821 Area Code — Charleston, SC
Area code 821 serves Charleston and 2 other cities in South Carolina. Local time follows America/New_York. It overlays with 843, so 10-digit dialling is required.
- State
- South Carolina
- Primary city
- Charleston
- Timezone
- America/New_York
- In service since
- 2024
- Type
- Overlay
- Overlay codes
- 843
Overlay of 843
Cities Served by 821
The 821 area code covers 3 cities and communities in South Carolina.
- Charleston
- Mount Pleasant
- Summerville
About Area Code 821
Area code 821 is a North American Numbering Plan (NANP) area code that has been in service since 2024. It is administered by NANPA on behalf of the FCC and serves the South Carolina region anchored on Charleston.
821 is an overlay code, which means it shares its geographic boundaries with one or more existing area codes (843). Overlays are created when a region exhausts the supply of phone numbers in its original area code. Within an overlay region, residents must dial all 10 digits even for local calls, because the same 7-digit number can exist under multiple area codes.
Mobile numbers in 821 are portable: a person who moved away from Charleston may still carry a 821 mobile number on their device. If you receive an unexpected call from a 821 number, run it through the reverse lookup tool above for the most accurate, free identification.
If you live or do business in South Carolina, you may also interact with neighbouring or overlay codes (843). See the related codes section below to explore the rest of South Carolina.
Other South Carolina Area Codes
Continue exploring the South Carolina numbering plan.
821 Area Code FAQ
Where is area code 821?
Area code 821 is located in South Carolina, primarily serving Charleston and surrounding cities including Mount Pleasant, Summerville. The region operates on ET (America/New_York) time.
What state is 821 area code?
821 is a South Carolina area code. It was put into service in 2024 as an overlay and shares its geographic footprint with overlay code 843.
Is 821 a scam area code?
821 is a legitimate North American area code allocated by NANPA to South Carolina. Like any geographic area code, scammers sometimes spoof 821 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 821 use?
Area code 821 operates on ET (America/New_York). Numbers in this area code follow standard South Carolina time-zone rules including any daylight-saving transitions for that region.
Can I look up a specific 821 phone number?
Yes. Use the reverse lookup widget above to enter a full 821 number. NumLocation returns the line type (mobile, landline, VoIP), carrier, rate-center city, and any public listings tied to the number — free.
What's the difference between 821 and 843?
821 and 843 cover the same South Carolina geographic area as overlay codes. Calls between them are local, but you must dial all 10 digits. New phone numbers in this region are assigned from either pool depending on what's available with the carrier at signup.