202 Area Code

Where is the 202 area code?

202 serves Washington, which is coextensive with the District of Columbia. In the wider directory it sits in the South region.

Dialing 202

Washington is currently served by the single area code 202. Ten-digit dialing (area code + seven-digit number) always works and is increasingly the norm nationwide; some local calls may still connect with seven digits. If a future overlay is added, 10-digit dialing would become mandatory.

History of the 202 area code

202 is one of the original area codes assigned in 1947, when AT&T and Bell Laboratories created the North American Numbering Plan and divided the country into the first 86 numbering plan areas. It has served the Washington area ever since.

Is 202 a scam or spam risk?

202 is a legitimate geographic area code, not a premium or toll line, so a call from it costs you nothing extra. That said, scammers frequently spoof real local area codes to look familiar on caller ID. A genuine 202 number on your screen is no guarantee the caller is local or trustworthy. See spam & scam-risk area codes for how spoofing works and how to respond.

Explore more

See every code in District of Columbia, compare codes across the South region, or view all Eastern Time codes. You can also browse the 2XX block or the complete numeric list of US area codes.

New to how this all works? Start with how area codes work, then read up on overlays, 10-digit dialing, and spam & scam-risk codes. To check another number, use the area code lookup tool.