573 area code — Columbia, MO geographic

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

The 573 area code covers Columbia, Missouri, Central time zone, and dates back to January 7, 1996. Together with 235 it forms the 235/573 overlay. 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 786 active NXX prefixes in 573, assigned to 50 carriers. 689 of those prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. The code spans 216 rate centers (billing localities).

Official projections put exhaust for the 235/573 complex at 3Q 2063.

The dialing plan is 10D for home-NPA local calls and 10D across codes.

Practical takeaway: the 573 label narrows geography to Missouri, the prefix narrows it to a locality, and neither authenticates a caller. Verification means calling back through a number you found yourself.

Its parent code is 314, which it left in 1996. Later relief produced 235 (2024) from its territory.

Largest localities in 573

FAQ

Why do 235 and 573 cover the same place?

They are overlays: when a code runs low on numbers, a new code is added over the same territory instead of splitting it. The 235/573 complex shares one service area, and local calls are dialed with 10 digits.

Will 573 run out of numbers?

NANPA's current forecast projects exhaust in 3Q 2063 — decades of capacity remain.

Why am I getting spam calls from 573 numbers?

Scammers spoof recognizable area codes so calls look local or familiar. A displayed 573 number does not prove the call originated there — see our guide to spotting spoofed calls.

Where is a 573 number from?

573 is assigned to Columbia and surrounding areas of Missouri in the Central time zone. The three digits after the area code (the prefix) narrow it down to a rate center.

Is 573 a toll-free number?

No. 573 is a geographic code; calls are billed like any other domestic call. Toll-free codes are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.