Area code 551

About area code 551

Area code 551 is a geographic area code in New Jersey, in service since December 29, 2001, according to the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). It is an overlay: 551 and 201 cover the same territory, so neighbors on the same street can have different area codes. It is in the Eastern time zone. The places with the most assigned exchanges include Jersey City, Hackensack, Bayonne, Union City, and Ramsey. By population, its largest named places are Jersey City, Bayonne, Union City, Hackensack, and Teaneck.

Where 551 numbers are local

551 holds 5.3% of the 5,628 central office codes assigned in New Jersey, the 8th most of the state's 10 codes. 21 Census places could be matched to rate centers with 551 exchanges; the most populous are Jersey City (303,000), Bayonne (74,532), Union City (66,918), and Hackensack (46,630). Each place page lists the exact prefixes and carriers for that town.

Ten-digit and seven-digit dialing in 551

According to NANPA's dialing-plan data, local calls within 551 are dialed as ten digits (area code plus number) and toll calls as ten digits (area code plus number). 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: "Calls between the 551 and 201 NPAs may be dialed as 10D. 1+10 digit permissible at service provider discretion."

Who holds 551 exchanges

29 carriers hold the 301 central office codes assigned in 551. Onvoy, LLC - NJ has the most, with 71 (24%). 296 of the codes (98%) 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.

Where 551 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. 551 has codes in 23 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.

How full is area code 551?

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). 301 are assigned in 551, 38% of 800. 155 were assigned in 2020 or later.

Getting a 551 number for your business

For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.

Porting a number you already use in area code 551 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.