Area code 250: British Columbia
Area code 250 is a Canadian province area code for the British Columbia, on Pacific Time. It has 781 prefixes in service across 268 exchange areas, the largest being Victoria, Kelowna and Nanaimo. It shares its area with 236, 257, 672 and 778, so local numbers there can start with any of them. Local calls there take 10 digits.
Local time in area code 250
America/Vancouver
Prefixes in service
781 of 792 possible
268 exchange areas
Area code 250 facts
| Location | British Columbia, Canada |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Pacific TimeNANPA lists Pacific time. Parts of eastern British Columbia use Mountain time, and the north-east keeps Mountain Standard Time all year. |
| Overlays | 236, 257, 672, 778 |
| Split from | 604 |
| In service since | October 19, 1996 |
| Local calls | 10 digits; toll calls 1 + 10 digits |
| Carrier | Not shown. An area code is where a number was issued; numbers port between carriers. Check line type |
Which cities and towns use area code 250?
The Canadian Numbering Administrator records each prefix against an exchange area, usually named after its main town. These are the 250 exchange areas with the most prefixes in service. 256 smaller ones aren't listed.
| Exchange area | Prefixes |
|---|---|
| Victoria | 94 |
| Kelowna | 32 |
| Nanaimo | 25 |
| South Kamloops | 22 |
| Vernon | 19 |
| Prince George | 19 |
| Penticton | 15 |
| Duncan | 14 |
| Courtenay | 13 |
| Campbell River | 12 |
| Fort St. John | 12 |
| Parksville | 11 |
Source: Canadian Numbering Administrator CO code status, file dated 2026-10-16. Each prefix holds up to 10,000 numbers.
How do I dial a 250 number?
NANPA's dialling plan for 250: local calls inside the code take 10 digits, toll calls 1 + 10 digits. From another area code, dial 1 first. From abroad, use +1. The examples use 555-0147, from a range reserved for fictional numbers.
| Local call inside 250 | 250-555-0147 |
|---|---|
| From another US or Canadian area code | 1-250-555-0147 |
| From outside North America | +1 250 555 0147 |
| E.164, for CRMs and SMS tools | +12505550147 |
When did area code 250 start?
Area code 250 went into service on October 19, 1996, split from 604. Today 250, 236, 257, 672 and 778 cover the same area as an overlay, which is why 10-digit dialling is needed for local calls there.
Tools for 250 numbers
- Area code lookup
Look up any code or a whole list of numbers, or find the codes for a state or city.
- Area code time zone
Local time for a list of numbers, with a callable-now flag.
- NPA-NXX lookup
Rate center and state for one prefix, a level below the area code.
- TCPA calling hours checker
Whether it's inside the federal 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. calling window there now.
Next step
A 250 number tells you where it was issued, not what it is now.
Mobiles, landlines and VoIP lines share area codes, and numbers move between carriers. A live line-type and carrier lookup on every number in your list says which is which, and that decides which calling and texting rules apply. It's in the Email + Phone plan.
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Area code 250 questions
- What province is area code 250?
- Area code 250 is in the British Columbia, Canada. Its largest exchange areas by number of prefixes are Victoria, Kelowna, Nanaimo, South Kamloops and Vernon.
- What time zone is area code 250 in?
- Pacific Time. NANPA lists Pacific time. Parts of eastern British Columbia use Mountain time, and the north-east keeps Mountain Standard Time all year.
- What area codes overlay 250?
- 236, 257, 672 and 778. An overlay adds a new code to the same area instead of splitting it, so neighbours can have different area codes and local calls need 10 digits.
- When did area code 250 start?
- Area code 250 went into service on October 19, 1996, split from 604.
- Is a 250 number a cell phone or a landline?
- The area code can't tell you. In the US and Canada mobiles, landlines and VoIP lines share area codes and prefixes, and numbers move between carriers and line types. Only a live line-type lookup answers it for one number.
- How many phone numbers does area code 250 have?
- 781 of its 792 possible prefixes are in service, and each prefix holds up to 10,000 numbers. That counts prefixes assigned to carriers, not numbers in use.
Other area codes in British Columbia
Sources
Location, overlays, in-service date and dialling plan: NANPA NPA database, file dated 10/16/2026. Prefixes and exchange areas: Canadian Numbering Administrator CO code status, 2026-10-16. Time zones mapped to the IANA time zone database. By the SimpleVerifier Team; how we build these pages.