Area code 276
Where 276 is, how it is dialed, which carriers hold its numbers and how many of its codes are in use, from NANPA's 10/01/2026 files.
- State
- VA
- In service
- 2001
- Assigned codes
- 373of 800 possible
- Carriers
- 45
Area code 276 at a glance
Area code 276 is a geographic area code in Virginia, in service since September 1, 2001, according to the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). It is not part of an overlay, so every number in its territory starts with 276. It is in the Eastern time zone. The places with the most assigned exchanges include Norton, Abingdon, Martinsville, Wytheville, and Bristol. By population, its largest named places are Bristol, Martinsville, Abingdon, Wytheville, and Galax.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| State | Virginia |
| In service since | September 1, 2001 |
| Assigned by NANPA | March 7, 2001 |
| Overlay | No |
| Parent area code (NANPA) | 540 |
| Time zone | Eastern |
| Local calls within the code | ten digits (area code plus number) |
| Assigned central office codes | 373 |
| Rate centers with codes | 78 |
| Carriers holding codes | 45 |
| Pooled codes | 331 |
| Codes assigned since 2020 | 95 |
| Relief planning in progress | No |
Source: NANPA NPA report and utilized central office code file, both dated 10/01/2026.
Cities and towns in area code 276
276 holds 7.6% of the 4,898 central office codes assigned in Virginia, the 7th most of the state's 10 codes. 40 Census places could be matched to rate centers with 276 exchanges; the most populous are Bristol (16,316), Martinsville (13,834), Abingdon (8,316), and Wytheville (8,160). Each place page lists the exact prefixes and carriers for that town.
| Place | Population (2024) | Area codes | Exchanges | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol, VA | 16,316 | 276 | 16 | 9 |
| Martinsville, VA | 13,834 | 276 | 20 | 9 |
| Abingdon, VA | 8,316 | 276 | 25 | 7 |
| Wytheville, VA | 8,160 | 276 | 19 | 13 |
| Galax, VA | 6,739 | 276 | 11 | 8 |
| Marion, VA | 5,602 | 276 | 11 | 7 |
| Big Stone Gap, VA | 5,087 | 276 | 7 | 4 |
| Richlands, VA | 5,074 | 276 | 14 | 8 |
| Bluefield, VA | 4,871 | 276 | 7 | 5 |
| Tazewell, VA | 4,302 | 276 | 6 | 5 |
| Norton, VA | 3,478 | 276 | 27 | 9 |
| Lebanon, VA | 3,093 | 276 | 9 | 5 |
| Wise, VA | 2,869 | 276 | 5 | 3 |
| Hillsville, VA | 2,843 | 276 | 7 | 4 |
| Gate City, VA | 2,019 | 276 | 6 | 5 |
Population: Census Vintage 2024 estimates for the matched place. Exchanges and carriers: NANPA utilized code file.
Dialing 276 numbers
According to NANPA's dialing-plan data, local calls within 276 are dialed as ten digits (area code plus number) and toll calls as 1 plus ten digits. Because local calls need the area code, business cards, signage and website copy should always show the full ten-digit number. NANPA's dialing-plan note for this code reads: "1+10 digit permissible at service provider discretion."
Phone companies in area code 276
45 carriers hold the 373 central office codes assigned in 276. United Telephone-southeast-va d/b/a Centurylink-va has the most, with 46 (12%). 331 of the codes (89%) are pooled, meaning the code holder shares blocks of 1,000 numbers with other carriers instead of using all 10,000 itself. The code holder is not necessarily the carrier serving a given number today, since numbers can be ported between providers.
| Carrier (NANPA operating company) | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United Telephone-southeast-va d/b/a Centurylink-va | 46 | 12% |
| Onvoy, LLC - Va | 33 | 8.8% |
| Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless - Va | 29 | 7.8% |
| Verizon Virginia, INC. | 27 | 7.2% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC - Ga | 23 | 6.2% |
| Brightspeed of Virginia, LLC | 21 | 5.6% |
| Verizon South, INC. - Va | 18 | 4.8% |
| Level 3 Communications, LLC - Va | 15 | 4.0% |
| Fractel, LLC | 15 | 4.0% |
| Bandwidth.com CLEC, LLC - Va | 14 | 3.8% |
| United States Cellular - Va | 12 | 3.2% |
| Comcast Ip Phone, LLC | 11 | 2.9% |
Carrier names are the operating company (OCN) names on NANPA's utilized central office code file dated 10/01/2026. A carrier holding a code may port numbers to other carriers.
Where 276 numbers are rated
NANPA assigns each central office code to a rate center, the local calling area that decides whether a call is local or toll. 276 has codes in 78 rate centers. Rate center names in the file are abbreviations; where one matches a Census place, the table links to that city's local-number page.
| Rate center (NANPA) | Place | Codes |
|---|---|---|
| NORTON | Norton, VA | 27 |
| ABINGDON | Abingdon, VA | 25 |
| MARTINSVL | Martinsville, VA | 20 |
| WYTHEVILLE | Wytheville, VA | 19 |
| BRISTOL | Bristol, VA | 16 |
| RICHLANDS | Richlands, VA | 14 |
| GALAX | Galax, VA | 11 |
| MARION | Marion, VA | 11 |
| LEBANON | Lebanon, VA | 9 |
| BIGSTONEGP | Big Stone Gap, VA | 7 |
| BLUEFIELD | Bluefield, VA | 7 |
| HILLSVILLE | Hillsville, VA | 7 |
| GATE CITY | Gate City, VA | 6 |
| TAZEWELL | Tazewell, VA | 6 |
| COEBURN | Coeburn, VA | 6 |
| INDEPNDNCE | Independence, VA | 5 |
| GRUNDY | Grundy, VA | 5 |
| STUART | Stuart, VA | 5 |
| WISE | Wise, VA | 5 |
| PENINGTNGP | Pennington Gap, VA | 5 |
| COLLINSVL | not matched | 5 |
| MEADOWSDAN | not matched | 4 |
| HAYSI | Haysi, VA | 4 |
| RURALRTRET | Rural Retreat, VA | 4 |
| CANA | not matched | 4 |
Top 25 of 78 rate centers.
How full is area code 276?
An area code has 800 possible central office codes that start with 2 through 9, a few of which are reserved (such as N11 service codes and 555). 373 are assigned in 276, 47% of 800. 95 were assigned in 2020 or later.
| Decade assigned | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 50 | 25% |
| 2010s | 58 | 29% |
| 2020s | 95 | 47% |
Assignment dates as recorded in NANPA's utilized code file; codes without a recorded date are excluded.
Using area code 276 for business calls
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
Porting a number you already use in area code 276 is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Frequently asked questions
Where is area code 276?
276 is a geographic area code in Virginia. Places with the most assigned exchanges include Norton, Abingdon, Martinsville, and Wytheville.
What time zone is area code 276 in?
NANPA lists 276 in the Eastern time zone.
When did area code 276 go into service?
NANPA records an in-service date of September 1, 2001. The code was assigned on March 7, 2001.
Is 276 an overlay area code?
No. NANPA does not list 276 as part of an overlay.
Can my business get a 276 phone number?
Callata includes up to 3 local numbers on its $99/month plan (5 users included). Which 276 numbers are open depends on carrier inventory when you choose, and you can port an existing number for free.