--- title: "Area code 862: New Jersey, United States" url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/862.md" canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/862" last_updated: "2026-10-23" type: "reference" summary: "Area code 862 serves New Jersey, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in New Jersey." --- # Area code 862: New Jersey, United States Area code 862 serves New Jersey, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in New Jersey. NANPA lists 380 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 862, held by 50 holders across 40 rate centers. Omnipoint Communications holds the most prefixes, 70 (18%). 98% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies. The FCC unwanted-call data has 1,121 complaints on file for 780 numbers in 862, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings. ## Facts - In service since: 2001-12-29 - Time zone: Eastern (E) - Assigned overlays: 973 (1997-06-01) - Prefixes in use: 380 - Pooled prefixes: 373 (98%) - Rate centers: 40 - Companies holding prefixes: 50 - Assignment dates on file: 2001-10-17 to 2026-08-13 (358 prefixes) - ZIP codes in its places: 68 ## Rate centers | Rate center | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | NEWARK | 84 | 22% | | PASSAIC | 39 | 10% | | ORANGE | 25 | 7% | | PATERSON | 23 | 6% | | BLOOMFIELD | 22 | 6% | | MORRISTOWN | 19 | 5% | | CALDWELL | 13 | 3% | | POMPTONLKS | 12 | 3% | | 32 other rate centers | 143 | 38% | ## Carriers | Holder | Prefixes | Share | | --- | --- | --- | | Omnipoint Communications | 70 | 18% | | New Cingular Wireless PCS | 56 | 15% | | Onvoy | 50 | 13% | | Verizon Wireless | 36 | 9% | | Metropcs | 25 | 7% | | Bandwidth.com CLEC | 18 | 5% | | 44 other carriers | 125 | 33% | 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 - 1997-06-01: Area code 973, named as the parent of 862 in the NANPA report, was in service. - 2001-12-29: Area code 862 went into service. ## Nearest area codes The area codes closest to 862, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 201 (about 9 miles), 551 (about 13 miles), 908 (about 23 miles), 732 (about 38 miles) and 848 (about 38 miles). ## ZIP codes 68 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Newark, NJ (20 ZIP codes), Paterson, NJ (14 ZIP codes) and Morristown, NJ (3 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 1,121 complaints for 780 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year: - 2023: 44 - 2024: 49 - 2025: 74 ## Questions ### Where is area code 862? NANPA assigns area code 862 to New Jersey, United States. ### In which state does area code 862 sit? New Jersey. 862 is one of 10 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state. ### Which places does area code 862 cover? The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 862 are Newark, NJ, Paterson, NJ and Morristown, NJ. The rate center list on this page shows all of them. ### Who owns area code 862? NANPA assigns area codes. Within 862, Omnipoint Communications holds the most prefixes, 70 prefixes or 18%. ### Which time zone does 862 use? The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 862 as Eastern (E). ### What year did 862 enter service? The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 2001-12-29, so 862 has been in use since 2001. ### Does area code 862 have an overlay? Yes. 973 (in service 1997-06-01) shares the same area with 862, so numbers from all of them are local to each other. ### Which area codes are nearest to 862? The area codes closest to 862, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 201 (about 9 miles), 551 (about 13 miles), 908 (about 23 miles), 732 (about 38 miles) and 848 (about 38 miles). ### How many prefixes does area code 862 have? NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 380 prefixes in service in 862, spread over 40 rate centers and 50 holders. ### Are there complaints about 862 numbers? The FCC data on file has 1,121 complaints for 780 numbers in 862. 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).