Area code 212 – New York
212 is one of the original area codes, in service across New York since 1947. All but a handful of its 786 number blocks are allocated (784 of 786), so it is effectively exhausted. Verizon holds 86.9% of those blocks, which is unusually concentrated for a US area code. It shares its geography with overlay codes 332, 646, 917, so local calls take all ten digits. Spam complaints are comparatively rare: 214 in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, 334th of the 422 codes with five or more complaints. All of its numbers sit in a single telephone rate center covering the whole area.
- State
- New York
- In service since
- 1947
- Time zone
- Eastern
Who holds 212 number blocks
Share of the 784 assigned NXX blocks (99.7% of the 786 possible), across 20 carriers. This is share of number blocks, not of subscribers.
- Verizon86.9%
- AT&T6.4%
- Lumen2.2%
- Windstream1.4%
- Other CLEC / VoIP1.3%
- Bandwidth0.6%
- Onvoy0.5%
- Altice0.3%
- Charter0.3%
- T-Mobile0.1%
- Peerless0.1%
Spam complaints naming 212
FTC Do Not Call complaints where the caller ID was a 212 number, 28 Sep – 30 Oct 2026 (33 days). Caller IDs on spam calls are frequently spoofed, so these are complaints about the code, not calls proven to originate in it.
Rate centers in 212
NANPA allocates number blocks to rate centers and records their names abbreviated to ten characters, so these are NANPA's codes rather than place names – CHAMPAURBN is Champaign-Urbana, NWYRCYZN01 is a New York City zone. We show them unchanged instead of guessing at the full names. This code has a single rate center covering its whole area.
Timeline
- 1947 212 assigned in the original North American Numbering Plan.
More about 212
Separate pages for the questions that need their own answer: what time it is there, what the complaint data says, who holds the number blocks, and how the code compares with the one it shares its area with.
Frequently asked about 212
What state is area code 212?
New York. It covers the same area as 212/332/646/917.
Can I still get a 212 number?
Only from recycled stock. 784 of the 786 available blocks are already allocated, so new numbers in the area normally come from the overlay codes (212/332/646/917).
Is a call from 212 a scam?
Not by itself. 212 drew 214 FTC complaints in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, 334th of 422 ranked codes – mid-pack or lower. Spam callers spoof caller IDs, so the only useful check is the full number. The most reported category here is “Other”.
Which carrier owns 212 numbers?
Verizon holds the largest share of assigned number blocks at 86.9%. The rest is spread across 3 other carriers. This is share of number blocks, not of subscribers – people keep their numbers when they switch carriers.
Do I need to dial 10 digits in 212?
NANPA records the local dialing plan for 212 as “1+10D”.
Sources and verification
- NANPA – NPA Database (npa_report.csv), file date 11/01/2026, retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- NANPA – CO Code Assignment Records, All States (utilized), file updated 11/01/2026, retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- FTC – Do Not Call Reported Calls Data, 25 daily files 28 Sep – 30 Oct 2026, retrieved Nov 1, 2026
NANPA dialing note for this code: “1+10D”. Reviewed by the data desk. Spotted an error? Request a correction.