Area Code 279
California
Area code 279 serves California, primarily Sacramento, in the Pacific Time (PT) time zone. It is an overlay area code sharing territory with area code 916.
Overlay Area Code
This area code is part of an overlay region, meaning the same geographic area is served by multiple area codes. Overlay codes were introduced to meet growing demand for phone numbers without requiring existing customers to change their numbers.
This area code shares its geographic region with: area code 916 (Sacramento).
In service since: 10-Mar-2018
Historical Timeline of Area Code 279
Area code 916 was created in 1947 as one of California's original three area codes, alongside 213 and 415. It was split twice, creating area code 707 in 1959 and area code 530 in 1997, before receiving overlay relief with area code 279 on March 10, 2018. The overlay was approved by the CPUC on February 9, 2017, following a 13-month implementation schedule that included mandatory 1+10-digit dialing from February 10, 2018. (Source: CPUC Consumer Information)
Key milestones:
- 1947: Area code 916 created as one of the original 86 North American area codes, originally covering the far northern portion of California (Source: Wikipedia)
- 1950: 916 realigned to cover northeastern California when Sacramento was reassigned from 415 to 916 (Source: Wikipedia)
- 1959: 916 split to create area code 707 for northwestern California (Source: CPUC)
- 1997: 916 split again to create area code 530 for northeastern California, reducing 916 to the greater Sacramento area (Source: CPUC)
- October 2015: Industry consensus reached to recommend all-services overlay for the 916 NPA (Source: CPUC Decision D.17-02-010)
- November 2016: NANPA filed Application A.16-11-007 requesting all-services overlay relief for 916 (Source: CPUC Decision D.17-02-010)
- February 2017: CPUC approved all-services overlay via Decision D.17-02-010, rejecting the split alternative (Source: CPUC Decision D.17-02-010)
- March 2017: NANPA Planning Letter PL-502 issued confirming the overlay implementation timeline (Source: NANPA PL-502)
- August 12, 2017: Permissive 1+10-digit dialing period began across the 916 NPA (Source: NANPA PL-502)
- February 10, 2018: Mandatory 1+10-digit dialing became effective for all calls within and between 916 and 279 (Source: CPUC Press Release)
- March 10, 2018: Area code 279 officially entered service as an all-services overlay of 916, covering El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, and Yolo counties (Source: CPUC)
Area code 916 is one of the original 86 area codes from 1947 and is the only one of California's original three that no longer contains any part of its original geographic area. The 1997 split reduced 916 to the greater Sacramento metropolitan region, and the 2018 overlay with 279 provides additional numbering resources for the same five-county area. (Source: CPUC)
Unique Facts About Area Code 279
Area code 279 has several facts unique among recent overlays. The CPUC projected a 36-year overlay life, the split alternative was rejected because it would create a 32-year lifespan imbalance, only 53 prefixes (7%) remained when relief was requested, and the test number 279-279-1279 was used to verify routing from December 2017 through April 2018. (Source: CPUC Decision D.17-02-010)
- 36-year projected overlay life: The CPUC's Decision D.17-02-010 projected the 279 overlay would provide adequate numbering resources for approximately 36 years. (Source: CPUC Decision D.17-02-010)
- Split rejected due to 32-year imbalance: The CPUC considered a geographic split alternative but rejected it because the resulting two area codes would have had a 32-year lifespan imbalance (55 years vs. 23 years), which did not satisfy the CPUC's equitable distribution requirement. (Source: CPUC Decision D.17-02-010)
- Only 53 prefixes (7%) remaining: As of August 2, 2016, only 53 useable prefixes remained in the 916 NPA, representing just 7% of total capacity. This severe shortage prompted the early filing for relief. (Source: CPUC Decision D.17-02-010)
- 53 of 54 public meeting attendees supported overlay: At three public meetings held during the relief process, 54 attendees participated and 53 supported the overlay approach. (Source: CPUC Decision D.17-02-010)
- Test number 279-279-1279: NANPA used the test number 279-279-1279 to verify proper routing of calls to the new 279 area code during the period from December 12, 2017 through April 10, 2018. (Source: NANPA PL-502)
- 70% customer awareness target: The CPUC mandated a Public Education Program (PEP) that was required to achieve 70% customer awareness before new 279 numbers could be issued. (Source: CPUC Decision D.17-02-010)
FCC Regulatory History
