Area Code for Memphis, TN

Memphis runs on a single area code: 901. That makes it one of the rarest things in American telecommunications — a major US city that has never needed an overlay, never split its urban footprint, and still lets locals dial just seven digits to reach a neighbor across town.

901 is not a new code assigned to handle growth. It is an original 1947 number, part of the first 86 codes AT&T created when it built the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). The same code that connected Beale Street in 1947 connects FedEx headquarters today.

This guide covers the full picture: what 901 covers, its neighborhood breakdown, the history of every Tennessee split, Memphis’s identity as a single-code metro, spam patterns targeting 901 numbers, and how to claim a Memphis business number fast.

What’s the area code for Memphis?

The area code for Memphis, Tennessee is 901. It is the only area code serving the city and its primary suburbs.

Code	Established	Coverage	Notes
901	1947 (original)	Memphis, Shelby Co., Fayette Co., Hardeman Co., Tipton Co.	Never overlaid; seven-digit local dialing still works
731	2001	Rural western Tennessee (Jackson, Dyersburg, Union City)	Split from 901 on Sep 17, 2001
615	1954	Nashville metro and middle Tennessee	Original eastern TN split from 901
423	1995	Eastern Tennessee (Chattanooga, Knoxville area)	Split from 615

901 covers the Memphis metropolitan core. The adjacent codes (731, 662 in northern Mississippi, 870 in eastern Arkansas) mark the outer edges of the tri-state region but are distinct from the Memphis city proper code.

For a full map of Tennessee codes, see Tennessee area codes. For the 901-specific lookup, see area code 901.

Memphis area codes by neighborhood

Every Memphis neighborhood — from the riverfront bluffs to the eastern suburbs — uses 901. The code does not divide the city; it unifies it.

Neighborhood / City	County	Area Code
Downtown Memphis	Shelby	901
Midtown Memphis	Shelby	901
East Memphis	Shelby	901
Cooper-Young	Shelby	901
Cordova	Shelby	901
Bartlett	Shelby	901
Germantown	Shelby	901
Collierville	Shelby	901
Arlington	Shelby	901
Millington	Shelby	901
Lakeland	Shelby	901
Somerville	Fayette	901
Covington	Tipton	901
Whiteville	Hardeman	901

All of Shelby County — home to roughly 930,000 people — uses 901. The code extends into Fayette, Hardeman, and Tipton counties for a total four-county footprint.

Note that West Memphis, Arkansas (across the bridge) uses 870, and Southaven, Mississippi uses 662. Those are neighboring cities with separate codes, not Memphis addresses.

History of Memphis area codes

1947 — The original NANPA rollout

When AT&T designed the North American Numbering Plan in 1947, it assigned 901 to the entire state of Tennessee. The system was built for rotary-dial operator-assisted switching; area codes were geographic routing numbers, not identity markers. Tennessee got a single code because call volume justified only one.

1954 — The first split: 615 arrives

As subscriber growth accelerated in the postwar boom, Tennessee was divided in a flash cut. Eastern Tennessee — roughly everything east of the Tennessee River — received area code 615 (based in Nashville). Western Tennessee kept 901.

Memphis was already the state’s largest city by that point, so keeping 901 for the west was a natural assignment. 901 now covered a smaller but denser territory centered on the Memphis metro and rural western Tennessee.

2001 — The second split: 731 separates rural west Tennessee

By the late 1990s, 901 faced exhaustion pressure from two sources: explosive Memphis suburban growth and the proliferation of fax lines, pagers, and early mobile phones. The Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA) approved a relief plan, and on September 17, 2001, area code 731 was assigned to most of rural western Tennessee — Jackson, Dyersburg, Martin, Union City, and surrounding counties.

901 was cut back to its current footprint: Shelby, Fayette, Hardeman, and Tipton counties. Memphis kept its original code; the countryside got a new one.

2001–present — No overlay, no further split

Unlike Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York — which have layered multiple overlay codes onto their metro areas — Memphis has never needed one. NANPA projects that 901’s number supply will not exhaust until approximately 2035, based on current assignment rates.

That means Memphis remains one of the few US cities with a population over 600,000 where all local calls can be completed in seven digits. No overlay mandate has been issued. The Tennessee Regulatory Authority maintains oversight; any future relief action would be announced well in advance. Current numbering data is maintained at NANPA.

