Charlotte, NC Area Codes

Area codes serving Charlotte

Charlotte sits in North Carolina, part of the South region and the Eastern Time zone. Its numbers are spread across an overlay of 2 codes that all cover the same ground: 704, 980.

The original code is 704 (in service since 1947). As the area ran low on numbers, regulators added overlay codes on top instead of splitting the city, so longtime residents kept their numbers while new lines received a newer code.

Code	Area served	In service
704	Charlotte and the surrounding south-central North Carolina metro area	January 1, 1947
980	Charlotte and the surrounding south-central North Carolina metro area	April 1, 2001

Nearby cities sharing these area codes

• Concord
• Gastonia
• Huntersville
• Kannapolis
• Mooresville
• Matthews
• Monroe
• Salisbury
• Cornelius
• Statesville
• Indian Trail
• Mint Hill
• Shelby

How to pick an area code for a new number

When you activate a new line in Charlotte, the carrier assigns whichever code has numbers available — you usually can't choose. If a specific code matters to you (for example the prestige of 704), ask the carrier whether any blocks remain, or request a number transfer. All codes here dial identically and cost the same.

Dialing in Charlotte

Because Charlotte is an overlay area, 10-digit dialing is mandatory: always dial the area code plus the seven-digit number, even for a neighbor. See 10-digit dialing and overlay area codes for the background. For every code in North Carolina, visit the North Carolina area codes page.