---
title: "Area code 847: Illinois, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/847.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/847"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 847 serves Illinois, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Illinois."
---

# Area code 847: Illinois, United States

Area code 847 serves Illinois, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Illinois.

NANPA lists 785 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 847, held by 19 holders across 46 rate centers.
Illinois Bell Tel holds the most prefixes, 361 (46%). 52% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 3,182 complaints on file for 2,420 numbers in 847, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 1996-01-20
- Time zone: Central (C)
- Assigned overlays: 224 (2002-01-05)
- Prefixes in use: 785
- Pooled prefixes: 407 (52%)
- Rate centers: 46
- Companies holding prefixes: 19
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-02-09 to 2025-09-05 (60 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 60

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NORTHBROOK | 122 | 16% |
| ROSELLE | 87 | 11% |
| ARLIGTNHTS | 38 | 5% |
| ELK GROVE | 37 | 5% |
| WAUKEGAN | 33 | 4% |
| DESPLAINES | 32 | 4% |
| SKOKIE | 31 | 4% |
| WHEELING | 31 | 4% |
| 38 other rate centers | 374 | 48% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Illinois Bell Tel | 361 | 46% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 80 | 10% |
| Mcimetro Access Transmission Services | 67 | 9% |
| Teleport Communications America | 57 | 7% |
| T-Mobile USA | 54 | 7% |
| Level 3 Communications | 46 | 6% |
| 13 other carriers | 120 | 15% |

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

- 1989-11-11: Area code 708, named as the parent of 847 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 1996-01-20: Area code 847 went into service.
- 2002-01-05: Area code 224 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 847.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 847, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 312 (about 11 miles), 630 (about 22 miles), 331 (about 25 miles), 708 (about 28 miles) and 464 (about 35 miles).

## ZIP codes

60 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Palatine, IL (7 ZIP codes), Evanston, IL (6 ZIP codes) and Elgin, IL (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

3,182 complaints for 2,420 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 111
- 2024: 123
- 2025: 82

## Questions

### Where is area code 847?

NANPA assigns area code 847 to Illinois, United States.

### In which state does area code 847 sit?

Illinois. 847 is one of 17 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 847 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 847 are Palatine, IL, Evanston, IL and Elgin, IL. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 847?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 847, Illinois Bell Tel holds the most prefixes, 361 prefixes or 46%.

### Which time zone does 847 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 847 as Central (C).

### What year did 847 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1996-01-20, so 847 has been in use since 1996.

### Does area code 847 have an overlay?

Yes. 224 (in service 2002-01-05) shares the same area with 847, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.

### Which area codes are nearest to 847?

The area codes closest to 847, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 312 (about 11 miles), 630 (about 22 miles), 331 (about 25 miles), 708 (about 28 miles) and 464 (about 35 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 847 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 785 prefixes in service in 847, spread over 46 rate centers and 19 holders.

### Are there complaints about 847 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 3,182 complaints for 2,420 numbers in 847. 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).