Area code 279 was authorized through CPUC Decision D.17-02-010 on February 9, 2017, approving NANPA Application A.16-11-007 filed November 17, 2016. The CPUC, acting under delegated authority from the FCC, chose an all-services overlay over a split and mandated a 13-month implementation with a Public Education Program requiring 70% customer awareness. Permissive dialing began August 12, 2017, mandatory dialing on February 10, 2018, and new 279 numbers issued March 10, 2018. (Source: CPUC Decision D.17-02-010)
| Document/Order | Date | Key Details | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| NANPA Application A.16-11-007 | Nov 17, 2016 | Filed by NANPA requesting all-services area code overlay for the 916 NPA due to projected exhaustion in Q1 2018 (Source: CPUC Decision) | Initiated CPUC review process (A.16-11-007) |
| CPUC Decision D.17-02-010 | Feb 9, 2017 | Approved all-services overlay; rejected split due to 32-year lifespan imbalance (55 vs. 23 years); mandated 13-month implementation; required PEP achieving 70% awareness (Source: CPUC Decision) | Overlay authorized with 36-year projected life |
| NANPA Planning Letter PL-502 | Mar 8, 2017 | Confirmed CPUC approval; set implementation timeline: permissive dialing Aug 12, 2017; mandatory dialing Feb 10, 2018; new codes Mar 10, 2018; test number 279-279-1279 (Source: NANPA PL-502) | Implementation schedule published to industry |
| CPUC Press Release | Jan 8, 2018 | Consumer education reminder for mandatory 1+10-digit dialing change effective February 10, 2018; noted 916 was one of original three California area codes (Source: CPUC Press Release) | Final consumer awareness push before mandatory dialing |
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 2,127,843
- Population Density
- 599 people/sq miabove U.S. average (U.S.: 94 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $88,724above U.S. median (U.S.: $78,538)
- Poverty Rate
- 11.5%near U.S. average (U.S.: 12.4%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 6.0%above U.S. average (U.S.: 5.2%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+35.4%near U.S. average (U.S.: 35.0%)High School or Lower26.2%
Statistics are population-weighted aggregations from Census ACS 5-year estimates.See Sources for details.
Geographic Coverage
State
CA
Major Cities
- Sacramento
- Elk Grove
- Roseville
- Arden-Arcade
- Citrus Heights
- Folsom
- Rancho Cordova
- Carmichael
- Rocklin
- West Sacramento
- Lincoln
- El Dorado Hills
- Florin
- Antelope
- North Highlands
- Vineyard
- Foothill Farms
- Orangevale
- Fair Oaks
- Rosemont
- Granite Bay
- Rio Linda
- Parkway
- Lemon Hill
and 19 more cities
Time Zone
- Pacific Time (PT)
Current Time
County Coverage
Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 279).
| County | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Sacramento, CA | 1,597,344 | 75.1% |
| Placer, CA | 336,725 | 15.8% |
| El Dorado, CA | 126,475 | 5.9% |
| Yolo, CA | 56,124 | 2.6% |
| Sutter, CA | 5,777 | 0.3% |
| Solano, CA | 3,312 | 0.2% |
| San Joaquin, CA | 2,086 | 0.1% |
Call Context
This area code covers a metropolitan region in CA with moderate to high population density, centered on Sacramento and surrounding communities.
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 279.
Other Area Codes in California
Area codes that also serve California, linked for easy comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about area code 279 and how phone numbering works.
CPUC Decision D.17-02-010 (as of Aug 2, 2016).
Phone numbers assigned to area code 279 are tied to where they were originally provisioned — not the caller's current location. This code serving roughly 2128k people covers Sacramento in CA, so a number originally set up there will retain the 279 prefix even if the owner moves or uses VoIP. Mobile phones keep their original number when users relocate, and businesses often adopt local area codes to establish a regional presence.
Start by looking up the area code on this site to understand its geographic context — area code 279 is associated with Sacramento in CA. For caller-specific details, use your carrier's caller ID features or check public directories. If you suspect fraud, you can report it to the FTC. To file a complaint about robocalls or spoofed numbers, visit the FCC Consumer Complaint Center. You can also register with the National Do Not Call Registry.
When an area's available number pool runs low, regulators introduce an "overlay" code covering the same territory. Both codes coexist, and new numbers are assigned from whichever has availability. Area code 279 serves the Sacramento region in CA, where growing demand for phone numbers necessitated an additional code. This area code shares its region with area code 916. Learn more in our overlay vs split guide.