Area Code Atlas

NPA 609 split from 201

Area code 609 was created in 1956 by splitting from the original 201 area code, assigning 609 to the southern part of New Jersey, including Trenton, Atlantic City, and the Jersey Shore, reducing the coverage of 201.

NPA 609 split from 201

Area code 609 was created in 1956 by splitting the original 201 area code, dividing New Jersey into northern and central/southern numbering plan areas.

New Jersey required area-code dialing for in-state calls outside the caller's NPA

All calls within New Jersey had been dialed without area codes until July 21, 1963, when office code protection was ended and customers were required to dial the area code when calling to a location in the state but outside their own numbering plan area.

Mandatory area code dialing begins in New Jersey

On July 21, 1963, mandatory area code dialing was implemented within New Jersey, requiring callers to use the area code when dialing to a location outside their own numbering plan area. This change ended office code protection and standardized dialing procedures across the state, affecting both 201 and 609.

Geographic Split of 609 (New Jersey) Numbering Plan (NPA); addition of 856 NPA

NPA 856 split from 609

Area code 856 was created on June 12, 1999, as a geographic split from area code 609 due to number exhaustion, serving southwestern New Jersey including Camden, Cherry Hill, Vineland, and surrounding counties.

Permissive dialing period for NPA 856 and 609

A permissive dialing period for area codes 856 and 609 began on June 12, 1999, allowing calls to the new 856 region to be completed using either the old 609 or the new 856 code. This period lasted for five months to ease the transition.

NPA 856 split from 609

Area code 856 was introduced on June 14, 1999, as a geographic split from 609 to address number exhaustion in southwestern New Jersey. The new code covered the southwestern part of the 609 territory, including most of the New Jersey side of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, while 609 continued to serve central and southeastern New Jersey.

Mandatory dialing for NPA 856 and 609

Mandatory dialing for area codes 856 and 609 began on November 13, 1999. After this date, calls to the 856 region required the use of the new area code, and calls dialed with the incorrect code were routed to an informational announcement.

Mandatory dialing of 856 and 609 after split

Permissive dialing for the 609 and 856 area codes ended on November 14, 1999. After this date, callers were required to use the correct area code for calls within the affected regions, completing the transition to the new area code boundaries.

609/640 overlay approved

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved an all-services overlay for the 609 area code on April 21, 2017. The overlay would introduce area code 640 to the same geographic region as 609 to address number exhaustion.

NPA 640 overlay on 609 announced

NPA 640 to Overlay NPA 609 (New Jersey)

Permissive 10-digit dialing begins for 609/640 overlay

Permissive 10-digit dialing began on January 20, 2018, for all calls in the 609 area code region in preparation for the 640 overlay. During this period, both 7-digit and 10-digit dialing were allowed.

Mandatory 10-digit dialing for 609/640 overlay complex

Ten-digit dialing became mandatory on August 18, 2018, for all calls in the 609 and 640 area codes, marking the end of the permissive dialing period and the full implementation of the overlay.

NPA 640 overlays 609

Area code 640 was activated as an all-services overlay for the 609 region on September 17, 2018. The overlay provided additional numbering resources for central and southern New Jersey, with both codes serving the same geographic area.