Columbia, MO Area Codes

Area codes serving Columbia

Columbia sits in Missouri, part of the Midwest region and the Central Time zone. Its numbers are spread across an overlay of 2 codes that all cover the same ground: 235, 573.

The original code is 573 (in service since 1996). 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
235	Eastern and central Missouri outside St. Louis, from Columbia to the Bootheel	March 24, 2024
573	Eastern and central Missouri outside St. Louis, from Columbia to the Bootheel	January 7, 1996

Nearby cities sharing these area codes

• Jefferson City
• Cape Girardeau
• Rolla
• Poplar Bluff
• Sikeston
• Farmington
• Hannibal
• Mexico
• Fulton
• Osage Beach
• Kennett

How to pick an area code for a new number

When you activate a new line in Columbia, 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 573), ask the carrier whether any blocks remain, or request a number transfer. All codes here dial identically and cost the same.

Dialing in Columbia

Because Columbia 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 Missouri, visit the Missouri area codes page.