How Soon Will Another Area Code Be Ringing in the Hudson Valley?

Does everyone have a cellphone? The abundance of cell phones, landlines, and virtual phone numbers has started to push the 8-4-5 area code to its limits. What does that mean? The group that assigns area codes, well they actually prefer to call them North American Numbering Plan, has put up what is essentially a warning flare that they expect the 8-4-5 area code will reach full capacity by 2024.

In an effort to keep that from happening, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator has filled the appropriate applications to begin the process of introducing a new area code to the Hudson Valley.

The 8-4-5 area code was put into effect for Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, Dutchess, and Rockland counties in 2000, due to the stretched limits of the then 'downstate' area code of 9-1-4.

When would the new area code go into effect in the Hudson Valley?

The new area code would go into effect in 2024.

The original application from the NANPA (PDF) was submitted to the New York Public Service Commission in November of 2021. The next hurdle in this process is the public comment submission period.  If you wish to comment about the new area code, you have until March 27, 2022, to submit your comments to the Public Service Commission.

How to submit comments about the new area code for the Hudson Valley?

You can do so by going to www.dps.ny.gov, then click on “Search” and enter 21-C-0600 in the “Search by Case Number” field, and then click on “Post Comments” at the top right of the page or send comments by email to the Secretary to the Commission at secretary@dps.ny.gov.

Would you need to change your current 8-4-5 area code?

When this new area code goes into effect in 2024, it would only be in use for phone numbers that are newly activated. Phone numbers that are currently in the 8-4-5 area code would get to remain as they are. There would be no change to current 8-4-5 numbers.