Area codes 256 and 938

Area codes 256 and 938 are telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for North Alabama, as well as some eastern portions of the state. The two area codes form an overlay plan for the same numbering plan area. Area code 256 was created in 1998, and 938 was added in 2010.

History
Area code 256 was created on March 23, 1998, in an area code split from area code 205. A permissive dialing period, that permitted time to reprogram computers, cell phones, pagers and fax machines, allowed the use of 205 through September 28, 1998.

In March 2009, the Alabama Public Service Commission announced that the state's first all-services overlay area code, 938, would be added to the area of the 256 area code "sometime in 2011". As a result, ten-digit dialing was implemented for all numbers in the area with voluntary compliance beginning on November 7, 2009, and mandatory use by June 5, 2010, instead of dialing 7 digits. The 938 area code took effect on July 10, 2010. This timing roughly coincided with the end of the originally projected 12-year "life span" of the original 256 area code.

Service area
The numbering plan area comprises north and northeast Alabama and includes the following metropolitan areas:
 * Huntsville Metropolitan Area
 * Decatur Metropolitan Area
 * The Shoals
 * Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area
 * Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Area

Counties

 * Blount County (part, near Arab on Brindlee Mountain, most of Blount County is in area code 205)
 * Calhoun County (part, some of Calhoun County is in area code 205)
 * Cherokee County
 * Clay County
 * Cleburne County
 * Colbert County
 * Coosa County
 * Cullman County
 * DeKalb County
 * Elmore County (part, most of Elmore County is in area code 334)
 * Etowah County (part, some of Etowah County is in area code 205)
 * Franklin County (part, some of Franklin County is in area code 205)
 * Jackson County
 * Lawrence County
 * Lauderdale County
 * Limestone County
 * Madison County
 * Marshall County
 * Morgan County
 * Randolph County (part, some of Randolph County is in area code 334)
 * Saint Clair County (part, the Steele area. Most of Saint Clair County is in area code 205)
 * Talladega County (part, the Lincoln area is in area code 205)
 * Tallapoosa County (part, some of Tallapoosa County is in area code 334)
 * Winston County (part, most of Winston County is in area code 205)

Cities

 * Albertville
 * Alexander City
 * Anniston
 * Arab
 * Ardmore
 * Ashland
 * Athens
 * Attalla
 * Boaz
 * Bridgeport
 * Cedar Bluff
 * Centre
 * Collinsville
 * Courtland
 * Cullman
 * Dadeville
 * Decatur
 * Edwardsville
 * Falkville
 * Florence
 * Fort Payne
 * Gadsden
 * Gaylesville
 * Guntersville
 * Hammondville
 * Hanceville
 * Hartselle
 * Hazel Green
 * Heflin
 * Henagar
 * Hobson City
 * Hokes Bluff
 * Huntsville
 * Jacksonville
 * Leesburg
 * Littleville
 * Lineville
 * Madison
 * Mentone
 * Moulton
 * Muscle Shoals
 * Oxford
 * Paint Rock
 * Piedmont
 * Priceville
 * Rainbow City
 * Rainsville
 * Red Bay
 * Reece City
 * Rockford
 * Russellville
 * Saks
 * Scottsboro
 * Sheffield
 * Somerville
 * Stevenson
 * Sylacauga
 * Talladega
 * Tanner
 * Triana
 * Tuscumbia
 * Valley Head
 * Weaver
 * Wedowee