Area Code 740 – Ohio
The phone area code for Ohio is 740 (international format +1740). Browse local exchange codes (NXX) and carrier assignments below.
📞 Exchange Codes (NXX) for Area Code 740
Select a central office code to view local carrier data and detailed information
📍 Geographic Location of Ohio
Geographic Coverage and Jurisdiction
Area code 740 is a geographic North American Numbering Plan (NANP) code serving a substantial portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. It covers the eastern and southeastern regions of the state, including the cities of Columbus (partially), Newark, Zanesville, Athens, Portsmouth, and Steubenville. The code is administered under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Public Utilities Commission and is assigned to the state's eastern and southeastern areas, which are characterized by a mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities.
Dialing Formats and Procedures
Within the 740 region, local calls require 10-digit dialing (area code + 7-digit local number) as mandated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for areas with multiple area codes. For calls originating from outside the 740 area but within the NANP (e.g., from other U.S. states or Canada), the international format is: +1 740 XXX XXXX. For international callers, the country code for the United States is +1, followed by the area code and the local number.
Overlay and Numbering Exhaustion
In 2017, area code 220 was introduced as an overlay for the same geographic region to address numbering exhaustion. This means that new telephone numbers in the region may be assigned either 740 or 220, and all calls within the overlay area require 10-digit dialing. The overlay does not change the geographic boundaries or the cost of calls; it simply provides additional numbering capacity.
Caller Instructions
For local callers within the 740/220 overlay, always dial the full 10-digit number (area code + local number) even for calls to the same town. For long-distance callers within the United States, dial 1 + 740 + the 7-digit number. For international callers, dial your country's exit code (e.g., 011 from many countries) followed by 1 740 and the local number. For example, to call a business in Columbus, Ohio, from abroad, you would dial +1 740 XXX XXXX.
Service and Usage
Area code 740 serves a diverse range of customers, including residential, business, and government entities. It supports traditional PSTN services, VoIP, and mobile communications. The region is home to several universities, including Ohio University in Athens, and a growing logistics and manufacturing sector. The code is also used for wireless services, with numbers assigned to major mobile carriers and smaller regional providers.