Area Code for Charlotte, NC

Charlotte, North Carolina uses two area codes: 704 and 980. Both serve the same territory — Mecklenburg County and 12 surrounding counties in south-central NC.

704 is the original, dating to October 1947 when AT&T launched the North American Numbering Plan.

It once served the entire state of North Carolina. Growth split it down over five decades until only the Charlotte metro remained.

980 arrived in 2001 as an all-services overlay when the 704 number pool ran thin.

If you’re looking for a Charlotte, NC phone number — not Charlotte, Vermont or Charlotte, Michigan — you want 704 or 980. They are functionally identical.

What’s the area code for Charlotte?

Charlotte does not have a single area code. It has two, covering an identical footprint:

Code	Established	Coverage	Notes
704	1947 (NANP original)	Charlotte + 12 surrounding NC counties	Original code for all of NC; now Charlotte metro only
980	2001 (overlay)	Same as 704 — all of Mecklenburg County and 12 surrounding counties	NC’s first all-services overlay; mandatory 10-digit dialing

Both codes require 10-digit dialing for all local calls.

There is no geographic or functional difference between a 704 and a 980 number — the pool is shared, and new Charlotte numbers may be assigned either code depending on carrier inventory.

Charlotte metro area codes by neighborhood

Area codes 704 and 980 cover Charlotte’s full city footprint and the wider metro. Here is how they map to key neighborhoods and suburbs.

Uptown Charlotte (704 / 980)

Charlotte’s central business district. Bank of America Stadium, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Spectrum Center (Charlotte Hornets), and the headquarters towers of Bank of America and Duke Energy are all Uptown 704.

South End (704 / 980)

The light-rail corridor south of Uptown — breweries, tech offices, and design studios along the Blue Line. One of Charlotte’s fastest-growing urban neighborhoods.

NoDa — North Davidson (704 / 980)

Charlotte’s arts and music district. NoDa sits northeast of Uptown and carries the same 704/980 service as the rest of Mecklenburg County.

Plaza Midwood (704 / 980)

An eclectic neighborhood east of Uptown, known for independent restaurants and historic bungalows. ZIP code 28205.

University Area (704 / 980)

Home to UNC Charlotte. The University Research Park nearby houses major corporate campuses including IBM, LendingTree, and Centene.

Ballantyne (704 / 980)

South Charlotte’s corporate and residential hub. Major employers including Synchrony Financial and MetLife have campuses here. ZIP 28277.

Matthews (704 / 980)

A town southeast of Charlotte inside Union County — still 704/980 territory. Growing bedroom community.

Concord (704 / 980)

Cabarrus County seat, northeast of Charlotte. Home to Charlotte Motor Speedway and Concord Mills mall. Concord is a major 704 city.

Huntersville (704 / 980)

A fast-growing town on Lake Norman’s south shore, north of Charlotte. Popular with commuters and boating communities.

Mooresville (704 / 980)

Iredell County town on Lake Norman’s east shore. Lowe’s Companies — the home improvement retailer — has its headquarters in Mooresville. NASCAR teams cluster here along US-21.

Gastonia (704 / 980)

Gaston County seat, west of Charlotte. One of the largest cities in the 704 service area outside Charlotte itself.

History of Charlotte area codes

1947 — 704 covers all of North Carolina

When AT&T and the Bell System launched the North American Numbering Plan on October 1, 1947, North Carolina received a single code: 704. At launch, NANPA assigned 86 original codes across the US and Canada; 704 was North Carolina’s.

1954 — 919 splits off eastern NC

The eastern two-thirds of North Carolina — from Winston-Salem and the Triad eastward to Raleigh, Durham, and the coast — became area code 919. Area code 704 was left covering only the western third of the state, from Charlotte through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

1993 — 910 covers southeastern NC

The first new North Carolina area code in 39 years, 910 was carved out for the southeastern region including Wilmington and Fayetteville — further reducing 704’s territory.

1997 — 336 splits the Piedmont Triad

Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and High Point — the Piedmont Triad — received their own code, 336, separating them from the 704 block. Area code 704 was now effectively the Charlotte-and-west-only code.

1998 — 828 takes the western mountains

Asheville, Boone, and the entire Blue Ridge/western mountain region were assigned 828. This final split confined 704 strictly to the Charlotte metropolitan area and a band of foothills counties — the footprint it holds today.

2001 — 980 overlay launches

Rapid mobile phone growth in the late 1990s exhausted the 704 number pool faster than the 828 split had relieved it. BellSouth — Charlotte’s dominant carrier — petitioned the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) for an overlay rather than a geographic split.

The 980 overlay entered service May 1, 2000, with permissive (optional) 10-digit dialing. On January 10, 2001, ten-digit dialing became mandatory for all 704 and 980 calls. The first 980 central office prefixes activated February 10, 2001.

NANPA’s current exhaustion forecast projects no new area code will be needed in the Charlotte region until at least mid-2047.

704 as Charlotte’s financial and corporate identity

The 704 area code is inseparable from Charlotte’s identity as the second-largest banking center in the United States.

