---
title: "Area code 509: Washington, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/509.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/509"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 509 serves Washington, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Washington."
---

# Area code 509: Washington, United States

Area code 509 serves Washington, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Washington.

NANPA lists 760 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 509, held by 61 holders across 119 rate centers.
Qwest holds the most prefixes, 130 (17%). 74% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 4,521 complaints on file for 3,344 numbers in 509, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 1957-01-01
- Time zone: Pacific (P)
- Prefixes in use: 760
- Pooled prefixes: 565 (74%)
- Rate centers: 119
- Companies holding prefixes: 61
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-26 to 2026-05-11 (231 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 141

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SPOKANE | 214 | 28% |
| YAKIMA | 59 | 8% |
| KENNEWICK | 42 | 6% |
| WENATCHEE | 38 | 5% |
| PASCO | 26 | 3% |
| WALLAWALLA | 23 | 3% |
| ELLENSBURG | 21 | 3% |
| MOSES LAKE | 19 | 3% |
| 111 other rate centers | 318 | 42% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Qwest | 130 | 17% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 76 | 10% |
| Ziply Fiber | 73 | 10% |
| Centurylink | 69 | 9% |
| Onvoy | 66 | 9% |
| T-Mobile USA | 63 | 8% |
| 55 other carriers | 283 | 37% |

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

- 1957-01-01: Area code 509 went into service.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 509, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 425 (about 165 miles), 206 (about 172 miles), 253 (about 173 miles), 564 (about 191 miles) and 360 (about 192 miles).

## ZIP codes

141 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Spokane, WA (28 ZIP codes), Yakima, WA (7 ZIP codes) and Kennewick, WA (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

4,521 complaints for 3,344 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 148
- 2024: 159
- 2025: 117

## Questions

### Where is area code 509?

NANPA assigns area code 509 to Washington, United States.

### In which state does area code 509 sit?

Washington. 509 is one of 6 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 509 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 509 are Spokane, WA, Yakima, WA and Kennewick, WA. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 509?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 509, Qwest holds the most prefixes, 130 prefixes or 17%.

### Which time zone does 509 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 509 as Pacific (P).

### What year did 509 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1957-01-01, so 509 has been in use since 1957.

### Does area code 509 have an overlay?

The NANPA NPA report lists no other area code in an overlay with 509.

### Which area codes are nearest to 509?

The area codes closest to 509, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 425 (about 165 miles), 206 (about 172 miles), 253 (about 173 miles), 564 (about 191 miles) and 360 (about 192 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 509 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 760 prefixes in service in 509, spread over 119 rate centers and 61 holders.

### Are there complaints about 509 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 4,521 complaints for 3,344 numbers in 509. 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).