Area code 201 serves Jersey City and Hoboken in New Jersey. It is a geographic code in the Eastern Time time zone and is overlaid by 551.
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Code Details
Overlays
Primary Cities
Area Code 201 (New Jersey): What Is It and Where Does It Cover?
Area code 201 serves northeastern New Jersey—primarily Hudson and Bergen counties—including major cities such as Jersey City, Hoboken, Bayonne, Hackensack, Secaucus, and Englewood. It’s overlaid by 551, so new numbers in the same footprint may be assigned 551. Ten-digit dialing is required. 
How Did Area Code 201 Evolve Over Time?
Introduced in 1947 as one of the original NANP codes, 201 initially covered the entire state. Growing demand led to several changes:
- 1956: Southern NJ split to 609
- 1991: North-central NJ split to 908
- 1997: Essex, Passaic, Morris, and Sussex split to 973
- 2001: Overlay 551 added; ten-digit dialing became mandatory in North Jersey
These adjustments preserved numbering capacity as population and devices grew. 
What Interesting Facts Are Tied to 201?
- First direct-dialed long-distance call (DDD) in the U.S.) was placed November 10, 1951 from Englewood, NJ (201) to Alameda, CA—a landmark moment in telecom history. 
- Some wireless assignments historically used 201 in nearby rate centers (e.g., Newark, Morristown, New Brunswick), a quirk of how mobile number blocks were allocated. 
What Are the Current Dialing Rules for 201?
Because 551 overlays 201, all local calls require 10-digit dialing (area code + number). Existing 201 numbers didn’t change when 551 launched. 
What time is it in area code 201 right now?
Jersey City
New Jersey
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Current Location
Major Cities in 201
Here are notable cities served by this area code. Click through for local details.
Overlay Area Codes
Overlay area codes serve the same geographic region and typically require ten-digit dialing.
Other Area Codes in New Jersey
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Canada
Toll-Free Area Codes
800
Toll-FreeLegacy toll-free code. Variants include 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, 833, 822.
View detailsFrequently Asked Questions
How do I find which city an area code belongs to?
Use the search box above to enter the code (e.g., 415) or a city/state name. Click a result to see a list of covered cities and overlays.
What does "overlay" mean?
An overlay introduces one or more new area codes for the same geographic region to prevent number exhaustion—residents can keep their current numbers while new numbers get the new codes.
Are toll-free numbers tied to a location?
No. Toll-free area codes (like 800 and 888) route to businesses and services and aren't tied to a particular city or state.