---
title: "Area code 973: New Jersey, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/973.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/973"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 973 serves New Jersey, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in New Jersey."
---

# Area code 973: New Jersey, United States

Area code 973 serves New Jersey, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in New Jersey.

NANPA lists 777 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 973, held by 31 holders across 42 rate centers.
Verizon New Jersey holds the most prefixes, 335 (43%). 58% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 3,223 complaints on file for 2,409 numbers in 973, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 1997-06-01
- Time zone: Eastern (E)
- Assigned overlays: 862 (2001-12-29)
- Prefixes in use: 777
- Pooled prefixes: 449 (58%)
- Rate centers: 42
- Companies holding prefixes: 31
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-05 to 2026-03-02 (115 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 69

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NEWARK | 146 | 19% |
| MORRISTOWN | 90 | 12% |
| PASSAIC | 46 | 6% |
| CALDWELL | 42 | 5% |
| PATERSON | 39 | 5% |
| ORANGE | 33 | 4% |
| BLOOMFIELD | 28 | 4% |
| WHIPPANY | 28 | 4% |
| 34 other rate centers | 325 | 42% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Verizon New Jersey | 335 | 43% |
| Level 3 Communications | 76 | 10% |
| Mcimetro Access Transmission Services | 56 | 7% |
| Verizon Wireless | 53 | 7% |
| Omnipoint Communications | 48 | 6% |
| Teleport Communications America | 31 | 4% |
| 25 other carriers | 178 | 23% |

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 201, named as the parent of 973 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 1997-06-01: Area code 973 went into service.
- 2001-12-29: Area code 862 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 973.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 973, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 201 (about 9 miles), 551 (about 13 miles), 908 (about 23 miles), 914 (about 38 miles) and 732 (about 39 miles).

## ZIP codes

69 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

3,223 complaints for 2,409 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 98
- 2024: 88
- 2025: 91

## Questions

### Where is area code 973?

NANPA assigns area code 973 to New Jersey, United States.

### In which state does area code 973 sit?

New Jersey. 973 is one of 10 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 973 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 973 are Newark, NJ, Paterson, NJ and Morristown, NJ. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 973?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 973, Verizon New Jersey holds the most prefixes, 335 prefixes or 43%.

### Which time zone does 973 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 973 as Eastern (E).

### What year did 973 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1997-06-01, so 973 has been in use since 1997.

### Does area code 973 have an overlay?

Yes. 862 (in service 2001-12-29) shares the same area with 973, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.

### Which area codes are nearest to 973?

The area codes closest to 973, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 201 (about 9 miles), 551 (about 13 miles), 908 (about 23 miles), 914 (about 38 miles) and 732 (about 39 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 973 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 777 prefixes in service in 973, spread over 42 rate centers and 31 holders.

### Are there complaints about 973 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 3,223 complaints for 2,409 numbers in 973. 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).