New Jersey's original 1947 area code, now covering the densely populated northeastern corner (Bergen and Hudson counties) across the Hudson from New York City. Overlaid by 551 since 2001.
The essentialsNumbering data · NumberResearch · as of 2026-09-18
Place
Jersey City / Hackensack
Type
geographic
Status
in service
In service since
1947
Projected exhaust
2048 Q2
Status, dates and counts are read from NumberResearch (NANPA / CNAC / FCC records). Assignment records show initial assignees, not the carrier serving a number today.
A · Where it is
Where 201 is
Bergen and Hudson counties (northeastern NJ, bordering NYC)..
Communities served wholly or partly by 201:
Jersey CityHackensackHobokenBayonneSecaucusEnglewood
B · Relationships
How it relates to other codes
The codes 201 was split from, spawned, or shares its area with. A split divides the map and changes some numbers; an overlay shares the same ground and changes none — what's the difference?
Spawned · 1956609Trenton / Atlantic CitySouthern NJ split off from the original statewide 201 in 1956.
Spawned · 1991908Elizabeth / Union County908 split off from 201 in 1991.
Spawned · 1997973Newark / Paterson973 split off from 201 on June 1, 1997.
Overlay · 2001551Jersey City / Hackensack (overlay)Coextensive overlay of the same Bergen/Hudson territory.
What's changing. Overlaid by 551 (mandatory 10-digit dialing since 2001).
C · History
How 201 got here
1947
Assigned as the single area code for the entire state of New Jersey under the original AT&T numbering plan.
Source: Wikipedia
1956
Reduced to northern NJ when area code 609 was split off for the southern half of the state.
Source: Wikipedia
1991-06-08
Area code 908 split off; permissive dialing period ended.
Source: Wikipedia
1997-06-01
Area code 973 split off, reducing 201 to the northeastern corner.
Source: Wikipedia
2001-12-01
Area code 551 overlay took effect; ten-digit dialing became mandatory.
Source: Wikipedia
D · Capacity
How full it is
Prefixes assigned
800
Prefixes available
0
Thousands-blocks assigned
3,103
Prefix-assignment counts describe allocation to carriers, not how many individual numbers are in use. Full technical records: NumberResearch ↗.
Live status, dates, assignment counts and exhaust forecast — data as of 2026-09-18 (CC BY 4.0).
Place, relationships and history above are compiled by North American Numbers from the sources listed and last checked 2026-09-18. A check date is not an expert review — see how this is made. Flag an error.
North American Numbers