Area code 916: where it is and who calls from it
Area code 916 is in California.
California (the Sacramento Metropolitan Area)
| Where | California |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Pacific Time ยท local time |
| In service since | 1947 |
| Overlay | Yes, with 279 |
| Prefixes assigned | 785 of 792 possible (99%) |
Overlay: 916 covers the same area as 279. Overlay areas use 10-digit dialing, so a seven-digit number alone won't connect, and neighbors can have different area codes.
Where 916 numbers started
Every prefix is assigned to a rate center, the local calling area it was set up in. These are the biggest in 916, with how many prefixes each has.
Who holds 916 numbers
- Mobile carrier 29%
- Local phone company 39%
- Internet / business phone carrier 26%
- Paging service 3%
- Phone company 3%
| Carrier | Type | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T (local phone) | Local phone company | 242 | 31% |
| AT&T Mobility | Mobile carrier | 77 | 10% |
| Verizon Wireless | Mobile carrier | 60 | 8% |
| MetroPCS (T-Mobile) | Mobile carrier | 49 | 6% |
| T-Mobile (including Sprint) | Mobile carrier | 40 | 5% |
| Onvoy | Internet / business phone carrier | 34 | 4% |
| Consolidated Communications Of California | Local phone company | 34 | 4% |
| MCImetro (Verizon Business) | Internet / business phone carrier | 33 | 4% |
| Level 3 (Lumen) | Internet / business phone carrier | 28 | 4% |
| Frontier | Local phone company | 25 | 3% |
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: California.
Other area codes in California
209 213 279 310 323 341 350 357 369 408 415 424 442 510 530 559 562 619 626 628 650 657 661 669 707 714 738 747 760 805 818 820 831 837 840 858 909 925 949 951
Got a call from 916?
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 916 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.