Kentucky area codes
The table below lists every active Kentucky area code with its coverage, service date and prefix count. 3 of the 5 codes are overlays — added on top of existing territories as numbers ran short.
Geographically the map reads: 270 (Owensboro), 502 (Louisville), 606 (Corbin), 859 (Lexington), 364 (Bowling Green). Each code page lists its full coverage down to individual rate centers.
2 overlay complexes operate in Kentucky: 270/364, 502/761. Inside a complex the codes share territory and local calls take ten digits.
Since 2010 the state has gained 1 code: 364 (2014).
Kentucky numbering spans Eastern and Central time, and some individual codes straddle the boundary themselves.
Capacity watch: 502 (exhaust 1Q 2029) is closest to needing relief, per NANPA projections.
270 has served Owensboro since 1999, carries 767 active prefixes across 170 rate centers, split among 45 carriers. 597 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. It is covers more rate centers (170) than any other Kentucky area code. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 3Q 2109 — no relief needed for decades. It was created from 502. Local dialing is ten digits.
364 has served Bowling Green since 2014, carries 71 active prefixes across 46 rate centers, split among 24 carriers. 71 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. It is one of the few NANP area codes whose territory spans two time zones. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 3Q 2109 — no relief needed for decades. It was created from 270. Local dialing is ten digits.
502 has served Louisville since 1947, carries 728 active prefixes across 35 rate centers, split among 49 carriers. 502 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. It is the oldest area code in Kentucky, in service since 1947. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 1Q 2029. Local calls can still be dialed with seven digits — increasingly rare in the NANP.
606 has served Corbin since 1955, carries 629 active prefixes across 125 rate centers, split among 39 carriers. 392 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. It is one of the few NANP area codes whose territory spans two time zones. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 4Q 2035. Local calls can still be dialed with seven digits — increasingly rare in the NANP.
859, in service since 2000, anchors Lexington, carries 559 active prefixes across 42 rate centers, split among 40 carriers. 381 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 2Q 2059 — no relief needed for decades. It was created from 606. Local dialing is ten digits.
Note that toll-free codes (800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888) sit outside this list — they have no geographic tie to Kentucky or anywhere else, and are assigned individually from the national SMS/800 registry.
As everywhere in the NANP: these codes say where numbers were issued, not where callers are. Per-code pages break coverage down to rate centers and prefixes.
| Code | Major area | In service | Overlay complex | Prefixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 270 | Owensboro | 1999 | 270/364 | 767 |
| 364 | Bowling Green | 2014 | 270/364 | 71 |
| 502 | Louisville | 1947 | 502/761 | 728 |
| 606 | Corbin | 1955 | — | 629 |
| 859 | Lexington | 2000 | — | 559 |
FAQ
How many area codes does Kentucky have?
5 geographic area codes are currently in service: 270, 364, 502, 606, 859.
What was Kentucky's first area code?
502, in service since 1947.
Will Kentucky get a new area code soon?
Likely: NANPA projects 502 to exhaust its capacity in 1Q 2029, and relief overlays are planned years in advance.
Which time zone are Kentucky numbers in?
Kentucky codes span Eastern and Central time; check each code's page for its zone.