South Carolina Area Codes

About Area Codes in South Carolina

South Carolina (SC) is the The Palmetto State, located in the South region of the United States. With a 2023 population of 5,374,524 residents, South Carolina is served by 4 active area codes. The state capital is Columbia and the largest city is Charleston.South Carolina's official motto is "Animis opibusque parati."

Area code assignments in South Carolina follow the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), which has been in effect since 1947. As the state's population and demand for phone numbers grew — driven by the rise of cell phones, fax machines, pagers, and VoIP lines — regulators either split existing area codes geographically or added overlay codes that share the same territory. That's why South Carolina now has 4 codes: 803, 843, 854, 864.

When you receive a call from a South Carolina number, the area code tells you only where the number was originally assigned. Because of Local Number Portability (LNP), which took effect in 2003, callers can keep their phone numbers even when moving across state lines. So while a 803 number was once assigned in South Carolina, the person calling you could be anywhere in the US today.

Time zones in South Carolina

South Carolina observes the Eastern time zone. Daylight Saving Time is observed from the second Sunday in March through the first Sunday in November, when clocks shift forward by one hour. When you call a South Carolina number from outside the state, double-check the local time above each area code detail page to avoid calling at unreasonable hours.

Phone number format in South Carolina

All South Carolina phone numbers follow the standard 10-digit NANP format: (NPA) NXX-XXXX. For local calls within South Carolina, you typically need to dial the full 10-digit number — even for calls within the same area code — because of mandatory 10-digit dialing imposed by the FCC for areas with overlay codes (most of South Carolina's territory). For long-distance calls within the NANP, dial 1 + area code + 7-digit number.

Frequently asked questions about South Carolina area codes

How many area codes does South Carolina have?

South Carolina currently has 4 active area codes: 803, 843, 854, 864.

What is South Carolina's original area code?

The oldest area code(s) in South Carolina were assigned in 1947 as part of the original 86 NANP codes. These legacy codes typically covered the entire state at first, then were split as demand grew.

What time zone is South Carolina in?

South Carolina is in the Eastern time zone.

Will South Carolina get more area codes?

As South Carolina's population and number demand grow, NANPA may assign additional overlay codes. When the current codes run out of available prefixes, regulators announce public hearings and propose new codes. The AreaCodeCentral team tracks these announcements and updates the directory within 24 hours of any new code activation.