Area code 501: Arkansas
Area code 501 is a US state area code for Arkansas, on Central Time. It has 628 prefixes in service across 61 rate centers, the largest being Little Rock, Hot Springs and Conway. NANPA lists no overlay code for it. Local calls there take 10 digits.
Local time in area code 501
America/Chicago
Prefixes in service
628 of 792 possible
61 rate centers
Area code 501 facts
| Location | Arkansas, United States |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Central Time |
| Overlays | None |
| In service since | 1947, when the plan began |
| 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 501?
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 501 rate centers with the most prefixes in service. 49 smaller ones aren't listed.
| Rate center | Prefixes |
|---|---|
| Little Rock | 252 |
| Hot Springs | 40 |
| Conway | 35 |
| Benton | 28 |
| Searcy | 21 |
| Cabot | 15 |
| Malvern | 12 |
| Sylvan Hills Sherwood | 12 |
| Morrilton | 11 |
| Jacksonville | 11 |
| Jessieville | 9 |
| Heber Springs | 9 |
Source: NANPA central office code assignments, file dated 10/17/2026. Each prefix holds up to 10,000 numbers.
How do I dial a 501 number?
NANPA's dialling plan for 501: 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 501 | 501-555-0147 |
|---|---|
| From another US or Canadian area code | 1-501-555-0147 |
| From outside North America | +1 501 555 0147 |
| E.164, for CRMs and SMS tools | +15015550147 |
When did area code 501 start?
Area code 501 is one of the original codes NANPA lists from 1947. It has no overlay, so every number in its area still starts with it.
Tools for 501 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 501 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 501 questions
- What state is area code 501?
- Area code 501 is in Arkansas, United States. Its largest rate centers by number of prefixes are Little Rock, Hot Springs, Conway, Benton and Searcy.
- What time zone is area code 501 in?
- Central Time.
- Does area code 501 have an overlay?
- Not as of NANPA's file dated 10/16/2026. Every number in its area uses 501.
- When did area code 501 start?
- Area code 501 is one of the original codes NANPA lists from 1947.
- Is a 501 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 501 have?
- 628 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 Arkansas
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.