Area Code 859: Lexington, Kentucky
859 is a telephone area code serving Kentucky, including Lexington, Covington. It is part of the North American Numbering Plan and is dialed with the country code +1.
Numbers beginning with 859 are located in Kentucky, United States (NANP region: North Central). The code covers Lexington, Covington.
How to Dial Area Code 859
| Calling from | What to dial |
|---|---|
| Anywhere in the US or Canada | 1 859 XXX-XXXX (10-digit dialing: 859 + 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 1 859 XXX XXXX |
| From Australia | 0011 1 859 XXX XXXX |
| From a mobile phone anywhere | +1 859 XXX XXXX |
Whatever country you are calling from, the + symbol replaces the exit code. Save the contact as +1 859 XXXXXXX and it will dial correctly from any phone in the world.
Time Zone for Area Code 859
Calls to a 859 number ring in the America/New_York time zone, standard offset UTC-05:00. Daylight saving time applies here, so the offset moves forward one hour from March to November.
Note: the Central/Eastern line runs northwest to southeast just west of Louisville, so the western third of the state around Paducah, Owensboro and Bowling Green uses Central time, one hour behind. Area codes 270 and 364 are entirely on the Central side - see those pages.
Cities and Communities Served by 859
The following places fall inside the 859 calling area:
Other Area Codes in Kentucky
These codes also serve Kentucky. Area codes are assigned by the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA).
See all 5 area codes in Kentucky →
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is area code 859?
Area code 859 is in Kentucky, United States. It covers Lexington, Covington.
What time zone is area code 859 in?
Area code 859 rings in the America/New_York time zone (UTC-05:00 standard).
Do I need to dial 1 before area code 859?
Yes, for a long-distance call inside the US and Canada you dial 1 first, then 859, 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 859.
Is area code 859 toll-free?
No. 859 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.