--- title: "Area code 540: Virginia, United States" url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/540.md" canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/540" last_updated: "2026-10-23" type: "reference" summary: "Area code 540 serves Virginia, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Virginia." --- # Area code 540: Virginia, United States Area code 540 serves Virginia, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Virginia. NANPA lists 786 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 540, held by 52 holders across 117 rate centers. Verizon Virginia holds the most prefixes, 155 (20%). 80% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies. The FCC unwanted-call data has 3,240 complaints on file for 2,601 numbers in 540, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings. ## Facts - In service since: 1995-07-15 - Time zone: Eastern (E) - Assigned overlays: 826 (2022-06-14) - Prefixes in use: 786 - Pooled prefixes: 628 (80%) - Rate centers: 117 - Companies holding prefixes: 52 - Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-10 to 2023-09-28 (330 prefixes) - ZIP codes in its places: 143 ## Rate centers | Rate center | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | ROANOKE | 105 | 13% | | FREDECKSBG | 63 | 8% | | HARRISONBG | 43 | 5% | | WINCHESTER | 38 | 5% | | CULPEPER | 33 | 4% | | STAUNTON | 29 | 4% | | BLACKSBURG | 21 | 3% | | CHRISTISBG | 18 | 2% | | 109 other rate centers | 436 | 55% | ## Carriers | Holder | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | Verizon Virginia | 155 | 20% | | Verizon Wireless | 79 | 10% | | New Cingular Wireless PCS | 66 | 8% | | Omnipoint Communications Cap Operations | 64 | 8% | | Level 3 Communications | 50 | 6% | | Verizon South, INC. - Va (contel) | 35 | 4% | | 46 other carriers | 337 | 43% | 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 703, named as the parent of 540 in the NANPA report, was in service. - 1995-07-15: Area code 540 went into service. - 2001-09-01: Area code 276 went into service and names 540 as its parent. - 2022-06-14: Area code 826 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 540. ## Nearest area codes The area codes closest to 540, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 434 (about 60 miles), 304 (about 95 miles), 681 (about 95 miles), 686 (about 106 miles) and 804 (about 110 miles). ## ZIP codes 143 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Roanoke, VA (41 ZIP codes), Blacksburg, VA (4 ZIP codes) and Winchester, VA (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 3,240 complaints for 2,601 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year: - 2023: 210 - 2024: 140 - 2025: 177 ## Questions ### Where is area code 540? NANPA assigns area code 540 to Virginia, United States. ### In which state does area code 540 sit? Virginia. 540 is one of 10 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state. ### Which places does area code 540 cover? The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 540 are Roanoke, VA, Blacksburg, VA and Winchester, VA. The rate center list on this page shows all of them. ### Who owns area code 540? NANPA assigns area codes. Within 540, Verizon Virginia holds the most prefixes, 155 prefixes or 20%. ### Which time zone does 540 use? The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 540 as Eastern (E). ### What year did 540 enter service? The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1995-07-15, so 540 has been in use since 1995. ### Does area code 540 have an overlay? Yes. 826 (in service 2022-06-14) shares the same area with 540, so numbers from all of them are local to each other. ### Which area codes are nearest to 540? The area codes closest to 540, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 434 (about 60 miles), 304 (about 95 miles), 681 (about 95 miles), 686 (about 106 miles) and 804 (about 110 miles). ### How many prefixes does area code 540 have? NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 786 prefixes in service in 540, spread over 117 rate centers and 52 holders. ### Are there complaints about 540 numbers? The FCC data on file has 3,240 complaints for 2,601 numbers in 540. 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).