Mandatory 10-digit dialing for area code 540 begins May 14, overlay area code 826 begins in June

After a lifetime of having to dial just seven digits for a local telephone call, things are about to change for Virginians living in the 540 area code region. Beginning May 14, callers must use the area code for all telephone calls, including local ones.

Requiring ten digits for all calls is the first step in a State Corporation Commission (SCC) plan to phase in the new 826 area code.

The 540 area code encompasses the northwestern and southwestern portions of Virginia; some of the larger cities include Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Culpeper, Fredericksburg, Front Royal, Harrisonburg, Radford, Roanoke, Salem, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester.

SCC spokesperson Ford Carson says the inventory of available phone numbers with the “540″ area code is expected to run out before year’s end. When that happens, Carson explained, an overlay, which is the addition of another area code to the same geographic region served by an existing area code, will be implemented. Beginning June 14, 2022, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using that new area code, 826.

Those with existing 540 area code numbers will keep them; no one will lose a phone number.

Those who didn’t heed an earlier announcement about this change should start practicing dialing phone numbers using all 10 digits Carson stated in a media release that come May 14, local calls made in the 540 area code won’t be connected if just seven digits are dialed. You must use ten digits (3-digit area code + the 7-digit telephone number).

People can prepare for the switch by updating their cell phone contacts now so that phone numbers regularly called will already have the area code attached.
For more information, see scc.virginia.gov/pages/540-Area-Code-Exhaust-Relief.