Area code 206 is Seattle's area code. The FCC lists it as opened in January 1947. Splits in 1995 and 1997 moved most surrounding territory to other codes, and in 2025 the 564 overlay was added to the 206 area.
Quick answer
- 206 opened in January 1947 (FCC). Today the Washington UTC says it serves Seattle, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Mercer, Bainbridge, Vashon Island, the northern portion of Des Moines, and surrounding communities.
- The FCC lists 360 as opened in January 1995, and 253 and 425 in April 1997. Which territory each took from 206 comes from Wikipedia, not a regulator.
- The 564 overlay began in the 206 area on June 10, 2025. 564 numbers are issued once all 206 numbers are assigned. Existing 206 numbers do not change.
- Dial 10 digits for local calls, and 1 plus the area code and number for long distance (Washington UTC).
The essentials
206 area code: quick facts
| Area code | 206 |
| Coverage | Seattle, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Mercer, Bainbridge, Vashon Island, the northern portion of Des Moines, and surrounding communities (Washington UTC) |
| State | Washington |
| Time zone | Pacific Time (PT) |
| Opened | January 1947 (FCC) |
| Overlay code on the same territory | 564, in service in the 206 area since June 10, 2025 |
| Neighbor codes | 253 and 425 (April 1997), 360 (January 1995), 564 (overlay), 509 (eastern Washington) |
| Dialing | 10 digits for local calls: 3-digit area code plus 7-digit number |
| Country code | +1, the country code for the North American Numbering Plan |
How 206 became Seattle's code
- January 1947: Area code 206 opens, according to the FCC's Table 6. Wikipedia says it originally covered all of Washington state; no regulator page checked confirms that.
- January 1957: The FCC lists area code 509 as opened. The Washington UTC calls 509 the code for eastern Washington. Wikipedia describes 509 as a split from 206 along roughly the Cascades, and marks that claim as needing a citation.
- January 1995: Area code 360 opens, per the FCC. Wikipedia says it took most of the old 206 territory outside the Seattle and Tacoma area, and that US West later returned some exurbs to 206, leaving Des Moines and Woodway divided between the codes.
- April 1997: Area codes 253 and 425 open, per the FCC. Wikipedia gives April 25, 1997 and says the southern part, including Tacoma, got 253, while the northern part, including Everett and the Eastside, got 425.
- 2000: The Washington UTC first approves a single overlay area code for western Washington, then postpones it until 2017 because number conservation worked.
- May 19, 2016: In Docket UT-143787 the UTC orders mandatory ten-digit local dialing in the 206, 253, 360, and 425 areas by September 30, 2017, and approves a 564 overlay that starts with 360.
- August 2017: Area code 564 enters service as an overlay on 360, per the UTC. The FCC lists its opening as August 2017.
- February 2023: NANPA files a notice of area code exhaust for the 206 area with the UTC, which opens Docket UT-230108.
- June 15, 2023: The UTC approves an all-services overlay of 206 with 564 and a nine-month industry implementation schedule.
- June 10, 2025: The 564 overlay begins in the 206 area.
Where area code 206 is used
The Washington UTC's May 12, 2025 release says 206 "serves Seattle, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Mercer, Bainbridge, Vashon Island, the northern portion of Des Moines, and surrounding communities." That is the regulator's own description, and it is the one this guide uses.
The sources checked do not give a county list, a street-level boundary, or a population for 206. The wording about the northern portion of Des Moines matches Wikipedia's note that Des Moines is divided between 206 and another code, but the UTC does not say which. If a specific address matters, confirm its area code with your phone provider.
Why 564 was added to the 206 area
An area code holds a limited supply of numbers. The UTC says it works with NANPA and providers on "area code relief" when a code runs short. In February 2023, NANPA gave the UTC notice that the 206 area was running out of numbers and asked it to begin relief planning (Docket UT-230108).
