Area Code 253: Tacoma, Washington
253 is a telephone area code serving Washington, including Tacoma. It is part of the North American Numbering Plan and is dialed with the country code +1.
Numbers beginning with 253 are located in Washington, United States (NANP region: Puget Sound). The code covers Tacoma.
How to Dial Area Code 253
| Calling from | What to dial |
|---|---|
| Anywhere in the US or Canada | 1 253 XXX-XXXX (10-digit dialing: 253 + 7-digit number) |
| Local call inside the same area code | 7-digit number in most areas; 10 digits where an overlay code is active |
| From the UK or Europe | 00 1 253 XXX XXXX |
| From Australia | 0011 1 253 XXX XXXX |
| From a mobile phone anywhere | +1 253 XXX XXXX |
Whatever country you are calling from, the + symbol replaces the exit code. Save the contact as +1 253 XXXXXXX and it will dial correctly from any phone in the world.
Time Zone for Area Code 253
Calls to a 253 number ring in the America/Los_Angeles time zone, standard offset UTC-08:00. Daylight saving time applies here, so the offset moves forward one hour from March to November.
Cities and Communities Served by 253
The following places fall inside the 253 calling area:
Other Area Codes in Washington
These codes also serve Washington. Area codes are assigned by the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA).
| Area Code | Cities / Coverage |
|---|---|
| 206 | Seattle |
| 360 | Olympia, Vancouver WA |
| 425 | Bellevue, Everett |
| 509 | Spokane, Yakima |
| 564 | Western WA (overlay) |
See all 6 area codes in Washington →
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is area code 253?
Area code 253 is in Washington, United States. It covers Tacoma.
What time zone is area code 253 in?
Area code 253 rings in the America/Los_Angeles time zone (UTC-08:00 standard).
Do I need to dial 1 before area code 253?
Yes, for a long-distance call inside the US and Canada you dial 1 first, then 253, then the seven-digit number. The 1 is the North American long-distance trunk prefix — it is not the country code. From outside North America you dial your exit code then 1 then 253.
Is area code 253 toll-free?
No. 253 is a standard geographic area code, so normal long-distance rates apply unless your plan includes them. Toll-free NANP codes are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.