North American Numbers Source-cited · ownership disclosed
Area code
901
In service
United States · since 1947

Memphis

The area code for Memphis and its inner-ring suburbs in the southwest corner of Tennessee; one of the original 1947 area codes.

The essentials Numbering data · NumberResearch · as of 2026-09-18
Place
Memphis
Type
geographic
Status
in service
In service since
1947
Projected exhaust
2042 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 901 is

Greater Memphis metropolitan area — Shelby, Fayette, Hardeman, and Tipton counties..

Communities served wholly or partly by 901:

MemphisBartlettGermantownColliervilleMillington

Restricted to the greater Memphis metro since the 2001 split.

B · Relationships

How it relates to other codes

The codes 901 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 · 1954 615 Nashville In 1954, 901 kept West Tennessee while the rest of the state became 615.
Spawned · 2001 731 Jackson Most of West Tennessee outside the Memphis metro split off as 731 in 2001.
What's changing. No overlay; one of the few urban area codes still permitting seven-digit dialing. Relief not projected until roughly 2035 (per 2021 projections).
C · History

How 901 got here

1947
Area code 901 established as one of the original North American area codes, initially serving the entire state.
Source: Wikipedia
1954
State divided; 901 retained West Tennessee, remainder became 615.
Source: Wikipedia
2001-09-17
Area code 731 split off to serve most of West Tennessee outside Memphis; 901 restricted to the Memphis metro.
Source: Wikipedia
D · Capacity

How full it is

Prefixes assigned
645
Prefixes available
155
Thousands-blocks assigned
2,975

Prefix-assignment counts describe allocation to carriers, not how many individual numbers are in use. Full technical records: NumberResearch ↗.

Compare 901 with another code →
Sources
Wikipedia ↗
Area code 901
NumberResearch.org ↗
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.