Area code 279: California
Area code 279 is a US state area code for California, on Pacific Time. It has 147 prefixes in service across 16 rate centers, the largest being Sacramento:Main Da, Sacramento:North Da and Folsom. It shares its area with 916, so local numbers there can start with any of them. Local calls there take 1 + 10 digits.
Local time in area code 279
America/Los_Angeles
Prefixes in service
147 of 792 possible
16 rate centers
Area code 279 facts
| Location | California, United States |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Pacific Time |
| Overlays | 916 |
| Overlay of | 916 |
| In service since | March 10, 2018 |
| Local 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 279?
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 279 rate centers with the most prefixes in service. 4 smaller ones aren't listed.
| Rate center | Prefixes |
|---|---|
| Sacramento:Main Da | 44 |
| Sacramento:North Da | 25 |
| Folsom | 16 |
| Elk Grove | 12 |
| Roseville:Main Da | 11 |
| Fair Oaks (Sacramento) | 7 |
| South Placer | 6 |
| Lincoln | 5 |
| Roseville:Citrus Heights Da | 5 |
| Rio Linda | 4 |
| Michigan Bar | 3 |
| Meadowview | 3 |
Source: NANPA central office code assignments, file dated 10/17/2026. Each prefix holds up to 10,000 numbers.
How do I dial a 279 number?
NANPA's dialling plan for 279: local calls inside the code take 1 + 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 279 | 1-279-555-0147 |
|---|---|
| From another US or Canadian area code | 1-279-555-0147 |
| From outside North America | +1 279 555 0147 |
| E.164, for CRMs and SMS tools | +12795550147 |
When did area code 279 start?
Area code 279 went into service on March 10, 2018 as an overlay of 916. Today 279 and 916 cover the same area as an overlay, which is why 10-digit dialling is needed for local calls there.
Tools for 279 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 279 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 279 questions
- What state is area code 279?
- Area code 279 is in California, United States. Its largest rate centers by number of prefixes are Sacramento:Main Da, Sacramento:North Da, Folsom, Elk Grove and Roseville:Main Da.
- What time zone is area code 279 in?
- Pacific Time.
- What area codes overlay 279?
- 916. 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 279 start?
- Area code 279 went into service on March 10, 2018 as an overlay of 916.
- Is a 279 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 279 have?
- 147 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 California
209213310323341350357369408415424442510530559562619626628650657661669707714738747760805818820831837840858909916925949951
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.