216 area code — Cleveland, OH geographic

Data: NANPA public reports, current as of July 28, 2026.

Phone numbers beginning 216 are registered to the Cleveland area of Ohio (Eastern time zone). The code entered service on January 1, 1947. Note that porting and VoIP mean a 216 number can be used from anywhere — the code marks where the number was assigned.

607 central-office prefixes are currently active in this code, spread across 38 code-holding carriers. Thousands-block pooling applies to 352 prefixes, so a single prefix can belong to several carriers. Its prefixes map to 4 distinct rate centers.

Practical takeaway: the 216 label narrows geography to Ohio, the prefix narrows it to a locality, and neither authenticates a caller. Verification means calling back through a number you found yourself.

It has since spawned 330 (1996), 440 (1997).

NANPA projects numbering capacity to exhaust in 2Q 2044.

Dialing: 7D locally, 10D to other codes (carriers must provide permissive 1+10d dialing for foreign npa local calls in areas where they provide optional eas).

Worth noting: 216 is the oldest area code in Ohio, in service since 1947.

Largest localities in 216

FAQ

Will 216 run out of numbers?

NANPA's current forecast projects exhaust in 2Q 2044 — decades of capacity remain.

Why am I getting spam calls from 216 numbers?

Scammers spoof recognizable area codes so calls look local or familiar. A displayed 216 number does not prove the call originated there — see our guide to spotting spoofed calls.

Where is a 216 number from?

216 is assigned to Cleveland and surrounding areas of Ohio in the Eastern time zone. The three digits after the area code (the prefix) narrow it down to a rate center.

Is 216 a toll-free number?

No. 216 is a geographic code; calls are billed like any other domestic call. Toll-free codes are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.