401 area code — Providence, RI geographic
- State
- Rhode Island
- Major area
- Providence
- Time zone
- Eastern
- In service since
- 1947-01-01
- Active prefixes
- 578
- Rate centers
- 25
- Carriers
- 38
- Projected exhaust
- 2Q 2051
The 401 area code covers Providence, Rhode Island, Eastern time zone, and dates back to January 1, 1947. Because of number portability and VoIP, the area code tells you where the number was issued, not where the caller is right now.
NANPA lists 578 active NXX prefixes in 401, assigned to 38 carriers. 420 of those prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. The code spans 25 rate centers (billing localities).
The dialing plan is 7D for home-NPA local calls and 1+10D across codes.
Worth noting: 401 is the only area code serving Rhode Island.
Use this page to decode where 401 numbers come from — and remember that spoofing means the screen can lie about everything except your own caution.
Official projections put exhaust at 2Q 2051.
Largest localities in 401
| Locality (rate center) | Active prefixes | Also served by |
|---|---|---|
| Providence | 234 | — |
| Pawtucket | 38 | — |
| Woonsocket | 34 | — |
| Newport | 26 | — |
| Warwick | 21 | — |
| West Warwick | 19 | — |
| Narragansett | 19 | — |
| Centredale | 19 | — |
| Cumberland Hill | 18 | — |
| Greenwich | 16 | — |
FAQ
Where is a 401 number from?
401 is assigned to Providence and surrounding areas of Rhode Island in the Eastern time zone. The three digits after the area code (the prefix) narrow it down to a rate center.
Is 401 a toll-free number?
No. 401 is a geographic code; calls are billed like any other domestic call. Toll-free codes are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.
Will 401 run out of numbers?
NANPA's current forecast projects exhaust in 2Q 2051 — decades of capacity remain.