The UTC chose an overlay, not a split. Its June 15, 2023 release says existing 206 numbers will not change and that 564 will go to new numbers only after the 206 numbers run out. At that time NANPA projected that 206 would run out of numbers by the end of 2025, and the UTC told the industry to build a nine-month implementation plan so the new code would be ready six months earlier. This guide does not give a current exhaust projection, because the NANPA reports could not be opened.
The idea was not new. The UTC says it first approved a single overlay for western Washington in 2000 and postponed it until 2017 because state and national number conservation worked. In 2017 it applied 564 only to the 360 area.
Neighboring area codes in Washington
The Washington UTC says the state has six number plan areas: 206, 253, 360, 425, and 564 in the west, and 509 in the east. The table shows how each relates to 206, using the FCC and UTC sources in this guide.
| Code | Where it applies | Relation to 206 |
|---|---|---|
| 206 | Seattle and nearby communities | Opened January 1947 (FCC) |
| 253 | South of 206; Tacoma (per Wikipedia) | Opened April 1997 (FCC) |
| 425 | North and east of 206; Everett and the Eastside (per Wikipedia) | Opened April 1997 (FCC) |
| 360 | Western Washington outside the Seattle and Tacoma area (per Wikipedia) | Opened January 1995 (FCC) |
| 564 | Overlays 360 (August 2017) and 206 (June 10, 2025) | Shares the 206 area |
| 509 | Eastern Washington (UTC) | Opened January 1957 (FCC) |
The UTC's 2016 order named 206, 253, 360, and 425 together when it required ten-digit dialing, so a call between these codes is dialed with the area code.
The 564 overlay on the 206 area
An overlay adds a second area code to the same geographic area, so existing numbers do not change. In the 206 area, the UTC says:
- 564 numbers can be issued for new service or an extra line once all 206 numbers are assigned.
- Existing phone numbers, area codes, call rates, and coverage areas stay the same.
- Local calls stay local, even between 206 and 564 numbers.
- Customers keep dialing 10 digits for local calls.
Because the codes share one territory, two neighbors on the same street can have different area codes. The area code does not show which building a number belongs to.
| Code | Added | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| 206 | January 1947 | Seattle and nearby communities |
| 564 | June 10, 2025 | Overlay on 206 (and on 360 since August 2017) |
Time zone and daylight saving time
Washington State uses Pacific Time. The IANA time zone database lists the zone name America/Los_Angeles with the label "Pacific" in its US zone table.
Daylight saving time starts at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. The NIST page says these rules were enacted by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. In 2026, the change dates are March 8 and November 1.
How to dial a 206 number
North American numbers have three parts: a country code, a three-digit area code, and a seven-digit local number. The Washington UTC says to keep dialing 10 digits (area code plus number) for local calls in the 206 area, and to dial 1 plus the area code and number for long distance. It adds that three-digit codes such as 911 and 988 still work where a community offers them.
The UTC order of May 19, 2016 required mandatory ten-digit local dialing in the 206, 253, 360, and 425 areas by September 30, 2017. The UTC also tells customers to check that stored numbers, PBX systems, fax machines, voicemail, call forwarding, and security equipment accept 564 as a valid area code.
Caller ID and scams with a 206 number
The FTC warns that "Scammers can make any name or number show up on your caller ID. That's called spoofing." Scammers can also match the first six digits of your own number. The FTC calls this neighbor spoofing.
- If you pick up and do not recognize the caller, the FTC advises that you hang up.
- Letting an unknown call go to voicemail is one option.
- The FTC says call blocking is your best defense against unwanted calls.
A 206 number shows the code that was assigned, not who is calling or where they are. The FTC pages checked do not say that 206 is targeted more than any other code. Because 564 also serves the 206 area, a 206 caller ID is not a reliable sign that the caller is in Seattle.
Business numbers in Seattle and nearby
206 has been Seattle's code since 1947 (FCC), and the UTC describes its area as Seattle plus a set of nearby communities and islands. Companies in Tacoma, Everett, or the Eastside will more likely hold 253 or 425 numbers, because those codes took over those areas in 1997 (per Wikipedia).
