Area code
209
209 is a United States area code. Under the North American Numbering Plan it belongs to California, which has 41 area codes in total.
Validate a number in 209
Paste a full number and the tool checks it against the numbering plan. It returns the standard formats, the line type the plan assigns and the area code region.
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Area code 209 at a glance
NANPA lists 784 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 209, held by 45 holders across 63 rate centers.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| In service since | 1958-01-01 |
| Time zone | Pacific (P) |
| Assigned overlays | 350 (2022-11-28) |
| Prefixes in use | 784 |
| Pooled prefixes | 605 (77%) |
| Rate centers | 63 |
| Companies holding prefixes | 45 |
| Assignment dates on file | 2001-04-19 to 2025-01-28 (284 prefixes) |
| ZIP codes in its places | 144 |
Rate centers in area code 209
| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| STOCKTON | 138 | 18% |
| MODESTO | 137 | 17% |
| MERCED | 57 | 7% |
| MANTECA | 44 | 6% |
| LODI | 36 | 5% |
| TRACY | 32 | 4% |
| TURLOCK | 31 | 4% |
| ANGELSCAMP | 22 | 3% |
| 55 other rate centers | 287 | 37% |
Who holds the prefixes in 209
Pacific Bell holds the most prefixes, 180 (23%). 77% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Bell | 180 | 23% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 128 | 16% |
| Onvoy | 76 | 10% |
| Verizon Wireless | 71 | 9% |
| T-Mobile USA | 69 | 9% |
| Bandwidth.com CLEC | 42 | 5% |
| 39 other carriers | 218 | 28% |
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. Find which carrier a number is on, or browse the prefix holders.
History of area code 209
- 1947-01-01 Area code 415, named as the parent of 209 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 1958-01-01 Area code 209 went into service.
- 1998-11-14 Area code 559 went into service and names 209 as its parent.
- 2022-11-28 Area code 350 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 209.
Area codes nearest to 209
Distance is measured between the centers of the ZIP code places each area code serves, so it is a rough guide.
Overlay codes in the same area
- 350
ZIP codes in area code 209
144 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code.
| Place | ZIP codes |
|---|---|
| Fresno, CA | 58 |
| Stockton, CA | 20 |
| Modesto, CA | 10 |
A ZIP code and an area code are unrelated systems. A ZIP code can sit in more than one area code, and an area code spans many ZIP codes.
Complaints on file for 209 numbers
4,287 FCC complaints are on file for 3,138 numbers in 209, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are unverified consumer reports.
| Year of latest complaint | Numbers |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 225 |
| 2024 | 308 |
| 2025 | 164 |
Other area codes in California
California is one state with 41 area codes in the NANPA table. 209 is one of them.
- 213
- 279
- 310
- 323
- 341
- 350
- 357
- 369
- 408
- 415
- 424
- 442
- 510
- 530
- 559
- 562
- 619
- 626
- 628
- 650
- 657
- 661
- 669
- 707
- 714
- 738
- 747
- 760
- 805
- 818
- 820
- 831
- 837
- 840
- 858
- 909
- 916
- 925
- 949
- 951
Next to 209 in the numbering table
These are the codes just before and after 209 when all are sorted by number. They are neighbours on the list, not necessarily on the map.
What the area code does and does not tell you
A number that starts with 209 was first assigned in California. That is a fact about where the number began, and it is a useful hint when you check a form entry, for example a billing address in California next to a 209 phone number.
It does not show where the person is today. A number stays with its owner after a move or a change of provider (number portability), and mobile numbers travel with the handset. The area code also cannot tell you whether the line is active, who the carrier is, or whether the number is mobile or fixed: the plan shares those ranges. Read more about the area code, the numbering plan and line type.
Check numbers in bulk with the API
| Product | Credits | Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Numbering-Plan Validation | 1 credit per valid number | API docs |
| Phone Intelligence (carrier and line status) | 1 credit per check (invalid numbers outside the US and Canada are free) | Product page |
Questions about area code 209
Where is area code 209?
NANPA assigns area code 209 to California, United States.
In which state does area code 209 sit?
California. 209 is one of 41 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.
Which places does area code 209 cover?
The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 209 are Fresno, CA, Stockton, CA and Modesto, CA. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.
Who owns area code 209?
NANPA assigns area codes. Within 209, Pacific Bell holds the most prefixes, 180 prefixes or 23%.
Which time zone does 209 use?
The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 209 as Pacific (P).
What year did 209 enter service?
The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1958-01-01, so 209 has been in use since 1958.
Does area code 209 have an overlay?
Yes. 350 (in service 2022-11-28) shares the same area with 209, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.
Which area codes are nearest to 209?
The area codes closest to 209, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 559 (about 59 miles), 408 (about 77 miles), 669 (about 80 miles), 831 (about 84 miles) and 925 (about 89 miles).
How many prefixes does area code 209 have?
NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 784 prefixes in service in 209, spread over 63 rate centers and 45 holders.
Are there complaints about 209 numbers?
The FCC data on file has 4,287 complaints for 3,138 numbers in 209. They are unverified consumer reports. A number with no complaints on file is not proven safe.
Area code assignments: North American Numbering Plan Administrator NPA report, file dated 10/17/2026, retrieved 2026-10-17. Source file. New codes are assigned several times a year. Prefixes, rate centers, holders, time zone, in-service date and overlays: NANPA central office code report dated 2026-10-17 and NPA report dated 2026-10-18. Complaints: FCC consumer complaints open data, fetched 2026-10-17. ZIP code places: Postal code places and coordinates: GeoNames (geonames.org), licensed CC BY 4.0.