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Area code 856

Area code 856 serves New Jersey, including Camden, Haddonfield and Moorestown (Eastern time). It has been in service since June 12, 1999.

Numbers starting with 856 drew 3,007 reports to the FTC from Aug 14, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026 and 657 complaints to the FCC since November 2023. The number on your screen can be faked, so an 856 number proves nothing about where a call came from.

Location
New Jersey(philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area) and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area
Time zone
Eastern
In service since
June 12, 1999Created from 609
Overlay
None: the only code for its area
Local calls
Dial 10 digitsArea code needed, even next door
Exchanges in use
676 of 792held by 45 carriers
Projected to run out
1Q 2035NANPA forecast 2026.2

Complaints about 856 numbers

Reports where the number on the consumer's caller ID (or, for the FCC, the number the caller asked them to call back) starts with 856. These are counts of what people reported; the agencies do not verify them.

FTC reports, Aug 14, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026

3,007

FCC complaints since November 2023

657

Different 856 numbers reported

3,333

FCC complaints naming an 856 number, by month

November 2023 to October 2026. Source: FCC Consumer Complaints Data.

Show as a table
MonthComplaints
November 202311
December 20236
January 202416
February 202412
March 202415
April 20247
May 202424
June 202415
July 202419
August 202419
September 202417
October 202411
November 202415
December 202411
January 202521
February 202512
March 202510
April 202520
May 202516
June 202512
July 202513
August 202521
September 202519
October 20250
November 20259
December 202516
January 202612
February 202620
March 202615
April 202634
May 202613
June 202642
July 202640
August 202641
September 202628
October 202625

What people said 856 calls were about

Subjects picked in FTC reports, August 14, 2026 to November 11, 2026. 2,171 of 3,007 reports were robocalls.

Show as a table
SubjectReports
Other1,180
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)1,129
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends241
Dropped call or no message155
Medical and prescriptions61
Home improvement and cleaning24

Most reported 856 numbers

Numbers with at least five reports from three or more places in the last twelve months. Many of them are likely spoofed.

Places served by 856

NANPA lists 32 rate centers for 856. A rate center is the town or district a block of numbers is tied to for billing; sorted here by how many exchanges each holds.
  • Camden80
  • Haddonfield65
  • Moorestown54
  • Vineland44
  • Merchantville30
  • Woodbury30
  • Haddon Heights28
  • Williamstown25
  • Laurel Springs24
  • Bridgeton21
  • Marlton21
  • Blackwood20
  • Collingswood19
  • Beaver Brook17
  • Mullica Hill17
  • Berlin16
  • Glassboro16
  • Pitman16
  • Millville15
  • Penns Grove12
  • Riverside12
  • Swedesboro12
  • Gloucester11
  • Riverton10
Show all 32 rate centers

Salem, Paulsboro, Wenonah, Woodstown, Elmer, Cedarville, Franklinville, Port Norris.

Phone companies holding 856 exchanges

Each exchange (the three digits after the area code) is assigned to one carrier. 78% of these exchanges are pooled: their numbers are handed out in blocks of 1,000 to other carriers, so the holder below is not always the company serving a given number.

Exchanges held, top 8 of 45 carriers

NANPA central office code assignments, file of November 11, 2026.

Show as a table
Carrier (legal name)Exchanges
Verizon New Jersey, Inc.174
Paetec Itel, LLC90
New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC - DC43
Mcimetro Access Transmission Services LLC - NJ42
Onvoy, LLC - NJ42
Omnipoint Communications Enterprises, LP41
Level 3 Communications, LLC - NJ35
Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless - NJ34

When today's 856 exchanges were assigned

Exchanges still assigned, by year of assignment. Exchanges returned since are not counted.

Show as a table
YearExchanges
200157
200223
20043
20052
20061
20076
20087
20094
20104
20118
20127
20133
20144
20157
20167
20175
20183
201911
202011
202125
202218
202315
202419
20257
202614

Check an 856 number

A check shows the carrier and rate center of the number's exchange and every FTC and FCC report about that exact number. Why the number on screen can be fake.

Other area codes in New Jersey

NANPA area code database and central office code file of November 11, 2026; FCC complaints November 1, 2023 to November 11, 2026; FTC reports August 14, 2026 to November 11, 2026. How the data is used.

Official sources (7)Show