British Columbia area codes
British Columbia uses 6 area codes. The oldest is 604, in service since 1947; the newest is 257, from 2025. Across them 3,432 of 4,800 possible number blocks are allocated, 71.5% of capacity. 250, 604 and 778 are at or past 95%, which is why new numbers there come from overlays rather than the original code. No single national carrier dominates: in 4 of them the largest share of blocks sits with smaller CLEC and VoIP providers taken together. In the 33 days to 30 October 2026, FTC complaints named a British Columbia caller ID 1,664 times – 0.7% of all complaints in the window, most often 236 with 532 (200th of 422 nationally). The CNA records 869 exchange areas across the province's codes. Canadian number blocks are administered by the CNA rather than NANPA, so block counts come from a separate file with a different maximum per code (800, not 786).
All 6 codes
| Code | In service | Blocks used | Largest holder | Complaints | Shares area with |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 236 | 2013 | 746/800 | Other CLEC / VoIP 32.7% | 532 | 250, 257, 604, 672, 778 |
| 250 | 1996 | 781/800 | – | 322 | 236, 257, 672, 778 |
| 257 | 2025 | 21/800 | Other CLEC / VoIP 33.3% | – | 236, 250, 604, 672, 778 |
| 604 | 1947 | 781/800 | – | 375 | 236, 257, 672, 778 |
| 672 | 2013 | 324/800 | Other CLEC / VoIP 19.8% | 34 | 236, 250, 257, 604, 778 |
| 778 | 2001 | 779/800 | Other CLEC / VoIP 17.6% | 401 | 236, 250, 257, 604, 672 |
Block share is share of allocated number blocks, not of subscribers. Complaint counts cover 28 Sep – 30 Oct 2026 and reflect spoofed caller IDs as much as real calls. Canadian blocks are administered by the CNA; the maximum per code is 800 rather than 786.
How full British Columbia’s codes are
A code holds at most 800 blocks of 10,000 numbers each. When a code fills up, the administrator does not reclaim numbers – it adds an overlay, and from then on new numbers in the same area come from the new code.
Full or nearly full
Who holds the number blocks
Counted as the number of the province’s codes in which each holder has the largest share. Block-level totals are not available for Canadian codes, so we do not add per-code percentages into a province-wide figure – that would be an estimate dressed up as a measurement.
| Holder | Largest in | Appears in |
|---|---|---|
| Other CLEC / VoIP | 4 codes | 4 codes |
“Other CLEC / VoIP” is not one company: it is every holder outside the national carriers counted together, which is what resellers and app-based numbers look like in the records. This is allocation, not subscribers.
Spam complaints naming British Columbia codes
FTC Do Not Call complaints where the caller ID shown was a British Columbia number, 28 Sep – 30 Oct 2026 (33 days). Caller IDs on spam calls are routinely faked, so these are complaints about the code, not calls proven to come from it.
| Code | Complaints | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| 236 | 532 | #200 of 422 |
| 778 | 401 | #251 of 422 |
| 604 | 375 | #261 of 422 |
| 250 | 322 | #289 of 422 |
| 672 | 34 | #392 of 422 |
What people said the calls were about
- Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) – 221
- Other – 101
- No Subject Provided – 26
- Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends – 22
Topics as the complainant chose them, for the codes where the FTC published a topic.
How British Columbia got its codes
1 in the 1940s, 1 in the 1990s, 1 in the 2000s, 2 in the 2010s, 1 in the 2020s. Each code after the first was split off from or overlaid on one already in service.
- 1947 604 goes into service.
- 1996 250 goes into service, split from or overlaid on 604.
- 2001 778 goes into service, split from or overlaid on 604.
- 2013 236 goes into service, split from or overlaid on 604.
- 2013 672 goes into service, split from or overlaid on 604.
- 2025 257 goes into service, split from or overlaid on 604.
Time zones
British Columbia is in Pacific time.
Cities and exchanges in British Columbia
The Canadian Numbering Administrator records which codes serve each exchange area by name.
Frequently asked about British Columbia area codes
How many area codes does British Columbia have?
6 in service. They are 236, 250, 257, 604, 672 and 778.
What is the oldest area code in British Columbia?
604, in service since 1947. Every later code in the province was split off from or overlaid on an existing one.
What is the newest area code in British Columbia?
257, from 2025, overlaying 604.
Is British Columbia running out of numbers?
250, 604 and 778 are at or past 95% of capacity, but NANPA has not opened relief planning for them, so no new code is announced.
What time zone is British Columbia in?
Pacific time.
Which British Columbia area code gets the most spam complaints?
236 – 532 FTC complaints in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, 200th of 422 codes nationally. Those are complaints about the caller ID shown, and spam callers routinely fake a local-looking number, so this says the code is imitated often, not that the calls come from there.
Which carrier holds the most British Columbia numbers?
No one carrier does. In 4 of the province's 6 codes the largest share of number blocks is held not by a national carrier but by smaller CLEC and VoIP providers counted together – which is what resellers and app-based numbers look like in the records. This is allocation of blocks by the numbering administrator, not a count of subscribers – people keep their numbers when they switch carriers.
Do you have to dial 10 digits in British Columbia?
Yes. Every code in the province is in an overlay or ten-digit dialing area, so a local call needs the area code too. Dialing seven digits reaches a recording, not a wrong number.
Which cities in British Columbia have their own area code pages?
43 exchange areas are covered, from Vancouver, Victoria and New Westminster down to single-exchange towns. The CNA publishes exchange areas by name, so these are real places.
Sources and verification
- NANPA – NPA Database (npa_report.csv), file date 11/01/2026, retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Canadian Numbering Administrator – CO Code Status, data date 2026-10-31, retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- FTC – Do Not Call Reported Calls Data, 28 Sep – 30 Oct 2026, retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Figures on this page are counted from those files, not copied from other sites. Spotted an error? Request a correction. How we collect and check: methodology.