The 986 area code covers the same area as 208, including Boise, Pocatello and 111 more places in Idaho.
Area code 986 is in Idaho, on Pacific Time. In the 986 area, phone numbers are given out most in Ada County, then Kootenai and Bonneville counties. It has been in service since September 5, 2017. 208 covers the same area, so two neighbours can have different area codes.
- Where
- 8 counties in Idaho, mostly Ada County, Kootenai County and Bonneville County
- Time zone
- Pacific Time
- In service since
- September 5, 2017
- Shares its area with
- 208 (since 1947)
- Prefixes in use
- 187
- How to dial
- Local calls need all 10 digits: 986-555-0142.
Find out who called you from a 986 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 (986) number is on today, use our free carrier lookup.
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Boise holds 17% of the phone prefixes in area code 986.
A prefix is the three digits after the area code, and NANPA assigns each one to a town. Counting the 187 prefixes in use shows where 986 numbers are actually given out.
- Boise32 prefixes, 17%
- Coeur d'Alene11 prefixes, 6%
- Idaho Falls10 prefixes, 5%
- Nampa7 prefixes, 4%
- Caldwell4 prefixes, 2%
- Sandpoint3 prefixes, 2%
- Emmett3 prefixes, 2%
- Moscow3 prefixes, 2%
Also served: Ketchum, Sandpoint, Moscow and Caldwell and 101 smaller places.
Fractel holds the most phone number prefixes in area code 986: 37 of 187.
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 187 prefixes in use in 986 divide between carriers; holders this page does not name are grouped as other carriers.
| Carrier | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fractel | 37 | 20% |
| Ton80 Communications | 26 | 14% |
| T-MobileMobile network | 14 | 7% |
| BandwidthSupplies numbers to VoIP and app-based phone services | 10 | 5% |
| AT&T MobilityMobile network | 5 | 3% |
| Nuso | 4 | 2% |
| 28 other carriers | 91 | 49% |
100% 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.
986 started in 2017 as an overlay on 208, and its ground has not changed since.
2017
986 starts on September 5, 2017, as an overlay on 208: new numbers on the same ground.
A 986 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.
These are the questions people ask most about area code 986.
Where is area code 986?
986 covers Boise, Pocatello, Idaho Falls and Coeur d'Alene and 109 more places in Idaho. In the 986 area, phone numbers are given out most in Ada County, then Kootenai and Bonneville counties.
What state is area code 986 in?
Idaho. 986 is an Idaho area code on Pacific Time.
What cities use area code 986?
The places holding the most 986 prefixes are Boise, Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Coeur d'Alene, Twin Falls, Nampa, Lewiston and Burley, out of 113 places in all. The count comes from NANPA's prefix assignments as of October 1, 2026.
Which phone company owns area code 986?
No single phone company owns 986. NANPA's records show Fractel holds the most 986 prefixes, 37 of 187, followed by Ton80 Communications and T-Mobile. Numbers move between carriers, so check one exact number with a carrier lookup.
What time zone is area code 986 in?
986 is on Pacific Time.
When did area code 986 start?
986 went into service on September 5, 2017, as an overlay on 208: new numbers for the same area.
Is 986 the same area as 208?
Yes. 208 (since 1947) covers the same ground as 986. 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 986 number?
Local calls need all 10 digits: 986-555-0142.
Is 986 a toll-free number?
No. 986 is a regular area code for Boise and Pocatello in Idaho, not a toll-free one. The toll-free codes in North America are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.
Who called me from a 986 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 986 a scam?
986 is a real Idaho 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.