---
title: "Area code 843: South Carolina, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/843.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/843"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 843 serves South Carolina, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in South Carolina."
---

# Area code 843: South Carolina, United States

Area code 843 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 843, held by 49 holders across 93 rate centers.
Southern Bell Tel & Tel holds the most prefixes, 139 (18%). 60% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 2,934 complaints on file for 2,297 numbers in 843, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 1998-03-22
- Time zone: Eastern (E)
- Assigned overlays: 854 (2015-10-19)
- Prefixes in use: 783
- Pooled prefixes: 471 (60%)
- Rate centers: 93
- Companies holding prefixes: 49
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-02 to 2024-07-03 (284 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 81

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CHARLESTON | 186 | 24% |
| FLORENCE | 57 | 7% |
| MYRTLE BCH | 56 | 7% |
| BEAUFORT | 31 | 4% |
| HILTONHEAD | 28 | 4% |
| MTPLEASANT | 19 | 2% |
| WMYRTLEBCH | 17 | 2% |
| GEORGETOWN | 16 | 2% |
| 85 other rate centers | 373 | 48% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Southern Bell Tel & Tel | 139 | 18% |
| Verizon Wireless | 103 | 13% |
| T-Mobile USA | 65 | 8% |
| Paetec Itel | 58 | 7% |
| Frontier Communications Of The Carolinas | 57 | 7% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 53 | 7% |
| 43 other carriers | 308 | 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, named as the parent of 843 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 1998-03-22: Area code 843 went into service.
- 2015-10-19: Area code 854 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 843.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 843, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 803 (about 71 miles), 839 (about 72 miles), 910 (about 107 miles), 472 (about 109 miles) and 704 (about 131 miles).

## ZIP codes

81 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Charleston, SC (16 ZIP codes), Beaufort, SC (6 ZIP codes) and Florence, SC (6 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

2,934 complaints for 2,297 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 126
- 2024: 100
- 2025: 131

## Questions

### Where is area code 843?

NANPA assigns area code 843 to South Carolina, United States.

### In which state does area code 843 sit?

South Carolina. 843 is one of 6 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 843 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 843 are Charleston, SC, Beaufort, SC and Florence, SC. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 843?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 843, Southern Bell Tel & Tel holds the most prefixes, 139 prefixes or 18%.

### Which time zone does 843 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 843 as Eastern (E).

### What year did 843 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1998-03-22, so 843 has been in use since 1998.

### Does area code 843 have an overlay?

Yes. 854 (in service 2015-10-19) shares the same area with 843, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.

### Which area codes are nearest to 843?

The area codes closest to 843, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 803 (about 71 miles), 839 (about 72 miles), 910 (about 107 miles), 472 (about 109 miles) and 704 (about 131 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 843 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 783 prefixes in service in 843, spread over 93 rate centers and 49 holders.

### Are there complaints about 843 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 2,934 complaints for 2,297 numbers in 843. 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).