Since June 10, 2025, a new line in the 206 area can be assigned a 564 number once all 206 numbers are assigned. A business that wants a particular code should ask its provider which code a new line gets, since that depends on current inventory.
Whether a specific 206 number can be assigned to your business depends on your phone provider and its current inventory. This guide does not make claims about availability.
Important: Confirm availability with your provider before you plan a campaign or print a number on materials.
Before you use a 206 number
- Confirm the number is available from your provider, and get its terms in writing.
- Ask who owns the number and whether it can be moved to another provider if you switch.
- Confirm which code your line uses. 206 and 564 both serve the Seattle area now.
- Print and publish numbers with the area code, because local calls are dialed with 10 digits.
- Make sure your phone system, contact lists, forwarding rules, and alarm or gate equipment accept 564 as a valid area code, as the UTC advises.
- Check each site's address. The sources used here give a list of communities, not street boundaries, so confirm the address with your provider.
- Plan for caller ID. A 206 number does not prove who is calling, and neighbor spoofing copies the first six digits of your own number.
Frequently asked questions
Which area is the 206 area code for?
The Washington UTC says 206 serves Seattle, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Mercer, Bainbridge, Vashon Island, the northern portion of Des Moines, and surrounding communities. The FCC lists 206 as opened in January 1947.
Is the 206 area code running out of numbers?
The Washington UTC approved the 564 overlay for the 206 area on June 15, 2023, after a NANPA notice of area code exhaust. The overlay began on June 10, 2025. A 564 number can be issued once all 206 numbers are assigned. Existing 206 numbers do not change.
Do I need to dial 10 digits for a 206 number?
Yes. The Washington UTC says to keep dialing 10 digits (area code plus number) for local calls in the 206 region, and to dial 1 plus the area code and number for long-distance calls. Local calls stay local, even between 206 and 564 numbers.
Does a 206 number mean the caller is in Seattle?
Not always. The FTC says scammers can make any name or number show up on caller ID, and neighbor spoofing uses numbers that match the first six digits of your own. A local-looking number is not proof of who is calling.
What is the difference between 206 and 564?
Both serve the same 206 area. 564 is an overlay: the Washington UTC says a customer who requests a new number or an extra line in the 206 area may receive a 564 number, while existing phone numbers, rates, and coverage areas stay the same. 564 has also overlaid the 360 area since August 2017.
Sources · reviewed October 2026
UTC Approves New 564 Area Code for the 206 Region, Washington UTC, May 12, 2025, New area code coming to Seattle area, Washington UTC, June 15, 2023, Washington State Area Codes and Numbering Issues, 564 Area Code Overlay, Docket UT-230108, and Docket UT-143787
Used for the list of communities 206 serves, the 564 overlay start date of June 10, 2025, the dialing rules, the June 15, 2023 approval, the NANPA exhaust notice and 2025 projection, the 2000 and 2017 overlay history, the six Washington number plan areas, and the May 19, 2016 ten-digit dialing order.
Numbering Resource Utilization in the United States, FCC, Table 6 and About NANPA, archived copy
Used for the opening dates of 206 (January 1947), 509 (January 1957), 360 (January 1995), 253 and 425 (April 1997), and 564 (August 2017). The archived NANPA page supports the country code 1 for the NANP area.
Weak source, used only where no regulator page was reachable: that 206 originally covered all of Washington, the 509 and 360 territory changes, the return of some exurbs to 206, April 25, 1997 for 253 and 425, and the Tacoma, Everett, and Eastside placement. None of these is confirmed by the regulator.
Phone Scams, FTC Consumer Advice and That's not your neighbor calling, FTC Consumer Alert
Used for the spoofing definition, the neighbor spoofing explanation, the advice to hang up on unknown callers, the voicemail option, and the call-blocking advice.
Daylight Saving Time, NIST and tz database zone table (zone.tab)
Used for the second-Sunday-of-March and first-Sunday-of-November rule, the 2026 change dates, and the America/Los_Angeles zone name labeled "Pacific".