The 212 area code covers New York City.
Area code 212 is in New York, on Eastern Time. It has been in service since 1947. 332, 646 and 917 cover the same area, so two neighbours can have different area codes.
- Where
- New York City, New York
- Time zone
- Eastern Time
- In service since
- 1947, one of the original area codes
- Shares its area with
- 332 (since 2017), 646 (since 1999) and 917 (since 1992)
- Prefixes in use
- 784
- How to dial
- Local calls need 1, then the area code, then the number: 1-212-555-0142.
Find out who called you from a 212 number.
Enter the full 10-digit number to see who it is listed to and the city and state on the listing. It is the same free check as our who called me lookup. To see only the caller ID name on the number, use our free CNAM lookup. To see whether it is a mobile, a landline or a VoIP line, use our free VoIP checker. To see which carrier a (212) number is on today, use our free carrier lookup.
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New York City holds every phone prefix in area code 212.
A prefix is the three digits after the area code, and NANPA assigns each one to a town. Counting the 784 prefixes in use shows where 212 numbers are actually given out.
- New York City784 prefixes, 100%
Of the carriers named here, TC Systems holds the most phone number prefixes in area code 212: 50 of 784.
NANPA, which runs the North American numbering plan, assigns each prefix (the three digits after the area code) to one carrier. Here is how the 784 prefixes in use in 212 divide between carriers; holders this page does not name are grouped as other carriers.
| Carrier | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TC Systems | 50 | 6% |
| Level 3 (Lumen)Lumen's business and wholesale network | 17 | 2% |
| PAETEC (Windstream)Windstream's business phone network | 11 | 1% |
| RCN Telecom Services | 6 | <1% |
| BandwidthSupplies numbers to VoIP and app-based phone services | 5 | <1% |
| Cablevision Lightpath | 2 | <1% |
| 11 other carriers | 693 | 88% |
18% of these prefixes are pooled, which means the blocks of 1,000 numbers inside them can belong to other carriers. Any number can also have been moved to another carrier since, so this shows who holds the prefixes, not who serves a given number.
Want the carrier of one exact number? Our free carrier lookup checks it, because numbers move between carriers.
Source: NANPA central office code assignments, October 1, 2026.
212 has been split once and overlaid 3 times since 1947.
1947
212 is one of the original North American area codes.
1984
On September 1, 1984, 718 splits off and takes part of the 212 area.
1992
917 is added on top of 212, so new numbers here can get either code.
1999
On July 1, 1999, 646 is added on top of 212, so new numbers here can get either code.
2017
On June 10, 2017, 332 is added on top of 212, so new numbers here can get either code.
A 212 number on your screen can still be a scam, because caller ID is easy to fake.
- Let an unknown call go to voicemail. A real caller leaves a message; a robocaller usually does not.
- Look the number up with the box above before you call back, because calling back tells a robocaller your line is live.
- Hang up on anyone who wants gift cards, crypto or a wire transfer, or asks you to read out a code that was just texted to you.
- Report unwanted robocalls at reportfraud.ftc.gov, or paste a suspicious message into our free scam checker.
The area codes closest to 212 are 201, 914 and 516.
This list measures the distance between the centres of each area, across state lines, and shows codes that share one area together.
New York has 22 other area codes.
These are the questions people ask most about area code 212.
Where is area code 212?
212 covers New York City in New York.
What state is area code 212 in?
New York. 212 is a New York area code on Eastern Time.
Which phone company owns area code 212?
No single phone company owns 212. NANPA's records list its 784 prefixes across many carriers, and the ones named on this page include TC Systems, Level 3 (Lumen) and PAETEC (Windstream). Numbers move between carriers, so check one exact number with a carrier lookup.
What time zone is area code 212 in?
212 is on Eastern Time.
When did area code 212 start?
212 is one of the original North American area codes, in service since 1947.
Is 212 the same area as 332, 646 and 917?
Yes. 332 (since 2017), 646 (since 1999) and 917 (since 1992) cover the same ground as 212. Nobody's number changed when they were added; new lines simply get whichever code has numbers left, so two neighbours can have different codes.
How do I dial a 212 number?
Local calls need 1, then the area code, then the number: 1-212-555-0142.
Is 212 a toll-free number?
No. 212 is a regular area code for New York City in New York, not a toll-free one. The toll-free codes in North America are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.
What area codes are near 212?
The closest are 201/551 (Hackensack, New Jersey), 914 (Westchester County, New York), 516/363 (Nassau County, New York) and 973/862 (Newark, New Jersey), measured between the centres of each area.
Who called me from a 212 number?
Enter the full 10-digit number in the lookup above. It returns the listed owner where there is a public record, where the number is registered, and whether it is a mobile, a landline or a VoIP line.
Is area code 212 a scam?
212 is a real New York area code, so the code itself is not a warning sign. Scam callers fake local-looking numbers on purpose, so judge the call by what the caller asks for, and look the number up before calling back.
Put this lookup on your site: our free area code widget takes two lines of code and shows any US area code's state, time zone and local time.
Source: NANPA, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator: its area code database and prefix assignments, as of October 1, 2026.