916 area code — Sacramento:main Da, CA geographic

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

916 is the area code for Sacramento:main Da, California, in service since January 1, 1947, Pacific time. Together with 279 it forms the 279/916 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 785 active NXX prefixes in 916, assigned to 42 carriers. 491 of those prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. The code spans 17 rate centers (billing localities).

If a 916 call asks for money or personal data, treat the displayed number as unverified: hang up and reach the organization through its published number. Numbering data locates numbers, not callers.

The dialing plan is 1+10D for home-NPA local calls and 1+10D across codes.

Official projections put exhaust for the 279/916 complex at 2Q 2063.

Later relief produced 530 (1997), 279 (2018) from its territory.

Largest localities in 916

FAQ

Why am I getting spam calls from 916 numbers?

Scammers spoof recognizable area codes so calls look local or familiar. A displayed 916 number does not prove the call originated there — see our guide to spotting spoofed calls.

Where is a 916 number from?

916 is assigned to Sacramento:main Da and surrounding areas of California in the Pacific time zone. The three digits after the area code (the prefix) narrow it down to a rate center.

Is 916 a toll-free number?

No. 916 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 279 and 916 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 279/916 complex shares one service area, and local calls are dialed with 10 digits.

Will 916 run out of numbers?

NANPA's current forecast projects exhaust in 2Q 2063 — decades of capacity remain.