---
title: "Area code 816: Missouri, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/816.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/816"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 816 serves Missouri, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Missouri."
---

# Area code 816: Missouri, United States

Area code 816 serves Missouri, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Missouri.

NANPA lists 785 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 816, held by 51 holders across 73 rate centers.
The largest rate center is KANSASCITY, with 442 prefixes (56%).
Southwestern Bell holds the most prefixes, 220 (28%). 74% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 2,497 complaints on file for 1,942 numbers in 816, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 1947-01-01
- Time zone: Central (C)
- Assigned overlays: 975 (2023-10-13)
- Prefixes in use: 785
- Pooled prefixes: 584 (74%)
- Rate centers: 73
- Companies holding prefixes: 51
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-23 to 2025-04-22 (246 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 143

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| KANSASCITY | 442 | 56% |
| ST JOSEPH | 40 | 5% |
| LEESSUMMIT | 20 | 3% |
| BELTON | 17 | 2% |
| LIBERTY | 16 | 2% |
| BLUE SPG | 15 | 2% |
| CAMERON | 13 | 2% |
| EXCELSRSPG | 8 | 1% |
| 65 other rate centers | 214 | 27% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Southwestern Bell | 220 | 28% |
| Aerial Communications | 83 | 11% |
| Onvoy | 69 | 9% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 59 | 8% |
| Centurylink | 47 | 6% |
| Verizon Wireless | 43 | 5% |
| 45 other carriers | 264 | 34% |

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 816 went into service.
- 1997-10-12: Area code 660 went into service and names 816 as its parent.
- 2023-10-13: Area code 975 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 816.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 816, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 913 (about 28 miles), 660 (about 66 miles), 417 (about 151 miles), 785 (about 154 miles) and 235 (about 172 miles).

## ZIP codes

143 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Kansas City, MO (71 ZIP codes), Saint Joseph, MO (8 ZIP codes) and Lees Summit, MO (7 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

2,497 complaints for 1,942 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 83
- 2024: 140
- 2025: 135

## Questions

### Where is area code 816?

NANPA assigns area code 816 to Missouri, United States.

### In which state does area code 816 sit?

Missouri. 816 is one of 9 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 816 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 816 are Kansas City, MO, Saint Joseph, MO and Lees Summit, MO. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 816?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 816, Southwestern Bell holds the most prefixes, 220 prefixes or 28%.

### Which time zone does 816 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 816 as Central (C).

### What year did 816 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1947-01-01, so 816 has been in use since 1947.

### Does area code 816 have an overlay?

Yes. 975 (in service 2023-10-13) shares the same area with 816, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.

### Which area codes are nearest to 816?

The area codes closest to 816, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 913 (about 28 miles), 660 (about 66 miles), 417 (about 151 miles), 785 (about 154 miles) and 235 (about 172 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 816 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 785 prefixes in service in 816, spread over 73 rate centers and 51 holders.

### Are there complaints about 816 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 2,497 complaints for 1,942 numbers in 816. 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).