Bank of America — the nation’s second-largest bank by assets — has been headquartered in Uptown Charlotte since its formation through the 1998 merger of BankAmerica and NationsBank. Its headquarters tower at 100 N Tryon Street carries a 704 address. Former CEO Hugh McColl built the bank through 56 acquisitions over two decades, cementing Charlotte’s status as a financial capital.

Truist Financial — formed by the 2019 merger of BB&T and SunTrust — relocated its headquarters to Charlotte, adding a second major bank to the 704 cluster.

The 704 corporate roster goes well beyond banking:

• Duke Energy — one of the largest US electric utilities, HQ in Uptown Charlotte
• Honeywell International — moved its global HQ from Morris Plains, NJ, to Charlotte in 2019
• Lowe’s Companies — the world’s second-largest home improvement retailer, HQ in Mooresville (704)
• Nucor Steel — largest US steel producer, HQ in Uptown Charlotte
• Compass Group — world’s largest contract food service company, North American HQ in Charlotte
• LendingTree — online lending marketplace, HQ in the University area
• Coca-Cola Bottling Consolidated — largest independent Coke bottler in the US, HQ in Charlotte

Seven Charlotte-region companies appear on the 2025 Fortune 500: Bank of America, Lowe’s, Honeywell, Nucor, Duke Energy, Truist, and Sonic Automotive.

NASCAR adds another dimension: roughly 75 percent of NASCAR Cup Series teams operate within 50 miles of Charlotte, along the US-21 corridor through Mooresville and Concord — all 704 territory.

The Charlotte Hornets (NBA) and Carolina Panthers (NFL) both list 704 as their primary contact code.

Charlotte area code spam and scams

704 and 980 are used for neighbor spoofing — scammers match local area codes and prefixes to make calls appear to come from Charlotte numbers, increasing the odds a target answers.

Common Charlotte-specific scams to recognize:

Duke Energy utility shutoff — A spoofed 704 call claims your power will be cut within 30 minutes unless you pay immediately via prepaid card or wire transfer. Duke Energy has received nearly 3,000 scam reports in the Carolinas through late 2025. Duke never calls demanding immediate payment to avoid disconnection.

Bank of America / Truist impersonation — Callers claim to be from your bank’s fraud department, asking you to confirm account details or transfer funds to a “safe” account. Because Charlotte is a banking hub, scammers specifically target customers of BoA and Truist with spoofed 704 numbers.

IRS and Social Security suspension — A spoofed 704 call claims your Social Security number has been suspended or you owe back taxes. Neither the IRS nor SSA calls demanding immediate wire transfers or gift cards.

Hurricane and storm contractor fraud — After major storms — especially hurricane remnants that affect the Carolinas — scammers use 704 numbers to pose as contractors offering low-cost damage repairs. This is common in the months following named storms impacting NC.

Fake delivery notifications — Spoofed 980 calls claim a package requires immediate action before delivery. UPS, FedEx, and Amazon do not call demanding payment before delivering parcels.

The FCC spoofing guide explains how caller ID can be forged.

The industry-wide answer is STIR/SHAKEN — a cryptographic call-authentication protocol mandated by the FCC under the TRACED Act. A-attestation confirms the carrier has verified the caller is authorized to use the number shown.

DialPhone Charlotte numbers in 704 and 980 carry STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation. Your outbound business calls display as verified rather than flagged as Spam Risk.

How to get a Charlotte business phone number

You do not need a physical Charlotte office to get a 704 or 980 business number. Cloud VoIP providers provision Charlotte numbers in minutes.

1. Choose your Charlotte area code. Use 704 for maximum Charlotte name recognition — it is the code corporate Charlotte identifies with. Use 980 for equivalent geographic reach when 704 inventory is limited.
2. Sign up at DialPhone pricing. Month-to-month plans available — no annual contract required on entry plans.
3. Search Charlotte number inventory. Filter by area code during setup. Both 704 and 980 pools are available; 980 typically has broader inventory.
4. Port your existing Charlotte number (optional). Submit a Letter of Authorization and your most recent phone bill. NC area code ports typically complete in 2–5 business days. Full instructions in the number porting guide.
5. Activate your AI receptionist. DialPhone’s AI receptionist answers, qualifies leads, and routes calls — a 24/7 Charlotte presence without full-time receptionist staff.

Your business phone is active as soon as the number is assigned.

See DialPhone pricing or start with a free trial to search available Charlotte numbers today.

Famous companies in Charlotte area codes

Charlotte’s 704 and 980 codes appear in the contact information of some of America’s largest corporations.

Bank of America (HQ: Uptown Charlotte, 704) — the nation’s second-largest bank by assets. The BoA tower at 100 N Tryon Street is Charlotte’s most recognizable 704 address.

Truist Financial (HQ: Charlotte, 704) — formed by the BB&T and SunTrust merger in 2019. Truist’s Charlotte headquarters consolidated two major southeastern banking brands under 704.

Duke Energy (HQ: Uptown Charlotte, 704) — one of the largest US electric utility companies, serving the Carolinas, Ohio, Indiana, and Florida.

