Elgin, IL Area Codes

Area codes serving Elgin

Elgin sits in Illinois, 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: 224, 847.

The original code is 847 (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
224	Northern and northwest Chicago suburbs in Cook, Lake and McHenry counties	January 5, 2002
847	Northern and northwest Chicago suburbs in Cook, Lake and McHenry counties	January 20, 1996

Nearby cities sharing these area codes

• Waukegan
• Evanston
• Arlington Heights
• Schaumburg
• Palatine
• Skokie
• Des Plaines
• Mount Prospect
• Hoffman Estates
• Glenview
• Wheeling
• Northbrook
• Highland Park

How to pick an area code for a new number

When you activate a new line in Elgin, 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 847), ask the carrier whether any blocks remain, or request a number transfer. All codes here dial identically and cost the same.

Dialing in Elgin

Because Elgin 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 Illinois, visit the Illinois area codes page.