The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) announced today a plan was approved to implement a new area code for western Washington that would address the need for additional phone numbers. It’s expected the 360 area code will be out of numbers by early 2018.
The new area code, 564, is expected to be available to all areas already covered by 360, 206, 253, and 425 area codes as numbers in those areas become exhausted.
The new overlapping area codes required the UTC also approving mandatory 10-digit dialing for those area codes by the fall of 2017. This will require callers to include the area code even when making local calls.
According to the announcement, the UTC originally approved the single area code overlay for western Washington in 2000, but postponed it after successful state and national number conservation efforts.