E26 vs E27, what's the difference?

E26 stands for 26 mm and the E27 for 27 mm in diameter.
These two standards are interchangeable, meaning a US E26 will fit in a European E27 base, and E27 will fit in a E26 base. The only difference is the voltage (for light bulbs).
In fact there is only 1 mm difference between the threads of E26 and E27, so they are virtually identical. Still, it's important to buy the correct bulb certified for use in your country. This is because each country and region of the world have different certifications.

An easy reference for which light bulb type is used in major markets is as follows:

• United States - E26 Edison Screw
• Canada - E26 Edison Screw
• Japan & Taiwan - E26 Edison Screw
• Australia - E27 Edison Screw (or B22 Bayonet Cap)
• Europe - E27 Edison Screw
• United Kingdom - E27 Edison Screw (or B22 Bayonet Cap)

The following countries use E26 bulbs
Anguilla, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Venezuela and British Virgin Islands.
 

The following countries use E27 bulbs
Afghanistan, Aland Islands, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia And Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Comoros, Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Cook Islands, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Heard Island And Mcdonald Islands, Holy See (Vatican City State), Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic Of Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Isle Of Man, Israel, Italy, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, The Republic Of, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Republic of Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territory, Occupied, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts And Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre And Miquelon, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome And Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard And Jan Mayen, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, (United Republic Of) Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks And Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis And Futuna, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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