South Carolina area codes
South Carolina has 6 active area codes. The original 1947 code was 803. The newest is 821 (2024).
The busiest codes by active prefixes are 864 (Greenville), 803 (Columbia), 843 (Charleston), 854 (Charleston), 839 (Columbia) — the remaining 1 cover smaller regions or arrived recently as overlays.
3 overlay complexes operate in South Carolina: 803/839, 821/864, 843/854. Inside a complex the codes share territory and local calls take ten digits.
Since 2010 the state has gained 3 codes: 854 (2015), 839 (2020), 821 (2024).
Every South Carolina code keeps Eastern time.
803, in service since 1947, anchors Columbia, carries 783 active prefixes across 82 rate centers, split among 52 carriers. 534 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. It is the oldest area code in South Carolina, in service since 1947. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 1Q 2046 — no relief needed for decades. Local dialing is ten digits.
821, in service since 2024, anchors Laurens, carries 31 active prefixes across 15 rate centers, split among 8 carriers. 31 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 3Q 2054 — no relief needed for decades. It was created from 864. Local dialing is ten digits.
839, in service since 2020, anchors Columbia, carries 170 active prefixes across 51 rate centers, split among 24 carriers. 170 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 1Q 2046 — no relief needed for decades. It was created from 803. Local dialing is ten digits.
843, in service since 1998, anchors Charleston, carries 781 active prefixes across 92 rate centers, split among 49 carriers. 471 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. It is covers more rate centers (92) than any other South Carolina area code. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 1Q 2053 — no relief needed for decades. It was created from 803. Local dialing is ten digits.
854 has served Charleston since 2015, carries 172 active prefixes across 64 rate centers, split among 34 carriers. 172 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 1Q 2053 — no relief needed for decades. It was created from 843. Local dialing is ten digits.
864 has served Greenville since 1995, carries 784 active prefixes across 66 rate centers, split among 50 carriers. 573 of its prefixes are pooled — shared between carriers in thousands-number blocks. NANPA projects its capacity to last until 3Q 2054 — no relief needed for decades. It was created from 803. Local dialing is ten digits.
Numbers in the toll-free 8YY family are absent here by design: they carry no state assignment and answer anywhere in the US, Canada and the Caribbean.
Use the per-code pages to go deeper — coverage by locality, full prefix tables for the most-searched codes, and NANPA's capacity forecasts for each.
| Code | Major area | In service | Overlay complex | Prefixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 803 | Columbia | 1947 | 803/839 | 783 |
| 821 | Laurens | 2024 | 821/864 | 31 |
| 839 | Columbia | 2020 | 803/839 | 170 |
| 843 | Charleston | 1998 | 843/854 | 781 |
| 854 | Charleston | 2015 | 843/854 | 172 |
| 864 | Greenville | 1995 | 821/864 | 784 |
FAQ
How many area codes does South Carolina have?
6 geographic area codes are currently in service: 803, 821, 839, 843, 854, 864.
What was South Carolina's first area code?
803, in service since 1947.
Will South Carolina get a new area code soon?
Not soon. The earliest exhaust forecast in the state is 803 at 1Q 2046, so current codes have ample capacity.
Which time zone are South Carolina numbers in?
All South Carolina area codes are in the Eastern time zone.