Area code 202

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The map to the right is clickable; click on an area code to go to the page for that code.

The area colored red indicates the geographical region of the [[District of Columbia]], served by area code 202

Telephone area code 202 is the area code for Washington, D.C., and is coextensive with the District of Columbia. It was one of the area codes originally assigned in October, 1947.

As of 2006, there are no plans to split or overlay the area code, as the North American Numbering Plan Administration estimates the current supply of 202 numbers sufficient at least to the year 2020^[1]. For a local call between two telephones in the District, 7-digit dialing is permitted, although the call will be connected if the area code is dialed. There is, of course, no provision for long-distance calls within the area code.

Originally, area code 202 was an unpublished alternate area code for the nearby suburbs in Maryland and Virginia, which were officially in area codes 301 and 703, respectively. That arrangement allowed local calls throughout the metropolitan area to be dialed using only seven digits. For example, a telephone number in Kensington, Maryland, that was officially 301-949-xxxx could be dialed as 202-949-xxxx as well. However, on October 1, 1991, to address number exhaustion, the ability to dial the suburbs using area code 202 ended, and local calls between area codes required 10-digit dialing (area code + number, leading "1" is not required but is usually not forbidden).

District of Columbia Area Code: 202
	North: 240/301
West: 571/703	area code 202	East: 240/301
	South: 571/703
State of Maryland Area Codes: 240, 301, 410, 443
Commonwealth of Virginia Area Codes: 276, 434, 540, 571/703, 757, 804