RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — With expectations that the 804 area code will run out of phone numbers by mid-2024, a new area code has been picked for parts of central Virginia and the Northern Neck.
The State Corporation Commission (SCC) approved a proposal to start using a new area code — 686 — for new phone numbers once the 804 area code runs out, which is expected by mid-2024.
The 804 area code covers the Richmond area — including Petersburg, Chesterfield, Henrico and King William — and the Northern Neck.
The new three-digit extension is expected to be implemented by early 2024, the SCC said, and won’t change any existing phone numbers. The 686 code will be used for new numbers after 804 runs out.
According to the commission, the new area code is expected to last 32 years.
