Idaho area codes
Idaho uses 2 area codes. The oldest is 208, in service since 1947; the newest is 986, from 2017. Across them 974 of 1,572 possible number blocks are allocated, 62.0% of capacity. 208 is at or past 95%, which is why new numbers there come from overlays rather than the original code. Lumen holds 24.5% of the 974 assigned blocks across the state, ahead of Verizon at 14.9%; a further 21.1% sits with CLEC and VoIP holders outside the national carriers. In the 33 days to 30 October 2026, FTC complaints named an Idaho caller ID 1,546 times – 0.7% of all complaints in the window, most often 208 with 1,255 (15th of 422 nationally). The state spans 2 time zones (Mountain and Pacific); 208 crosses a zone boundary alone. NANPA records 255 rate centers across the state's codes, and local calls take all ten digits.
All 2 codes
| Code | In service | Blocks used | Largest holder | Complaints | Shares area with |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 208 | 1947 | 785/786 | Lumen 30.1% | 1,255 | 986 |
| 986 | 2017 | 189/786 | Other CLEC / VoIP 49.2% | 291 | 208 |
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.
How full Idaho’s codes are
A code holds at most 786 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
Most room left
Who holds the number blocks
Counted from every assigned block in the state: 974 blocks, each with the holder NANPA recorded for it. Percentages are measured, not estimated.
| Holder | Blocks | Share of Idaho | Largest in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumen | 239 | 24.5% | 1 code |
| Other CLEC / VoIP | 206 | 21.1% | 1 code |
| Verizon | 145 | 14.9% | – |
| Onvoy | 97 | 10% | – |
| Ziply Fiber | 75 | 7.7% | – |
| AT&T | 71 | 7.3% | – |
| T-Mobile | 67 | 6.9% | – |
| Bandwidth | 21 | 2.2% | – |
| Allstream | 18 | 1.8% | – |
| Telnyx | 8 | 0.8% | – |
| Charter | 7 | 0.7% | – |
| Windstream | 5 | 0.5% | – |
“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 Idaho codes
FTC Do Not Call complaints where the caller ID shown was a Idaho 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.
How Idaho got its codes
1 in the 1940s, 1 in the 2010s. Each code after the first was split off from or overlaid on one already in service.
- 1947 208 goes into service.
- 2017 986 goes into service, split from or overlaid on 208.
Time zones
Idaho is in Mountain, Pacific time. 208 covers more than one zone within a single area code, so the code alone does not tell you what time it is there. This code spans 2 time zones.
Frequently asked about Idaho area codes
How many area codes does Idaho have?
2 in service. They are 208 and 986.
What is the oldest area code in Idaho?
208, in service since 1947. Every later code in the state was split off from or overlaid on an existing one.
What is the newest area code in Idaho?
986, from 2017, overlaying 208.
Is Idaho running out of numbers?
208 is at or past 95% of capacity, but NANPA has not opened relief planning for it, so no new code is announced.
What time zone is Idaho in?
It spans 2: Mountain and Pacific. 208 covers more than one zone within a single area code, so the code alone does not tell you the time.
Which Idaho area code gets the most spam complaints?
208 – 1,255 FTC complaints in the 33 days to 30 October 2026, 15th 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 Idaho numbers?
Lumen, with 24.5% of the 974 blocks assigned across Idaho, ahead of Other CLEC / VoIP at 21.1%. 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 Idaho?
Yes. Every code in the state 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.
Sources and verification
- NANPA – NPA Database (npa_report.csv), file date 11/01/2026, retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- NANPA – CO Code Assignment Records, All States (utilized), file updated 11/01/2026, 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.