Area code 872: Illinois
Area code 872 is a US state area code for Illinois, on Central Time. It has 273 prefixes in service across 11 rate centers, the largest being Chicago Zone 01, Chicago Zone 03 and Chicago Zone 04. It shares its area with 312, so local numbers there can start with any of them.
Local time in area code 872
America/Chicago
Prefixes in service
273 of 792 possible
11 rate centers
Area code 872 facts
| Location | Illinois, United States |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Central Time |
| Overlays | 312 |
| Overlay of | 312 |
| In service since | November 7, 2009 |
| 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 872?
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 872 rate centers with the most prefixes in service.
| Rate center | Prefixes |
|---|---|
| Chicago Zone 01 | 38 |
| Chicago Zone 03 | 34 |
| Chicago Zone 04 | 32 |
| Chicago Zone 08 | 30 |
| Chicago Zone 07 | 29 |
| Chicago Zone 02 | 27 |
| Chicago Zone 06 | 23 |
| Chicago Zone 10 | 21 |
| Chicago Zone 09 | 20 |
| Chicago Zone 05 | 16 |
| Chicago Zone 11 | 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 872 number?
NANPA's dialling plan for 872: 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 872 | 1-872-555-0147 |
|---|---|
| From another US or Canadian area code | 1-872-555-0147 |
| From outside North America | +1 872 555 0147 |
| E.164, for CRMs and SMS tools | +18725550147 |
When did area code 872 start?
Area code 872 went into service on November 7, 2009 as an overlay of 312. Today 872 and 312 cover the same area as an overlay, which is why 10-digit dialling is needed for local calls there.
Tools for 872 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 872 number tells you where it was issued, not what it is now.
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Area code 872 questions
- What state is area code 872?
- Area code 872 is in Illinois, United States. Its largest rate centers by number of prefixes are Chicago Zone 01, Chicago Zone 03, Chicago Zone 04, Chicago Zone 08 and Chicago Zone 07.
- What time zone is area code 872 in?
- Central Time.
- What area codes overlay 872?
- 312. 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 872 start?
- Area code 872 went into service on November 7, 2009 as an overlay of 312.
- Is an 872 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 872 have?
- 273 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 Illinois
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.