--- title: "Area code 201: New Jersey, United States" url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/201.md" canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/201" last_updated: "2026-10-23" type: "reference" summary: "Area code 201 serves New Jersey, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in New Jersey." --- # Area code 201: New Jersey, United States Area code 201 serves New Jersey, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in New Jersey. NANPA lists 778 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 201, held by 32 holders across 27 rate centers. Verizon New Jersey holds the most prefixes, 266 (34%). 63% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies. The FCC unwanted-call data has 7,024 complaints on file for 4,230 numbers in 201, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings. ## Facts - In service since: 1947-01-01 - Time zone: Eastern (E) - Assigned overlays: 551 (2001-12-29) - Prefixes in use: 778 - Pooled prefixes: 487 (63%) - Rate centers: 27 - Companies holding prefixes: 32 - Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-22 to 2024-05-15 (169 prefixes) - ZIP codes in its places: 60 ## Rate centers | Rate center | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | HACKENSACK | 160 | 21% | | JERSEYCITY | 137 | 18% | | UNION CITY | 54 | 7% | | RUTHERFORD | 39 | 5% | | RAMSEY | 30 | 4% | | FAIR LAWN | 28 | 4% | | ORADELL | 26 | 3% | | CLIFFSIDE | 25 | 3% | | 19 other rate centers | 279 | 36% | ## Carriers | Holder | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | Verizon New Jersey | 266 | 34% | | Mcimetro Access Transmission Services | 76 | 10% | | New Cingular Wireless PCS | 69 | 9% | | Verizon Wireless | 64 | 8% | | Omnipoint Communications | 52 | 7% | | Level 3 Communications | 46 | 6% | | 26 other carriers | 205 | 26% | A prefix holder is the company a code was assigned to, not necessarily a number's current carrier, because numbers can be ported to another company. ## History - 1947-01-01: Area code 201 went into service. - 1957-01-01: Area code 609 went into service and names 201 as its parent. - 1990-11-01: Area code 908 went into service and names 201 as its parent. - 1997-06-01: Area code 973 went into service and names 201 as its parent. - 2001-12-29: Area code 551 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 201. ## Nearest area codes The area codes closest to 201, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 862 (about 9 miles), 973 (about 9 miles), 908 (about 26 miles), 732 (about 35 miles) and 848 (about 35 miles). ## ZIP codes 60 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Newark, NJ (20 ZIP codes), Jersey City, NJ (12 ZIP codes) and Morristown, NJ (3 ZIP codes). A ZIP code and an area code are unrelated systems, so a ZIP code can sit in more than one area code and an area code spans many ZIP codes. ## Complaints on file 7,024 complaints for 4,230 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year: - 2023: 167 - 2024: 179 - 2025: 169 ## Questions ### Where is area code 201? NANPA assigns area code 201 to New Jersey, United States. ### In which state does area code 201 sit? New Jersey. 201 is one of 10 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state. ### Which places does area code 201 cover? The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 201 are Newark, NJ, Jersey City, NJ and Morristown, NJ. The rate center list on this page shows all of them. ### Who owns area code 201? NANPA assigns area codes. Within 201, Verizon New Jersey holds the most prefixes, 266 prefixes or 34%. ### Which time zone does 201 use? The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 201 as Eastern (E). ### What year did 201 enter service? The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1947-01-01, so 201 has been in use since 1947. ### Does area code 201 have an overlay? Yes. 551 (in service 2001-12-29) shares the same area with 201, so numbers from all of them are local to each other. ### Which area codes are nearest to 201? The area codes closest to 201, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 862 (about 9 miles), 973 (about 9 miles), 908 (about 26 miles), 732 (about 35 miles) and 848 (about 35 miles). ### How many prefixes does area code 201 have? NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 778 prefixes in service in 201, spread over 27 rate centers and 32 holders. ### Are there complaints about 201 numbers? The FCC data on file has 7,024 complaints for 4,230 numbers in 201. They are unverified consumer reports. A number with no complaints on file is not proven safe. Sources: NANPA central office code report dated 2026-10-17; NANPA NPA report dated 2026-10-18; FCC unwanted-call complaints, data fetched 2026-10-17; ZIP code places from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).