Honeywell International (HQ: Charlotte, 704) — the Fortune 500 aerospace and industrial conglomerate relocated its global headquarters from New Jersey to Charlotte in 2019.

Lowe’s Companies (HQ: Mooresville, 704) — the world’s second-largest home improvement retailer, with more than 1,700 US stores operated from a 704 Mooresville address.

Nucor Steel (HQ: Uptown Charlotte, 704) — the largest steel producer in the United States.

LendingTree (HQ: University area, Charlotte, 704) — the online lending marketplace.

Coca-Cola Bottling Consolidated (HQ: Charlotte, 704) — the largest independent Coca-Cola bottler in the US.

Compass Group (North American HQ: Charlotte, 704) — the world’s largest contract food service company.

Seven of these companies appear on the 2025 Fortune 500 list.

Charlotte area code FAQ

Charlotte area code FAQ

What is the area code for Charlotte, NC? +

Charlotte uses two area codes: 704 and 980. Both cover the same geographic footprint — Mecklenburg County and 12 surrounding counties in south-central North Carolina.

704 is the original code, assigned in 1947 when the North American Numbering Plan launched. 980 is an all-services overlay introduced in 2001 when the 704 number pool approached exhaustion. There is no geographic difference between them — both are fully Charlotte.

What cities are in the 704 and 980 area codes? +

Major cities in the 704/980 service area include Charlotte, Gastonia, Kannapolis, Concord, Mooresville, Salisbury, Statesville, and Shelby.

The codes cover 13 counties: Mecklenburg (Charlotte's home county), Cabarrus, Gaston, Union, Iredell, Rowan, Cleveland, Lincoln, Anson, Stanly, Rutherford, Catawba, and Alexander.

When did Charlotte get the 980 area code? +

The 980 overlay entered service on May 1, 2000, when BellSouth began assigning 980 numbers to new lines in the Charlotte metro. A permissive dialing period ran through January 9, 2001.

Starting January 10, 2001, ten-digit local dialing became mandatory for all 704 and 980 calls. The first central office prefixes under 980 were activated on February 10, 2001.

Is Charlotte, NC the only Charlotte with area code 704? +

Yes — area code 704 is specific to the Charlotte, North Carolina metro. Charlotte, Vermont uses Vermont area codes (802), and Charlotte, Michigan falls under 517.

Only Charlotte, NC and its surrounding south-central North Carolina counties use 704 and 980. If you receive a 704 or 980 call, it originates from the North Carolina Charlotte metro region.

Do Charlotte suburbs in South Carolina have 704? +

No. Suburbs of Charlotte that are physically in South Carolina — such as Fort Mill, Rock Hill, and Indian Land — use South Carolina area codes 803 and 839, not 704 or 980.

The 704/980 codes stop at the North Carolina state line. The Charlotte metro is a cross-state area, but area codes follow state boundaries for the NANP geographic assignments.

Are 704 and 980 calls spam or scams? +

Most 704 and 980 calls are legitimate. However, both codes are heavily used for neighbor spoofing — scammers match local area codes and prefixes to increase answer rates.

Common Charlotte-specific scams include fake Duke Energy utility shutoff calls, IRS impersonation, Bank of America and Truist bank fraud calls, and storm-damage contractor scams after hurricane events. If a caller demands immediate payment, hang up and call the company directly using the number on their official website.

What is STIR/SHAKEN and does it apply to 704 calls? +

STIR/SHAKEN is a cryptographic call-authentication framework mandated by the FCC under the TRACED Act. It assigns an attestation level to outbound calls — A-attestation means the carrier has verified the caller is authorized to use that number.

DialPhone 704 and 980 numbers carry STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation. Your outbound calls display as verified rather than flagged as Spam Risk on recipient handsets. See the full explanation at the STIR/SHAKEN glossary page.

How long does it take to port a number to a 704 area code? +

Number porting for 704 and 980 numbers typically completes in 2–5 business days when you submit a signed Letter of Authorization and a copy of your most recent phone bill.

The timeline depends on the losing carrier's processing speed. Most major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) process North Carolina ports within the standard window. Full instructions are in the DialPhone number porting guide.

How do I get a Charlotte business phone number? +

You can get a 704 or 980 number from a cloud VoIP provider without a physical Charlotte office. Sign up, select United States → North Carolina → 704 or 980, and the number is provisioned in minutes.

DialPhone Charlotte numbers include STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation, AI receptionist, call recording, and SMS. See DialPhone pricing or start a free trial.

Get a Charlotte business number

Whether you need a 704 area code number for core Charlotte identity or a 980 area code for broad metro reach, DialPhone has inventory across both active Charlotte codes.

Numbers are provisioned instantly, port from any carrier in 2–5 business days, and include STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation, AI receptionist, call recording, and SMS on every plan.

See all North Carolina area codes, compare plans at DialPhone pricing, or start a free trial to search available Charlotte numbers.

Related: DialPhone business phone · AI receptionist · number porting guide · STIR/SHAKEN glossary