Richmond, VA Area Codes

Area codes serving Richmond

Richmond sits in Virginia, 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: 686, 804.

The original code is 804 (in service since 1973). 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
686	Richmond and surrounding central and eastern Virginia, including Petersburg and the Northern Neck	February 1, 2024
804	Richmond and surrounding central and eastern Virginia, including Petersburg and the Northern Neck	June 24, 1973

Nearby cities sharing these area codes

• Petersburg
• Mechanicsville
• Colonial Heights
• Hopewell
• Glen Allen
• Chester
• Midlothian
• Ashland
• Short Pump
• Powhatan
• Tappahannock
• Kilmarnock

How to pick an area code for a new number

When you activate a new line in Richmond, 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 804), ask the carrier whether any blocks remain, or request a number transfer. All codes here dial identically and cost the same.

Dialing in Richmond

Because Richmond 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 Virginia, visit the Virginia area codes page.