971 area code — Portland, OR geographic

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

If a call shows area code 971, the number was issued in the Portland area — a code active since 2000, on Pacific time. Together with 503 it forms the 503/971 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 428 active NXX prefixes in 971, assigned to 46 carriers. 419 of those prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. The code spans 55 rate centers (billing localities).

Official projections put exhaust for the 503/971 complex at 1Q 2041.

Its parent code is 503, which it left in 2000.

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

Use this page to decode where 971 numbers come from — and remember that spoofing means the screen can lie about everything except your own caution.

Largest localities in 971

FAQ

Why do 503 and 971 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 503/971 complex shares one service area, and local calls are dialed with 10 digits.

Will 971 run out of numbers?

NANPA's current forecast projects exhaust in 1Q 2041 — decades of capacity remain.

Why am I getting spam calls from 971 numbers?

Scammers spoof recognizable area codes so calls look local or familiar. A displayed 971 number does not prove the call originated there — see our guide to spotting spoofed calls.

Where is a 971 number from?

971 is assigned to Portland and surrounding areas of Oregon in the Pacific time zone. The three digits after the area code (the prefix) narrow it down to a rate center.

Is 971 a toll-free number?

No. 971 is a geographic code; calls are billed like any other domestic call. Toll-free codes are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.