917 Area Code.

The 917 area code is a New York City telephone code that spans all five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Introduced in 1992 as an overlay to the 212 and 718 area codes, it was originally designated for mobile phones and pagers.

Today, the 917 dialing code is used for both wireless and landline numbers and remains one of the most iconic and in-demand codes in the city.

What Is Area Code 917?

Area code 917 is a North American Numbering Plan (NANP) overlay that serves all five boroughs of New York City. It went into service on 4 February 1992 as the first overlay code ever used in the United States; at launch it was limited to mobile, pager and voicemail lines, but the FCC later lifted that restriction, allowing 917 to be assigned to any service type.

Where Is Area Code 917 Located?

The 917 area code footprint is identical to the boundaries of New York City: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. It operates as part of a dense overlay complex with 212 / 332 / 646 in Manhattan and 718 / 347 / 929 in the outer boroughs; every street address inside the city limits can receive any of these codes, including 917.

What an “overlay” means

In North American phone numbering, an overlay adds a new area code to the same geographic region already served by an existing code. Existing numbers keep their original code; the new code simply expands the supply of available numbers. Because multiple codes cover the same streets, callers must dial ten digits (area code + number) for every local call. Overlays avoid forcing anyone to change their current number, unlike a geographic split.

• Nobody loses their present number or area code.
• Ten-digit dialing becomes mandatory for all local calls.
• An overlay is the opposite of a geographic split.

Does 917 replace other codes?

No. An overlay never replaces earlier codes:

• Existing 212, 718 or 917 numbers remain unchanged.
• New lines receive whichever code the carrier still has in stock for that borough.
• All overlay codes share the same local calling area and time zone.

Why so many overlays?

1. Population growth and device explosion (cell phones, pagers, IoT).
2. Business demand for additional number blocks.
3. Regulators prefer overlays because no one is forced to change numbers.

Area code 917 coexists with 212, 646 and 332 in Manhattan and with 718, 347 and 929 in the outer boroughs. Overlays expand number capacity while letting every New Yorker keep the digits they already know.

Area Code 917 Map and Location

Because 917 covers the whole city, its “map” matches the city map itself:

• North & East boundary: Westchester County and Long Island Sound
• South boundary: Lower New York Harbor & the Atlantic
• West boundary: Hudson River & New Jersey state line

The 917 area code map with overlay of area code 212 and 718.

Anywhere you can swipe a MetroCard or tap an OMNY reader, you are already inside area 917 territory.

Current Coverage of the 917 Area Code

• Mandatory ten-digit dialing city-wide
• Assigned to wireless, land-line, VoIP and M2M/IoT numbers
• Shares all switches with 212, 332, 347, 646, 718 and 929
• Numbering resources for the entire overlay are projected to exhaust in late 2026, triggering the introduction of the 465 overlay code.

Time Zone of the 917 Area Code

All 917 numbers observe the Eastern Time Zone — UTC − 5 in winter and UTC − 4 under Daylight Saving Time (mid-March → early November).

Historical Timeline of the 917 Area Code

Dialing Rules and Numbering Facts for Area Code 917

• Local calls: dial 10 digits (NPA + 7-digit number)
• Domestic long-distance: 1 + NPA + 7-digit number
• Regulator: New York State Public Service Commission
• NANPA projects adequate inventory through mid-2026; the 465 overlay extends relief beyond 2038.

Major Prefixes and Landmarks in Area Code 917

Who Is Calling Me (and Texting Me) from Area Code 917?

Legitimate 917 Area Code phone numbers that could be calling you:

• NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene – 917-654-XXXX, 917-284-XXXX
  (public health notifications, COVID test follow-ups, community outreach)
• New York University (NYU) – 917-471-XXXX
  (administration, student affairs, NYU Langone Health reminders)
• Columbia University Medical Center – 917-580-XXXX
  (appointment calls, clinical trials, patient services)
• Weill Cornell Medicine / NewYork-Presbyterian – 917-981-XXXX
  (billing, care team communication, test result alerts)
• Mount Sinai Health System – 917-960-XXXX
  (doctor’s offices, MyChart updates, medical scheduling)
• Con Edison (Utility Services) – 917-661-XXXX
  (billing notices, service appointment confirmations)
• Chase Bank (NYC Branches) – 917-650-XXXX
  (fraud alerts, account verifications, loan follow-ups)
• Verizon Wireless NYC – 917-994-XXXX
  (service updates, mobile sales, business account reps)
• Uber / Uber Eats NYC Dispatch – 917-512-XXXX
  (driver support, trip verifications, delivery communications)
• NYC Public Schools (DOE) – 917-715-XXXX
  (school office outreach, attendance calls, emergency alerts)

Common 917 Area Code Scams and Spam Text Messages:

