Area code 551: where it is and who calls from it
Area code 551 is in New Jersey.
New Jersey (Bergen County and Hudson County)
| Where | New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Eastern Time ยท local time |
| In service since | 2001 |
| Overlay | Yes, with 201 |
| Prefixes assigned | 301 of 792 possible (38%) |
Overlay: 551 covers the same area as 201. Overlay areas use 10-digit dialing, so a seven-digit number alone won't connect, and neighbors can have different area codes.
Where 551 numbers started
Every prefix is assigned to a rate center, the local calling area it was set up in. These are the biggest in 551, with how many prefixes each has.
Who holds 551 numbers
- Mobile carrier 49%
- Internet / business phone carrier 49%
- Phone company 3%
| Carrier | Type | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onvoy | Internet / business phone carrier | 72 | 24% |
| T-Mobile (including Sprint) | Mobile carrier | 68 | 23% |
| Verizon Wireless | Mobile carrier | 44 | 15% |
| AT&T Mobility | Mobile carrier | 27 | 9% |
| Fractel | Internet / business phone carrier | 16 | 5% |
| Bandwidth | Internet / business phone carrier | 15 | 5% |
| TON80 Communications | Internet / business phone carrier | 10 | 3% |
| Cablevision Lightpath | Internet / business phone carrier | 9 | 3% |
| Level 3 (Lumen) | Internet / business phone carrier | 6 | 2% |
| MetroPCS (T-Mobile) | Mobile carrier | 5 | 2% |
Most prefixes are pooled: the 10,000 numbers in each are handed out in blocks of 1,000 to different carriers, and people can also take their numbers to another carrier. So the carrier shown is where the prefix started, not a guarantee about any one number.
States served: New Jersey.
Other area codes in New Jersey
201 609 640 732 848 856 862 908 973
Got a call from 551?
An area code tells you where a number was first assigned, not where the caller is. People keep their numbers when they move, and scammers can fake any number. If you weren't expecting the call, let it go to voicemail.
If the call shows a 551 number that matches the first six digits of your own, that's often neighbor spoofing. Use the box above to check the full number.
Area code facts from the NANPA area code database (updated 10/06/2026); prefixes and carriers from NANPA's central office code records (updated 2026-10-10). Place description adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.