Area code 256: Alabama
Area code 256 is a US state area code for Alabama, on Central Time. It has 786 prefixes in service across 91 rate centers, the largest being Huntsville, Decatur and Anniston. It shares its area with 938, so local numbers there can start with any of them. Local calls there take 10 digits.
Local time in area code 256
America/Chicago
Prefixes in service
786 of 792 possible
91 rate centers
Area code 256 facts
| Location | Alabama, United States |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Central Time |
| Overlays | 938 |
| Split from | 205 |
| In service since | March 23, 1998 |
| 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 256?
NANPA records each prefix against a rate center, the local billing area a number belongs to, usually named after its main town. These are the 256 rate centers with the most prefixes in service. 79 smaller ones aren't listed.
| Rate center | Prefixes |
|---|---|
| Huntsville | 158 |
| Decatur | 50 |
| Anniston | 43 |
| Gadsden | 37 |
| Cullman | 36 |
| Florence | 29 |
| Athens | 26 |
| Guntersville | 18 |
| Alexander City | 18 |
| Scottsboro | 18 |
| Talladega | 17 |
| Albertville | 15 |
Source: NANPA central office code assignments, file dated 10/17/2026. Each prefix holds up to 10,000 numbers.
How do I dial a 256 number?
NANPA's dialling plan for 256: 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 256 | 256-555-0147 |
|---|---|
| From another US or Canadian area code | 1-256-555-0147 |
| From outside North America | +1 256 555 0147 |
| E.164, for CRMs and SMS tools | +12565550147 |
When did area code 256 start?
Area code 256 went into service on March 23, 1998, split from 205. Today 256 and 938 cover the same area as an overlay, which is why 10-digit dialling is needed for local calls there.
Tools for 256 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 256 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.
- Drop your list as a CSV
- See its rows, duplicates and bad formats, free
- 100 free email checks when you sign in with Google, no card
Ready to verify now? See the Email + Phone plan
Area code 256 questions
- What state is area code 256?
- Area code 256 is in Alabama, United States. Its largest rate centers by number of prefixes are Huntsville, Decatur, Anniston, Gadsden and Cullman.
- What time zone is area code 256 in?
- Central Time.
- What area codes overlay 256?
- 938. 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 256 start?
- Area code 256 went into service on March 23, 1998, split from 205.
- Is a 256 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 256 have?
- 786 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 Alabama
Sources
Location, overlays, in-service date and dialling plan: NANPA NPA database, file dated 10/16/2026. Prefixes and rate centers: NANPA central office code assignments, 10/17/2026. Time zones mapped to the IANA time zone database. By the SimpleVerifier Team; how we build these pages.