---
title: "Area code 408: California, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/408.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/408"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 408 serves California, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in California."
---

# Area code 408: California, United States

Area code 408 serves California, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in California.

NANPA lists 787 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 408, held by 27 holders across 14 rate centers.
The largest rate center is SNJS WEST, with 321 prefixes (41%).
Pacific Bell holds the most prefixes, 328 (42%). 56% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 4,870 complaints on file for 3,383 numbers in 408, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 1959-01-01
- Time zone: Pacific (P)
- Assigned overlays: 669 (2012-11-20)
- Prefixes in use: 787
- Pooled prefixes: 442 (56%)
- Rate centers: 14
- Companies holding prefixes: 27
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-24 to 2026-05-21 (171 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 29

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SNJS WEST | 321 | 41% |
| SNJS NORTH | 139 | 18% |
| SUNNYVALE | 96 | 12% |
| SNJS SOUTH | 84 | 11% |
| CAMPBELL | 43 | 5% |
| LOS GATOS | 24 | 3% |
| MORGANHILL | 19 | 2% |
| GILROY | 16 | 2% |
| 6 other rate centers | 45 | 6% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pacific Bell | 328 | 42% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 70 | 9% |
| Verizon Wireless | 65 | 8% |
| Mcimetro Access Transmission Services | 48 | 6% |
| T-Mobile USA | 42 | 5% |
| Onvoy | 35 | 4% |
| 21 other carriers | 199 | 25% |

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 415, named as the parent of 408 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 1959-01-01: Area code 408 went into service.
- 1998-07-11: Area code 831 went into service and names 408 as its parent.
- 2012-11-20: Area code 669 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 408.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 408, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 831 (about 27 miles), 650 (about 38 miles), 341 (about 57 miles), 510 (about 57 miles) and 925 (about 57 miles).

## ZIP codes

29 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Salinas, CA (8 ZIP codes), Sunnyvale, CA (5 ZIP codes) and Los Gatos, CA (4 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

4,870 complaints for 3,383 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 106
- 2024: 101
- 2025: 84

## Questions

### Where is area code 408?

NANPA assigns area code 408 to California, United States.

### In which state does area code 408 sit?

California. 408 is one of 41 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 408 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 408 are Salinas, CA, Sunnyvale, CA and Los Gatos, CA. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 408?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 408, Pacific Bell holds the most prefixes, 328 prefixes or 42%.

### Which time zone does 408 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 408 as Pacific (P).

### What year did 408 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1959-01-01, so 408 has been in use since 1959.

### Does area code 408 have an overlay?

Yes. 669 (in service 2012-11-20) shares the same area with 408, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.

### Which area codes are nearest to 408?

The area codes closest to 408, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 831 (about 27 miles), 650 (about 38 miles), 341 (about 57 miles), 510 (about 57 miles) and 925 (about 57 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 408 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 787 prefixes in service in 408, spread over 14 rate centers and 27 holders.

### Are there complaints about 408 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 4,870 complaints for 3,383 numbers in 408. 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).