---
title: "Area code 803: South Carolina, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/803.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/803"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 803 serves South Carolina, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in South Carolina."
---

# Area code 803: South Carolina, United States

Area code 803 serves South Carolina, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in South Carolina.

NANPA lists 783 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 803, held by 52 holders across 82 rate centers.
Southern Bell Tel & Tel holds the most prefixes, 173 (22%). 68% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 3,172 complaints on file for 2,668 numbers in 803, 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: 839 (2020-05-26)
- Prefixes in use: 783
- Pooled prefixes: 535 (68%)
- Rate centers: 82
- Companies holding prefixes: 52
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-18 to 2026-04-20 (318 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 111

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| COLUMBIA | 251 | 32% |
| ROCK HILL | 42 | 5% |
| ORANGEBURG | 37 | 5% |
| AIKEN | 32 | 4% |
| NO AUGUSTA | 25 | 3% |
| SUMTER | 20 | 3% |
| CAMDEN | 19 | 2% |
| LANCASTER | 16 | 2% |
| 74 other rate centers | 341 | 44% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Southern Bell Tel & Tel | 173 | 22% |
| Verizon Wireless | 111 | 14% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 80 | 10% |
| T-Mobile USA | 44 | 6% |
| Paetec Itel | 40 | 5% |
| Level 3 Communications | 32 | 4% |
| 46 other carriers | 303 | 39% |

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 803 went into service.
- 1995-12-03: Area code 864 went into service and names 803 as its parent.
- 1998-03-22: Area code 843 went into service and names 803 as its parent.
- 2020-05-26: Area code 839 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 803.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 803, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 843 (about 71 miles), 854 (about 72 miles), 864 (about 86 miles), 704 (about 91 miles) and 980 (about 91 miles).

## ZIP codes

111 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Columbia, SC (34 ZIP codes), Aiken, SC (6 ZIP codes) and Rock Hill, SC (5 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

3,172 complaints for 2,668 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 183
- 2024: 178
- 2025: 147

## Questions

### Where is area code 803?

NANPA assigns area code 803 to South Carolina, United States.

### In which state does area code 803 sit?

South Carolina. 803 is one of 6 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 803 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 803 are Columbia, SC, Aiken, SC and Rock Hill, SC. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 803?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 803, Southern Bell Tel & Tel holds the most prefixes, 173 prefixes or 22%.

### Which time zone does 803 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 803 as Eastern (E).

### What year did 803 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1947-01-01, so 803 has been in use since 1947.

### Does area code 803 have an overlay?

Yes. 839 (in service 2020-05-26) shares the same area with 803, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.

### Which area codes are nearest to 803?

The area codes closest to 803, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 843 (about 71 miles), 854 (about 72 miles), 864 (about 86 miles), 704 (about 91 miles) and 980 (about 91 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 803 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 783 prefixes in service in 803, spread over 82 rate centers and 52 holders.

### Are there complaints about 803 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 3,172 complaints for 2,668 numbers in 803. 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).