708 Area Code: Chicago's South and West Suburbs Location and Time Zone

Introduction

The 708 area code covers suburbs south and west of Chicago, from Oak Park and Berwyn to Orland Park, Tinley Park and Chicago Heights. It spans most of western and southern Cook County plus eastern and southern Will County, and since January 21, 2022 it has shared that territory with 464.

An unfamiliar 708 number tends to raise three questions: where is it, is it safe, and how do I call back? This guide answers all three, and it also covers the code's history, its time zone, the ZIP Code mix-up and how a business can get a local south-suburban number.

Where Is the 708 Area Code?

Area code 708 is in Illinois. The Illinois Commerce Commission defines its territory as most of western and southern Cook County and eastern and southern Will County. Its list of 708 communities runs alphabetically from Alsip and Beecher to Western Springs and Worth, with Oak Park, Oak Lawn, Orland Park and Chicago Heights along the way.

If you're searching "where is 708 area code in Illinois", it helps to know what sits outside it. Chicago proper uses 312, 773 and 872 (see our 312 area code and 773 area code guides). Naperville and the western suburbs are on 630 and 331, and the northern suburbs use 847 and 224.

Some searches pair 708 with California, but no California number uses it. An area code belongs to one numbering region, and 708 is assigned to these Illinois suburbs.

Cities and Counties in the 708 Area Code

Two counties make up the 708 region, and neither is entirely inside it. Here is how the state commission describes the share of each:

The commission's 2021 and 2022 announcements name these communities, grouped here alphabetically:

• A to C: Alsip, Beecher, Bellwood, Berwyn, Blue Island, Bridgeview, Broadview, Burbank, Calumet City, Chicago Heights, Chicago Ridge, Country Club Hills, Crest Hill, Crete
• D to L: Dolton, Elmwood Park, Evergreen Park, Flossmoor, Forest Park, Glenwood, Harvey, Harwood Heights, Hazel Crest, Hickory Hills, Homewood, Justice, La Grange, Lansing, Lyons
• M to P: Markham, Matteson, Maywood, Melrose Park, Midlothian, Mokena, Norridge, Northlake, Oak Forest, Oak Lawn, Oak Park, Orland Park, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Park Forest
• R to W: Richton Park, River Forest, River Grove, Riverdale, South Holland, Steger, Tinley Park, Westchester, Western Springs, Worth

That list is a sample, not a complete roster. It is still a useful check when a caller says they're phoning from a particular suburb and the number starts with 708 or 464.

708 Area Code Time Zone (Central Time)

Every 708 and 464 number belongs to the Central Time Zone, which takes in all of Illinois under the federal time-zone regulations. Illinois observes daylight saving time, so the suburbs move from CST (UTC−6) to CDT (UTC−5) on the second Sunday in March and back on the first Sunday in November.

Those gaps hold all year, because the Eastern and Pacific zones change their clocks on the same dates as Illinois.

708 and 464: One Area, Two Area Codes

708 began as the suburbs' own code. It was carved out of Chicago's 312 in 1989 and at first served almost all of the suburbs around the city. In 1996 it was divided into three: 847 took the northern suburbs, 630 took the western suburbs centered on DuPage County, and 708 kept most of western and southern Cook County along with part of Will County.

Relief for the smaller region was approved long before anyone needed it. On June 30, 1999, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved an all-services overlay for 708, and NANPA assigned 464 for it later that year. The commission insisted on thousand-block number pooling first, and pooling plus review of number requests kept 708 going for more than two decades.

The supply ran short in 2021. In August of that year the commission announced that 464 would be used once 708's prefixes were exhausted, which it expected in January 2022. Starting January 21, 2022, customers requesting new service or an extra line could be assigned a 464 number.

Nothing changed for existing lines. Current numbers kept their area code, the price of a call and the coverage area stayed the same, and a call that was local before the overlay is still local. A 464 number in Oak Lawn is exactly as local as a 708 number next door.

708 Area Code vs ZIP Codes

People look for a "zip code for 708 area code" expecting a match, but none exists. ZIP Codes are the Postal Service's system for delivering mail, and area codes route phone calls. One area code spans dozens of suburbs with their own ZIP Codes, and the two systems were never drawn to align.

That means a phone number can't give you a mailing address. For the ZIP Code of a street in Orland Park or Oak Park, use the Postal Service's ZIP Code lookup. To learn which area code a business uses, check its website or an invoice instead of guessing from its ZIP Code.

How to Tell If a Call From 708 Is Legitimate

Most people who look up a 708 number want to know one thing: should I call back? Begin with the fact that caller ID is easy to fake, a point the FTC makes directly: a local-looking 708 number may not be local at all.

Hanging up costs nothing. If the call claimed to be from your bank, a utility or a village office, call back on the number printed on your statement or the official website, not the number that called.

The FTC takes fraud reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and DoNotCall.gov accepts complaints about unwanted sales calls. Criminals don't honor the Do Not Call list, so block persistent numbers in your phone's settings or with your carrier's call-blocking tools as well.

How to Dial a 708 Phone Number

Seven-digit calling ended in the 708 region in 2021. 708 was one of the area codes that had to adopt ten-digit dialing so that 988 could work as the three-digit national suicide hotline, and the coming 464 overlay required it anyway. The commission said customers had to adopt 1 plus ten-digit dialing by October 24, 2021.

1. 1Dial 1.
2. 2Dial the area code, 708 or 464, even when you're calling a neighbor.
3. 3Dial the seven-digit number. The full call looks like 1-708-555-0163.

From outside the United States, enter your international exit code, then 1, 708 and the seven digits. Short codes still work as before: 911, plus 211 through 811 where your community offers them. The longer dialing pattern doesn't change what a call costs or whether it counts as local.

How to Get a 708 Phone Number for Your Business

A 708 or 464 number tells south and west suburban callers that your business is close by, whether your team works in Tinley Park or three states away. A cloud phone line makes that possible without a local office.

With Ringflow you can choose a local number from the Illinois area codes Ringflow offers and find out if a 708 or 464 number is available. The number rings on Ringflow's mobile and desktop apps, an auto attendant can greet and route callers, and business texting works on the same number.

Already have a suburban number customers know? Port it rather than printing new cards. You can also compare other regions in the US area code directory and begin with a free trial.

Conclusion

Area code 708 belongs to the suburbs south and west of Chicago, across most of western and southern Cook County and eastern and southern Will County. It began in 1989 as a split from 312, shrank in 1996 when 630 and 847 were created, and gained the 464 overlay on January 21, 2022.

The practical rules are short: Central Time, 1 plus ten digits on every call, and caution with any unknown caller who pushes for money or codes. For businesses serving the region, Ringflow offers local numbers with app forwarding, texting, porting and a free trial.

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