843 area code — Charleston, SC geographic

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

The 843 area code covers Charleston, South Carolina, Eastern time zone, and dates back to March 22, 1998. The same territory is also served by its overlay code (843/854 complex). Keep in mind the code identifies where the number was registered; the person calling may be elsewhere.

The code currently holds 781 working prefixes, held by 49 different carriers. Of these, 471 are pooled prefixes shared by multiple carriers. Numbers are anchored to 92 rate centers — billing localities that fix where each prefix belongs.

The current NANPA exhaust forecast for the 843/854 complex is 1Q 2053.

Local calls inside 843 are dialed 10D; 1+10 digit for all hnpa and fnpa calls permissible at each service provider discretion.

Worth noting: 843 is covers more rate centers (92) than any other South Carolina area code.

Practical takeaway: the 843 label narrows geography to South Carolina, the prefix narrows it to a locality, and neither authenticates a caller. Verification means calling back through a number you found yourself.

The code was carved out of 803 (1998). As demand grew it in turn gave rise to 854 (2015).

Largest localities in 843

FAQ

Is 843 a toll-free number?

No. 843 is a geographic code; calls are billed like any other domestic call. Toll-free codes are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.

Why do 854 and 843 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 843/854 complex shares one service area, and local calls are dialed with 10 digits.

Will 843 run out of numbers?

NANPA's current forecast projects exhaust in 1Q 2053 — decades of capacity remain.