901 as Memphis identity

Area codes in most cities are administrative. In Memphis, 901 is a cultural badge.

Music city. Memphis is the birthplace of rock and roll, blues, and soul. Sun Records (706 Union Avenue) is where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Roy Orbison recorded in the 1950s. Stax Records pioneered soul with Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Booker T. & the MGs. Beale Street was declared the official “Home of the Blues” by Congress in 1977.

Graceland. Elvis Presley’s home draws over 600,000 visitors per year, making it one of the most-visited private residences in the United States. The address is 901 — fittingly.

BBQ capital. Memphis is one of the four cities of American BBQ royalty. The Rendezvous (dry-rub ribs), Central BBQ, and Cozy Corner define the local style. The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest at Tom Lee Park draws teams from across the country.

Fortune 500 anchor. Memphis punches above its weight economically. FedEx Corporation — headquartered at 942 South Shady Grove Road, Memphis — operates the world’s largest airfreight network and employs roughly 35,000 people in the metro. AutoZone (over 7,000 stores nationally) and International Paper are also Memphis-headquartered Fortune 500 firms.

Healthcare mission. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, founded by Danny Thomas in 1962, is one of the world’s leading pediatric cancer research centers. It treats patients regardless of ability to pay and is funded by ALSAC, also headquartered in Memphis.

Sports. The Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) and Memphis Tigers basketball (AAC) give the city major-league identity. The Grizzlies’ grit-and-grind era made 901 a byword for resilience nationwide.

The single-code status amplifies all of this. When someone answers a call from 901, they know immediately: that’s Memphis. No disambiguation — just the city.

Memphis area code spam and scams

901 numbers are spoofed regularly. Knowing the local patterns helps you filter genuine calls from fraud.

MLGW impersonation. Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) — the city’s public utility — is frequently impersonated. Scammers call claiming an overdue balance and demand immediate payment via barcode (sent by text) redeemable at Walgreens or Walmart. MLGW states clearly that representatives will never call to demand immediate payment or send payment barcodes via text. If you receive such a call, hang up and contact MLGW directly at their published number.

Fake FedEx delivery holds. Given FedEx’s Memphis headquarters, fake package-hold notifications are common in 901. Callers or texts claim a package is being held and request personal information or a fee to release it. FedEx does not charge fees to release packages or request financial information by phone.

One-ring (Wangiri) scams. The FCC has specifically flagged Memphis’s 901 code as a target for one-ring robocalls. The caller hangs up after one ring, hoping you call back — connecting you to a premium-rate international number that charges by the minute. Do not call back unknown single-ring numbers.

IRS and Social Security impersonation. Callers posing as IRS agents or Shelby County court process servers threaten arrest unless a payment is made immediately. The IRS never demands immediate payment by phone and never threatens arrest on a first contact.

Charity fraud. St. Jude’s national recognition makes it a target for fake charity solicitors. Any donation to any charity should be verified through the charity’s official website or via Charity Navigator before sending funds.

STIR/SHAKEN and call authentication. The FCC’s STIR/SHAKEN framework requires US carriers to cryptographically attest caller identity. A-attestation means the carrier has verified the caller is authorized to use the number presented. DialPhone delivers A-attestation for all 901 numbers provisioned on its platform. For more on how call authentication works, see STIR/SHAKEN explained.

If you receive a suspicious 901 call, you can also report it to the FCC’s consumer complaint center.

How to get a Memphis business phone number

A virtual 901 number from DialPhone gives your business a Memphis local presence — without a Memphis office.

1. Choose a plan. Review options at DialPhone pricing. All plans include local number provisioning.
2. Select a 901 number. Pick from available Memphis-area numbers in the DialPhone dashboard during signup.
3. Configure routing. Forward calls to your mobile, desktop app, team queue, or AI receptionist — your choice.
4. Port an existing number if needed. If you already have a 901 number, porting typically completes in 2–5 business days. See the number porting guide for the full process.
5. Go live. Your 901 number is active immediately. Outbound calls from the DialPhone app display your Memphis number — STIR/SHAKEN A-attested — to recipients.

Start a free trial at DialPhone free trial to test a Memphis number before committing to a plan.

