart sahibi kural olarak 50 €'ya kadar sorumludur
Cass. C.25.0390.N (WER, art. VII.44 §1)
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?