The 686 area code covers the same area as 804, including Richmond, Petersburg and 45 more places in Virginia.
Area code 686 is in Virginia, on Eastern Time. In the 686 area, phone numbers are given out most in the City of Richmond, then Hanover and Chesterfield counties. It has been in service since February 1, 2024. 804 covers the same area, so two neighbours can have different area codes.
- Where
- 8 counties in Virginia, mostly City of Richmond, Hanover County and Chesterfield County
- Time zone
- Eastern Time
- In service since
- February 1, 2024
- Shares its area with
- 804 (since 1973)
- Prefixes in use
- 31
- How to dial
- Local calls need all 10 digits: 686-555-0142.
Find out who called you from a 686 number.
Enter the full 10-digit number to see who it is listed to, the city and state on the listing, and whether it is a mobile, landline or VoIP line. 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.
Richmond holds 52% of the phone prefixes in area code 686.
A prefix is the three digits after the area code, and NANPA assigns each one to a town. Counting the 31 prefixes in use shows where 686 numbers are actually given out.
- Richmond16 prefixes, 52%
- Chester2 prefixes, 6%
- Cartersville1 prefix, 3%
- Ashland1 prefix, 3%
- King William1 prefix, 3%
- Petersburg1 prefix, 3%
- Heathsville1 prefix, 3%
- Irvington1 prefix, 3%
Also served: Hopewell, Tappahannock, Warsaw and Powhatan and 35 smaller places.
Each prefix, or block of 1,000 numbers inside it, is also handed to a carrier. A number keeps its digits when its owner switches carrier, so the prefix no longer tells you who carries it today. Our free carrier lookup shows which carrier a 686 number is on now.
686 started in 2024 as an overlay on 804, and its ground has not changed since.
2024
686 starts on February 1, 2024, as an overlay on 804: new numbers on the same ground.
A 686 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 686 are 434, 540 and 757.
This list measures the distance between the centres of each area, across state lines, and shows codes that share one area together.
These are the questions people ask most about area code 686.
Where is area code 686?
686 covers Richmond, Petersburg, Chester and Ashland and 43 more places in Virginia. In the 686 area, phone numbers are given out most in the City of Richmond, then Hanover and Chesterfield counties.
What state is area code 686 in?
Virginia. 686 is a Virginia area code on Eastern Time.
What cities use area code 686?
The places holding the most 686 prefixes are Richmond, Petersburg, Chester, Ashland, Midlothian, Mechanicsville, Gloucester and Sandston, out of 47 places in all. The count comes from NANPA's prefix assignments as of October 1, 2026.
What time zone is area code 686 in?
686 is on Eastern Time.
When did area code 686 start?
686 went into service on February 1, 2024, as an overlay on 804: new numbers for the same area.
Is 686 the same area as 804?
Yes. 804 (since 1973) covers the same ground as 686. Nobody's number changed when it was added; new lines simply get whichever code has numbers left, so two neighbours can have different codes.
How do I dial a 686 number?
Local calls need all 10 digits: 686-555-0142.
Is 686 a toll-free number?
No. 686 is a regular area code for Richmond and Petersburg in Virginia, 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 686?
The closest are 434 (Charlottesville, Virginia), 540/826 (Roanoke, Virginia), 757/948 (Norfolk, Virginia) and 703/571 (Washington, D.C. suburbs, Virginia), measured between the centres of each area.
Who called me from a 686 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 686 a scam?
686 is a real Virginia 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.
Source: NANPA, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator: its area code database and prefix assignments, as of October 1, 2026.