Famous companies with Memphis (901) area codes

Memphis hosts a remarkable concentration of large enterprises for a metro its size.

FedEx Corporation (HQ: Memphis) — World’s largest airfreight carrier and one of the largest logistics companies globally. Founded by Fred Smith, whose Yale business plan became a $90 billion enterprise.

AutoZone (HQ: Memphis) — Largest auto parts retailer in the United States, with over 7,000 stores. Annual revenue exceeds $17 billion.

International Paper (HQ: Memphis) — One of the world’s largest paper and packaging companies, Fortune 500 ranked.

First Horizon National (HQ: Memphis) — Major regional bank headquartered on Madison Avenue, serving the Mid-South and beyond.

ServiceMaster (HQ: Memphis) — Parent of Terminix and other home services brands.

ALSAC / St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (HQ: Memphis) — Fundraising arm of St. Jude; one of the largest healthcare non-profits in the US.

Mid-America Apartment Communities (HQ: Memphis) — S&P 500 REIT managing apartment communities across the Sun Belt.

Helena Agri-Enterprises (HQ: Collierville, 901) — One of the largest agricultural services companies in North America.

Smith & Nephew US HQ (Memphis) — Global medical devices company with its US headquarters in the 901.

Buckeye Technologies (HQ: Memphis) — Specialty fibers manufacturer with global operations.

Every one of these companies uses 901 numbers for their Memphis operations. Calling a 901 number in a business context is calling into one of the South’s most economically significant cities.

Memphis area code FAQ

Memphis area code FAQ

What is the area code for Memphis, Tennessee? +

The area code for Memphis is 901. It covers Memphis and its inner-ring suburbs across four counties: Shelby, Fayette, Hardeman, and Tipton.

901 is one of the original 86 North American area codes established in 1947, and it has never been overlaid — making Memphis one of the largest US cities with a single, unoverloaded area code.

Does Memphis have more than one area code? +

No. Memphis uses only area code 901 for the city and its inner suburbs (Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, Arlington, Millington).

Surrounding but separate regions use different codes: rural western Tennessee uses 731 (split from 901 in 2001), northern Mississippi uses 662, and eastern Arkansas uses 870. Those are adjacent, not Memphis proper.

Why does Memphis still have seven-digit dialing? +

Because 901 has never been overlaid with a second area code. Overlay mandates ten-digit dialing for all local calls.

Memphis is one of the few major US cities where local calls between 901 numbers can still be completed by dialing just seven digits (no area code prefix). NANPA projects 901 won't exhaust its number supply until around 2035.

What area code covers Germantown and Collierville, TN? +

Both Germantown and Collierville are in Shelby County and use area code 901 — the same code as central Memphis. All Shelby County municipalities share 901: Bartlett, Arlington, Millington, and Lakeland are included.

Is a call from area code 901 a scam? +

Not automatically — 901 is a legitimate Memphis area code used by millions of residents and businesses. However, scammers do spoof 901 numbers to appear local.

Common 901 scams include fake Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) payment demands, fake FedEx delivery holds, and one-ring (Wangiri) call-back traps. If a 901 call pressures you for immediate payment or personal info, hang up and call the organization directly using a number from their official website.

When did area code 731 split from 901? +

Area code 731 was assigned on September 17, 2001, splitting from 901 to serve most of rural western Tennessee — cities like Jackson, Dyersburg, and Union City.

Before the split, 901 covered all of western Tennessee. After the split, 901 was cut back to its current four-county footprint centered on the Memphis metropolitan area.

How do I get a Memphis 901 phone number for my business? +

You can get a 901 virtual phone number through a VoIP provider like DialPhone without a Memphis address or physical presence.

The process takes minutes: choose a plan, select a 901 number from available inventory, and your new Memphis number is active immediately. Calls route to your existing phone, computer, or team. See DialPhone's business phone page for plan details and pricing.

Get a Memphis business number

A 901 number signals to Memphis customers that you are local — available, accountable, and part of the community.

• Start a free trial — get a 901 number active today
• DialPhone business phone — full feature overview
• DialPhone AI receptionist — never miss a Memphis call
• Pricing — all plans include local number provisioning

For number porting from your current provider, see the number porting guide.