Area Code 973 – New Jersey

Geographic Coverage and Jurisdiction

Area code 973 is a geographic North American Numbering Plan (NANP) code serving the northern and central regions of New Jersey. It was split from area code 201 in 1997 to accommodate growing demand for telecommunication services. The code covers Essex County (including Newark, the largest city in New Jersey), Passaic County (including Paterson), Morris County (including Morristown), and portions of Sussex and Warren counties. Major municipalities within 973 include Newark, Paterson, Clifton, Passaic, East Orange, Irvington, and Montclair. The service area is under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, with numbering resources administered by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA).

Dialing Formats and Overlay Considerations

In 2001, area code 973 was overlaid with area code 862, meaning that both codes serve the same geographic region. Consequently, all local calls within the 973/862 overlay area require 10-digit dialing (area code + 7-digit local number), even for calls between numbers in the same area code. For example, to call a landline in Newark from within the overlay, you must dial 973-555-0123. For international callers, the format is +1 973 555 0123 (or +1 862 555 0123 for numbers assigned to the overlay). The overlay ensures that new telephone lines can be assigned without exhausting the numbering pool, and it eliminated the need for a split that would have forced existing subscribers to change their numbers.

Caller Instructions

Local callers within the 973/862 area must always include the area code. If you are calling from outside the overlay but within the United States (e.g., from area code 212 in New York), dial 1 973 555 0123. For callers from other countries, the international access prefix (e.g., 011 from the U.S., 00 from most European countries) is followed by 1 973 555 0123. When dialing from a mobile phone, the plus sign (+) can be used in place of the international access code: +1 973 555 0123.

Numbering and Assignment

Area code 973 is a geographic code, meaning that numbers are tied to a physical location, although number portability allows subscribers to keep their numbers when moving within the same rate center. The code is administered by the NANPA, and central office codes (the first three digits of the local number) are assigned to specific wireline and wireless carriers. As of 2025, the 973/862 overlay is not projected to exhaust until the late 2030s, ensuring ample numbering resources for the region.