509 Area Code Running Out of Numbers SOON? What You Need to Know

There are currently 8 area codes in Washington State. A few years ago, we got word that a new area code would be used for Westside residents once the allotted spaces for area code 206 got filled up (i.e., exhausted). Now I've got the scoop that area code 509 may face a similar area code 'exhaust' fate next year.

Where is area code 564?

Starting June 10, 2025, new phone number assignments will be given for residents in Shoreline, Seattle, and other nearby small towns (like Mercer Island, Vashon Island, Bainbridge Island, and Lake Forest Park). The new area code will be 564.

Area code 564 isn't brand new. The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission introduced area code 546 back in 2017 when area code 360** got full. It's time now for area code 206 to retire.

Lots of complaints about the addition of the new area code 564

I'm old enough to remember when the number "917" meant one thing: New York City area code. After it filled up, a new one was dished out: 646. I remember seeing so many gripes about the change, and hearing gripes about the new 564 area code here in WA State is bringing back all those memories.

Comment
byu/Inevitable_Engine186 from discussion
inSeattle

 "206 4 LYFE!" wrote one person on Reddit a few years back. I don't know why we get so attached to our area codes, but perhaps because it gives us a sense of pride about where we live. I'm personally a 5-0-9 chickadee; it was the first area code I got when I moved to Washington from Tennessee (area code 615).

READ MORE: Can You Name All the Washington State Area Codes Without Cheating?

The area code 206 was first introduced for the entire state of Washington in 1947, thus making it the oldest area code in Washington. In 1955, people living on the eastern side of the state lost the use of 206 and gained the new one, 509.

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Which Area Code Is the Next to Fill Up?

There is a projection by the UTC that area code 509 will get exhausted by the second quarter of 2026. It says so in the NANPA October 2024 "2024-2 NRUF and NPA Exhaust Analysis" report. Does this mean Eastern Washington will get a brand-new area code sometime next year? If so, which cities/regions? I have reached out to the UTC for comment, so if/when I hear back, I will update this article with their response.

Comment byu/SpeedySparkRuby from discussion inSeattle

**Area code 360 was introduced in 1995.