211 Area Code
Community information and referral services
The 211 area code is reserved for community information and referral services. It is an N11 code dialed as 2-1-1, not as the leading digits of a regular phone number.
How 211 is used
Callers dial 2-1-1 (three digits, not a full ten-digit number) to reach trained specialists who connect them with local non-emergency health, human and social-service resources — food assistance, housing aid, mental-health support, disaster recovery and more. Calls are free and the service is funded by United Way affiliates and state and local governments. As an N11 code, the digits 211 are reserved from assignment as the leading digits of any ordinary telephone number.
- Purpose
- Community information and referral services
- Assignee
- FCC (United States) and CRTC (Canada); locally operated by United Way and other community I&R organizations
- Dialed as
- 2-1-1
History
Creation: On July 21, 2000, the Federal Communications Commission issued an order designating 2-1-1 as the uniform abbreviated dialing code for community information and referral services across the United States. The first 211 system had launched in Atlanta on February 11, 1997, operated by United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, three years before the FCC's nationwide assignment. Today 211 is available to roughly 99 percent of the US population and is also used in Canada.
Mnemonics: Prior to 1995, the middle digit of area codes was restricted to 0 or 1, which do not correspond to letters on a phone's dialing pad. Because 211 contains 0 or 1, it has no mnemonic letter equivalent.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-1-1, www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/dial-211-essential-community-services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is area code 211 used for?
211 is a special-use area code in the North American Numbering Plan. The 211 area code is reserved for community information and referral services. It is an N11 code dialed as 2-1-1, not as the leading digits of a regular phone number.
Is 211 dialed as a full area code?
No. 211 is an N11 code, meaning callers dial only the three digits 2-1-1 – there is no ten-digit equivalent. The digits 211 are reserved and cannot start any regular phone number.
Who assigns 211 numbers?
FCC (United States) and CRTC (Canada); locally operated by United Way and other community I&R organizations
When did area code 211 go into service?
Area code 211 was placed into service on July 21, 2000.