Area code 250 – British Columbia
250 has served British Columbia since 1996, split from 604. 781 of its 800 number blocks are allocated – about 98% full. It shares its geography with overlay codes 236, 257, 672, 778, so local calls take all ten digits. Spam complaints are comparatively rare: 322 in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, 289th of the 422 codes with five or more complaints. Most of its numbers are in Victoria, Kelowna, Nanaimo.
- Province
- British Columbia
- In service since
- 1996
- Time zone
- Pacific
Spam complaints naming 250
FTC Do Not Call complaints where the caller ID was a 250 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 250
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. Showing the largest 5 of 269.
Timeline
- 1996 250 goes into service, split from or overlaid on 604.
More about 250
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 250
Where is area code 250?
British Columbia. It covers the same area as 236/250/257/672/778.
Can I still get a 250 number?
Only from recycled stock. 781 of the 800 available blocks are already allocated, so new numbers in the area normally come from the overlay codes (236/250/257/672/778).
Is a call from 250 a scam?
Not by itself. 250 drew 322 FTC complaints in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, 289th of 422 ranked codes – mid-pack or lower. Spam callers spoof caller IDs, so the only useful check is the full number.
Do I need to dial 10 digits in 250?
Yes – ten digits for local calls in 250, because it shares its area with another code.
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: “10D”. Reviewed by the data desk. Spotted an error? Request a correction.