253 Area Code — Tacoma, WA
Area code 253 serves Tacoma and 4 other cities in Washington. Local time follows America/Los_Angeles. It has no overlay codes.
- State
- Washington
- Primary city
- Tacoma
- Timezone
- America/Los_Angeles
- In service since
- 1995
- Type
- Geographic
- Overlay codes
- None
Cities Served by 253
The 253 area code covers 5 cities and communities in Washington.
- Tacoma
- Federal Way
- Auburn
- Kent
- Puyallup
About Area Code 253
Area code 253 is a North American Numbering Plan (NANP) area code that has been in service since 1995. It is administered by NANPA on behalf of the FCC and serves the Washington region anchored on Tacoma.
253 is currently a single-coverage geographic area code with no overlays. This means a 7-digit number in this area code is unique within its rate centers, though best-practice is always to dial the full 10-digit number when contacting a 253 line.
Mobile numbers in 253 are portable: a person who moved away from Tacoma may still carry a 253 mobile number on their device. If you receive an unexpected call from a 253 number, run it through the reverse lookup tool above for the most accurate, free identification.
If you live or do business in Washington, you may also interact with neighbouring or overlay codes. See the related codes section below to explore the rest of Washington.
Other Washington Area Codes
Continue exploring the Washington numbering plan.
253 Area Code FAQ
Where is area code 253?
Area code 253 is located in Washington, primarily serving Tacoma and surrounding cities including Federal Way, Auburn, Kent. The region operates on PT (America/Los_Angeles) time.
What state is 253 area code?
253 is a Washington area code. It was put into service in 1995 and has no overlay codes — it covers its geographic area exclusively.
Is 253 a scam area code?
253 is a legitimate North American area code allocated by NANPA to Washington. Like any geographic area code, scammers sometimes spoof 253 numbers — judge each call by content (urgent demands, unfamiliar transfers) rather than the area code alone. Run the specific number through our reverse lookup if you're unsure.
What time zone does 253 use?
Area code 253 operates on PT (America/Los_Angeles). Numbers in this area code follow standard Washington time-zone rules including any daylight-saving transitions for that region.
Can I look up a specific 253 phone number?
Yes. Use the reverse lookup widget above to enter a full 253 number. NumLocation returns the line type (mobile, landline, VoIP), carrier, rate-center city, and any public listings tied to the number — free.