• Delivery Scams – Texts pretending to be from USPS, FedEx, or Amazon, asking you to click on a fake tracking link from a spoofed 917 number.
• Banking & Zelle Fraud – Messages impersonating Chase, Wells Fargo, or Bank of America, warning of suspicious Zelle transfers or asking to “verify” transactions.
• Social Security / IRS Impersonation – Robocalls from spoofed 917 numbers threatening arrest or suspension of your SSN unless you act immediately.
• Cash App & PayPal Scams – Phishing texts saying your account has been frozen, often with fake logins designed to steal your credentials.
• Crypto Investment Scams – Calls or texts from a 917 number promising high returns through Bitcoin or Ethereum trading, often targeting younger users.
• Fake Job Offers – Text messages offering remote work or part-time gigs that lead to requests for personal or banking details.
• Student Loan Forgiveness Scams – 917 robocalls falsely claiming you qualify for instant student loan cancellation if you act now.
• Romance or Sextortion Scams – Unsolicited 917 texts from “flirty strangers” attempting to bait users into giving money or photos.
• Fake Apple / Microsoft Tech Support – Spoofed 917 calls claiming your device has been hacked, urging you to grant remote access.
• Medicare or Insurance Fraud – Scammers pretending to be from Medicare offering “free upgrades” or asking for sensitive health info.

Other Common scam themes: bogus “NYC marshal” payment demands, fake Con-Edison shut-off warnings, text links to nonexistent package-tracking pages, and romance-scam cash-app requests

Pop-Culture Significance of the 917 Area Code

In Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw famously protests: “No, I’m a 917 gal—always have been,” cementing 917 as a badge of seasoned New Yorkers. The code is likewise referenced in stand-up routines, music videos and social-media bios as shorthand for a native (or savvy transplant) identity.

Getting a Number in the 917 Area Code Today

• Mobile carriers: Verizon and AT&T occasionally recycle dormant 917 numbers, but inventory is extremely limited and often reserved for business accounts.
• VoIP & cloud PBX: a handful of providers sell 917 virtual lines at premium rates.
• Number brokers: Vanity 917 numbers (e.g. 917-NEW-YORK) often trade for four-figure prices on secondary markets.
• Port-in: if you already hold a 917 SIM, you can port it to any major US carrier without geographic restriction.

Future Outlook for Area Code 917

New device activations, e-SIMs and IoT endpoints are accelerating number depletion across the entire NYC overlay. Planning Letter 630 schedules area code 465 to join 347 / 718 / 917 / 929 on 18 June 2026, adding roughly eight million additional numbers and pushing any further relief discussions into the 2030s.

You can read more about the future of the 917 area code, as well as relief for the 347, 718, 917 and 929 area codes, on the DPS.NY.gov website.

Top 5 Counties in Area Code 917

*Percentages calculated against the 2020 New York City census total of 8 804 190.

Largest Telephone Carriers (917 Prefixes)

• Land-line: Verizon New York (incumbent), Spectrum/Charter, AT&T, XO Communications, Teleport Communications America
• Wireless: Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile US, AT&T Mobility, DISH Wireless (2023 launch)
• VoIP/CLEC: Bandwidth.com, Twilio, Onvoy, Level 3 Communications

Frequently Asked Questions About the 917 Area Code

What area code is 917 phone number?

A 917 phone number indicates a line registered somewhere within New York City’s five boroughs — Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx or Staten Island. It does not specify which borough, because 917 overlays the entire city.

Who calls from 917 area code?

Legitimate calls may come from NYC government agencies, hospitals, universities, law firms, start-ups and long-time residents who still treasure “their” 917 cell number. Scammers also spoof 917 because New York numbers boost answer rates, so always verify unknown callers.

Are 917 numbers rare?

Yes. Nearly all assignable 917 blocks were issued by the late 2010s. Carriers release only small batches reclaimed from churned accounts, and vanity brokers often sell memorable 917 numbers at premium prices.

Is it hard to get a 917 area code?

It can be. Your best chances are: (1) open a new line with a major carrier and expressly request “any 917s in inventory,” or (2) buy a virtual 917 number from a VoIP provider. Even then, availability is hit-or-miss and usually costs more than newer codes like 929 or 332.

Which country has 917 code?

Within the NANP, area code 917 is not a country code; it is strictly a US domestic code serving New York City. If you see “+917” in international format it normally means “+1 917 xxx-xxxx,” the +1 being the country code for the United States.

What network is 917?

917 is not tied to one carrier. Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, DISH Wireless, Spectrum VoIP and dozens of competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) all hold 917 prefixes.

What network is used in New York?

New York City supports every major US network technology: 5G, 4G LTE, fiber and cable. The dominant wireless operators are Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile; on the wire-line side, Verizon Fios and Spectrum are the largest providers. Each of them routes calls for 917 numbers alongside the city’s six other overlays.

Why do New Yorkers care about their area code?

Area codes double as social badges. A 212 (or 917) signals longevity in the city, a fact lampooned in both Seinfeld and Sex and the City. Newer overlays such as 332 or 929 can brand you a “new arrival,” which is why some residents scour online marketplaces for legacy 917 SIM cards.