Area code
820
820 is a United States area code. Under the North American Numbering Plan it belongs to California, which has 41 area codes in total.
Validate a number in 820
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Area code 820 at a glance
NANPA lists 89 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 820, held by 21 holders across 30 rate centers.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| In service since | 2018-06-30 |
| Time zone | Pacific (P) |
| Assigned overlays | 805 (1957-01-01) |
| Prefixes in use | 89 |
| Pooled prefixes | 88 (99%) |
| Rate centers | 30 |
| Companies holding prefixes | 21 |
| Assignment dates on file | 2018-06-25 to 2026-06-05 (88 prefixes) |
| ZIP codes in its places | 41 |
Rate centers in area code 820
| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CAMARILLO | 11 | 12% |
| ATASCADERO | 8 | 9% |
| NEWBURYPRK | 8 | 9% |
| OXNARD | 8 | 9% |
| SANBARBARA | 7 | 8% |
| SANTAMARIA | 5 | 6% |
| EL RIO | 3 | 3% |
| GUADALUPE | 3 | 3% |
| 22 other rate centers | 36 | 40% |
Who holds the prefixes in 820
Fractel holds the most prefixes, 32 (36%). 99% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fractel | 32 | 36% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 15 | 17% |
| Onvoy | 9 | 10% |
| T-Mobile USA | 7 | 8% |
| Verizon Wireless | 4 | 4% |
| Commio | 3 | 3% |
| 15 other carriers | 19 | 21% |
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. Find which carrier a number is on, or browse the prefix holders.
History of area code 820
- 1957-01-01 Area code 805, named as the parent of 820 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 2018-06-30 Area code 820 went into service.
Area codes nearest to 820
Distance is measured between the centers of the ZIP code places each area code serves, so it is a rough guide.
Overlay codes in the same area
ZIP codes in area code 820
41 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code.
| Place | ZIP codes |
|---|---|
| Oxnard, CA | 7 |
| Santa Maria, CA | 5 |
| Simi Valley, CA | 5 |
A ZIP code and an area code are unrelated systems. A ZIP code can sit in more than one area code, and an area code spans many ZIP codes.
Complaints on file for 820 numbers
117 FCC complaints are on file for 111 numbers in 820, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are unverified consumer reports.
| Year of latest complaint | Numbers |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 17 |
| 2025 | 18 |
Other area codes in California
California is one state with 41 area codes in the NANPA table. 820 is one of them.
- 209
- 213
- 279
- 310
- 323
- 341
- 350
- 357
- 369
- 408
- 415
- 424
- 442
- 510
- 530
- 559
- 562
- 619
- 626
- 628
- 650
- 657
- 661
- 669
- 707
- 714
- 738
- 747
- 760
- 805
- 818
- 831
- 837
- 840
- 858
- 909
- 916
- 925
- 949
- 951
Next to 820 in the numbering table
These are the codes just before and after 820 when all are sorted by number. They are neighbours on the list, not necessarily on the map.
What the area code does and does not tell you
A number that starts with 820 was first assigned in California. That is a fact about where the number began, and it is a useful hint when you check a form entry, for example a billing address in California next to a 820 phone number.
It does not show where the person is today. A number stays with its owner after a move or a change of provider (number portability), and mobile numbers travel with the handset. The area code also cannot tell you whether the line is active, who the carrier is, or whether the number is mobile or fixed: the plan shares those ranges. Read more about the area code, the numbering plan and line type.
Check numbers in bulk with the API
| Product | Credits | Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Numbering-Plan Validation | 1 credit per valid number | API docs |
| Phone Intelligence (carrier and line status) | 1 credit per check (invalid numbers outside the US and Canada are free) | Product page |
Questions about area code 820
Where is area code 820?
NANPA assigns area code 820 to California, United States.
In which state does area code 820 sit?
California. 820 is one of 41 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.
Which places does area code 820 cover?
The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 820 are Oxnard, CA, Santa Maria, CA and Simi Valley, CA. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.
Who owns area code 820?
NANPA assigns area codes. Within 820, Fractel holds the most prefixes, 32 prefixes or 36%.
Which time zone does 820 use?
The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 820 as Pacific (P).
What year did 820 enter service?
The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 2018-06-30, so 820 has been in use since 2018.
Does area code 820 have an overlay?
Yes. 805 (in service 1957-01-01) shares the same area with 820, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.
Which area codes are nearest to 820?
The area codes closest to 820, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 661 (about 70 miles), 747 (about 84 miles), 818 (about 84 miles), 424 (about 96 miles) and 310 (about 98 miles).
How many prefixes does area code 820 have?
NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 89 prefixes in service in 820, spread over 30 rate centers and 21 holders.
Are there complaints about 820 numbers?
The FCC data on file has 117 complaints for 111 numbers in 820. They are unverified consumer reports. A number with no complaints on file is not proven safe.
Area code assignments: North American Numbering Plan Administrator NPA report, file dated 10/17/2026, retrieved 2026-10-17. Source file. New codes are assigned several times a year. Prefixes, rate centers, holders, time zone, in-service date and overlays: NANPA central office code report dated 2026-10-17 and NPA report dated 2026-10-18. Complaints: FCC consumer complaints open data, fetched 2026-10-17. ZIP code places: Postal code places and coordinates: GeoNames (geonames.org), licensed CC BY 4.0.