Area code 856

About area code 856

NANPA lists 856 as an in-service geographic area code for New Jersey, first put into service on June 12, 1999. It is not part of an overlay, so every number in its territory starts with 856. It is in the Eastern time zone. The places with the most assigned exchanges include Camden, Haddonfield, Moorestown, Vineland, and Woodbury. By population, its largest named places are Camden, Gloucester, Vineland, Millville, and Bridgeton.

Places served by 856

856 holds 12% of the 5,628 central office codes assigned in New Jersey, the 6th most of the state's 10 codes. 24 Census places could be matched to rate centers with 856 exchanges; the most populous are Camden (71,749), Gloucester (66,896), Vineland (62,070), and Millville (27,838). Each place page lists the exact prefixes and carriers for that town.

How calls are dialed in 856

According to NANPA's dialing-plan data, local calls within 856 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: "Enforcement of mandatory dialing is 7/15/2022. 1+10 digit permissible at service provider discretion."

Carriers with 856 numbers

45 carriers hold the 676 central office codes assigned in 856. Verizon New Jersey, INC. has the most, with 174 (26%). 530 of the codes (78%) 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.

Local calling areas in 856

NANPA assigns each central office code to a rate center, the local calling area that decides whether a call is local or toll. 856 has codes in 32 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.

Number supply in 856

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). 676 are assigned in 856, 85% of 800. 109 were assigned in 2020 or later.

Getting a 856 number for your business

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 856 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.