---
name: "phone_rent_number"
area: "phone"
title: "Rent a phone number"
price: "quoted, up to $25.00"
method: "POST"
url: "https://api.conecto.chat/v1/tools/phone_rent_number"
mcp_server: "https://api.conecto.chat/mcp/phone"
auth: "Authorization: Bearer <conecto_sk_ key>"
docs_url: "https://conecto.chat/tools/phone/phone_rent_number"
---

# Rent a phone number (`phone_rent_number`)

Rents a number found by phone_search_numbers; this call pays the first month.

Rent a number found by phone_search_numbers. It is the business's at once; callers reach the AI assistant after phone_setup_assistant has run. This call pays the first month; it then renews monthly from the balance (if the balance is short there are 7 days' grace, then the number is released). Up to 5 numbers per account.

Price: Quoted, up to $25.00. A call that fails costs nothing.

## Use it when

A number from the search should become the business's.

## Say this to your agent

> Take the first of those Portland numbers.

## Inputs

| Name | Type | Required | Description | Allowed values | Default |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| `quote` | string | yes | The quote of the number to rent, from phone_search_numbers. 20 to 4,000 characters. |  |  |

## Example

Written for Halverson Cycle & Repair, a bike shop with a repair workshop in Portland, Oregon.

MCP: call `phone_rent_number` on the MCP server `https://api.conecto.chat/mcp/phone` with these arguments:

```json
{
  "quote": "eyJudW1iZXIiOiIrMTUwMzU1NTAxMjMiLCJwcmljZSI6MjAwMDAwMH0:1xGmQn:v3kV9o2bS8yq1Xn0Lr5tF7cQ"
}
```

REST:

```bash
curl https://api.conecto.chat/v1/tools/phone_rent_number \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CONECTO_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"quote": "eyJudW1iZXIiOiIrMTUwMzU1NTAxMjMiLCJwcmljZSI6MjAwMDAwMH0:1xGmQn:v3kV9o2bS8yq1Xn0Lr5tF7cQ"}'
```

## Response

```json
{
  "call_id": "5f0c8a2e-3b7d-4c1e-9a64-2d8e1f7b0c93",
  "tool": "phone_rent_number",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "replayed": false,
  "cost_usd": "$2.00",
  "balance_usd": "$19.75",
  "result": {
    "line": {
      "number": "+15035550123",
      "country": "US",
      "type": "local",
      "locality": "Portland",
      "status": "active",
      "monthly_usd": "$2.00",
      "renews_at": "2026-11-14T08:00:00+00:00",
      "payment_due": false,
      "released_if_unpaid_by": null
    },
    "next": "Run phone_setup_assistant (greeting, timezone and answer_with) so the line answers. Until then callers get a busy signal and nothing is charged."
  }
}
```

`result`: line: the number, country, type, locality, status, monthly price, renewal date and payment state, and what to do next.

## Errors

| Code | Status | When | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| `quote_expired` | 409 | The quote is older than 30 minutes, or belongs to another account. | Search again with phone_search_numbers and use a new quote. |
| `payment_required` | 402 | The balance is still free credit; numbers need one real top-up. | Top up once (POST /v1/topups), then rent the number. |
| `number_taken` | 409 | Someone else rented the number first. | Search again and pick another number. |
| `carrier_refused` | 409 | The carrier would not sell the number just now. | Search again or pick another number; nothing was charged. |
| `price_too_high` | 409 | The number costs more than agents can rent today. | Pick another number. |
| `limit_reached` | 409 | The business rents as many numbers as it may. | Release one it no longer needs with phone_release_number. |
| `carrier_error` | 502 | The carrier returned a different number. | Search again and rent another one. |
| `phone_unavailable` | 503 | The phone service is not switched on yet, or has no voices right now. | Try again later; nothing was charged. |

The refusals every tool can give (401 key, 402 balance, 429 limits) are on the errors page: https://conecto.chat/docs/errors.md

## Related

- [phone_search_numbers](https://conecto.chat/tools/phone/phone_search_numbers.md): Phone numbers the business can rent right now, each with the monthly price and a quote to rent it. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month.
- [phone_setup_assistant](https://conecto.chat/tools/phone/phone_setup_assistant.md): Sets how the business's numbers answer (the agent's webhook or taking messages), the greeting, voice and hours, and whether messages become tickets. $0.001 a call.
- [phone_get_assistant](https://conecto.chat/tools/phone/phone_get_assistant.md): How the business's numbers answer, whether they answer right now (and why not), and the voices to choose from. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month.
- [phone_list_numbers](https://conecto.chat/tools/phone/phone_list_numbers.md): The numbers the business rents, with their monthly price and next renewal. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month.
- [phone_list_calls](https://conecto.chat/tools/phone/phone_list_calls.md): Calls to and from the business's numbers, newest first: who, when, how long and what it cost, missed ones included. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month.
- [phone_get_call](https://conecto.chat/tools/phone/phone_get_call.md): One call with its whole transcript: who said what, and when. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month.
- [phone_release_number](https://conecto.chat/tools/phone/phone_release_number.md): Gives a number back for good: it stops answering at once and its rent ends. Free.