Kansas City, MO Area Codes

Area codes serving Kansas City

Kansas City 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: 816, 975.

The original code is 816 (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
816	Kansas City, Missouri and its suburbs, plus St. Joseph in northwest Missouri	January 1, 1947
975	Kansas City, Missouri and its suburbs, plus St. Joseph in northwest Missouri	October 13, 2023

Nearby cities sharing these area codes

• Independence
• Lee's Summit
• St. Joseph
• Blue Springs
• Liberty
• Raytown
• Gladstone
• Grandview
• Belton
• Raymore
• Excelsior Springs
• Harrisonville

How to pick an area code for a new number

When you activate a new line in Kansas City, 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 816), ask the carrier whether any blocks remain, or request a number transfer. All codes here dial identically and cost the same.

Dialing in Kansas City

Because Kansas City 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.