---
title: "Area code 865: Tennessee, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/865.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/865"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 865 serves Tennessee, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Tennessee."
---

# Area code 865: Tennessee, United States

Area code 865 serves Tennessee, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Tennessee.

NANPA lists 501 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 865, held by 46 holders across 33 rate centers.
The largest rate center is KNOXVILLE, with 275 prefixes (55%).
South Central Bell Tel holds the most prefixes, 122 (24%). 74% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 2,089 complaints on file for 1,894 numbers in 865, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 1999-11-01
- Time zone: Eastern (E)
- Prefixes in use: 501
- Pooled prefixes: 371 (74%)
- Rate centers: 33
- Companies holding prefixes: 46
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-05 to 2026-07-02 (243 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 55

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| KNOXVILLE | 275 | 55% |
| MARYVILLE | 40 | 8% |
| OAK RIDGE | 20 | 4% |
| SEVIERVL | 14 | 3% |
| KINGSTON | 11 | 2% |
| LENOIRCITY | 11 | 2% |
| CONCORD | 9 | 2% |
| CLINTON | 8 | 2% |
| 25 other rate centers | 113 | 23% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| South Central Bell Tel | 122 | 24% |
| Verizon Wireless | 50 | 10% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 48 | 10% |
| Paetec Itel | 44 | 9% |
| Onvoy | 32 | 6% |
| Powertel Nashville Licenses | 29 | 6% |
| 40 other carriers | 176 | 35% |

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

- 1995-09-11: Area code 423, named as the parent of 865 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 1999-11-01: Area code 865 went into service.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 865, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 423 (about 6 miles), 828 (about 97 miles), 606 (about 117 miles), 821 (about 126 miles) and 864 (about 132 miles).

## ZIP codes

55 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Knoxville, TN (31 ZIP codes), Maryville, TN (4 ZIP codes) and Clinton, TN (2 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

2,089 complaints for 1,894 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 94
- 2024: 142
- 2025: 183

## Questions

### Where is area code 865?

NANPA assigns area code 865 to Tennessee, United States.

### In which state does area code 865 sit?

Tennessee. 865 is one of 8 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 865 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 865 are Knoxville, TN, Maryville, TN and Clinton, TN. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 865?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 865, South Central Bell Tel holds the most prefixes, 122 prefixes or 24%.

### Which time zone does 865 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 865 as Eastern (E).

### What year did 865 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1999-11-01, so 865 has been in use since 1999.

### Does area code 865 have an overlay?

The NANPA NPA report lists no other area code in an overlay with 865.

### Which area codes are nearest to 865?

The area codes closest to 865, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 423 (about 6 miles), 828 (about 97 miles), 606 (about 117 miles), 821 (about 126 miles) and 864 (about 132 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 865 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 501 prefixes in service in 865, spread over 33 rate centers and 46 holders.

### Are there complaints about 865 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 2,089 complaints for 1,894 numbers in 865. 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).