716 Area Code: Buffalo, New York Location and Time Zone

Introduction

The 716 area code covers Buffalo, Niagara Falls and the rest of far western New York, south through Jamestown and Olean. It is one of the country's original area codes from 1947, and since late 2023 it has shared its territory with a second code, 624.

This guide covers the counties and communities in the code, what time it is there, how the 624 overlay and the 988 crisis line changed local dialing, how to size up an unfamiliar 716 caller, and how to get a number of your own.

Where Is the 716 Area Code?

Area code 716 is in the western corner of New York State. Buffalo anchors it, Niagara Falls sits at its northern edge on the Niagara River, and the code reaches south to Jamestown, Dunkirk and Olean. Rochester is not part of it; the Rochester area has used 585 since 2001.

To the west, the Niagara River separates 716 from Ontario, Canada. The Ontario side across the river used area code 416 until 1993 and has been 905 since, so a number from the Canadian side of the falls won't start with 716 even though both countries dial with +1.

How 716 Got Its Current Shape

When AT&T drew the first nationwide numbering plan in the 1940s, New York received five area codes, more than any other state. Area code 716 was assigned in 1947 to a much bigger region than today's, stretching into central New York as far east as Corning.

The first cut came in 1954, when 716's eastern portion was merged with the southern part of 315 to form area code 607. The second came in 2001, when 585 was created for Rochester and its suburbs. What remained is the Buffalo-Niagara region and the counties to its south. Our New York area codes page shows how 716 sits beside 585, 607 and the state's other codes.

Cities and Counties in the 716 Area Code

The New York Public Service Commission describes 716 as serving all or portions of five counties, and names Buffalo, Jamestown, Cheektowaga, Tonawanda, Niagara Falls and West Seneca among its communities. Lockport, Dunkirk and Olean are in the area too. Here is how those places line up by county:

County lines and area code lines don't match perfectly at the edges. Because Olean lies near the 716/585 boundary, some Olean exchanges use 585 instead, which is why the PSC's wording is "all or portions" rather than whole counties.

For anyone searching "Buffalo area codes," the answer is short: Buffalo and its suburbs use 716 and its overlay, 624. A 716 caller ID narrows a number to this region, but not to a particular town or neighborhood.

716 Area Code Time Zone (Eastern Time)

New York observes Eastern Time statewide, so a 716 number keeps the same clock as New York City and Atlanta. Standard time there is UTC-5, moving to UTC-4 when daylight saving time starts.

At noon in Chicago it's 1 p.m. in Buffalo, and at noon in Los Angeles it's 3 p.m.

716 and 624: The Overlay Code

By 2022 western New York was on track to run out of phone numbers. An analysis that year by NANPA, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator, projected that 716 would exhaust its central office prefixes in 2024. Instead of splitting the region again, the New York Public Service Commission approved an all-services overlay on October 13, 2022, and area code 624 was assigned to exactly the same territory.

Area code 624's in-service date was November 16, 2023. The Commission's announcement of the new code spelled out what stayed the same: current 716 numbers keep their area code, a local call remains a local call, and prices don't change because of the overlay. It also said 624 numbers would not be handed out until the remaining 716 numbers were used up, and the PSC projected the new code would supply numbers for roughly 29 years.

A 624 number is simply a newer number from the same area.

Why Ten-Digit Dialing Came Before 624

An overlay is usually what forces ten-digit dialing. In western New York the change came two years early, for a different reason. In 2020, 988 was designated nationwide as the dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and 716 still allowed seven-digit local calls while also using 988 as the first three digits of local numbers. There, a local 988 number and the lifeline could be confused.

The FCC's list of area codes that had to adopt ten-digit dialing includes 716 among 82 codes nationwide, and five in New York. The transition had to be complete by October 24, 2021, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline became available nationwide on July 16, 2022. So when 624 went into service in November 2023, callers in the 716 area were already dialing ten digits, and the overlay didn't ask anyone to learn a new habit.

How to Tell If a Call From 716 Is Legitimate

An unexpected 716 call is usually just someone in western New York. The area code can't vouch for the caller, though, because scammers can make caller ID display numbers they don't own, including ones with a local area code.

Rather than judging the digits, listen to the request. These are common signs that a call is a scam:

• An emergency that supposedly needs money now, such as a relative in trouble or a utility shutoff within the hour.
• Instructions to pay by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or a payment app, or to keep the call secret.
• A request to confirm your Social Security number, card number or online banking password.
• Someone asking you to read back a one-time code that was just texted to you.
• An unsolicited loan, prize or tech-support fix that needs payment before anything happens.

If a call feels wrong, hang up and contact the company or agency using a number you look up on your own, such as the one printed on your card or statement. Report scams and any money lost at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Unwanted telemarketing can be reported at DoNotCall.gov, but the FTC says signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry cuts calls from legitimate sellers, not from criminals.

To keep a number from calling again, block it in your phone's call history, check the call-blocking tools your carrier provides, or use a call-blocking app; landlines can use a call-blocking device. Want to research an unknown 716 number first? Our phone number lookup guide explains what you can find out.

How to Dial a 716 Phone Number

The rules are identical whether a western New York number starts with 716 or 624:

• Local call inside the region: dial the area code and the seven-digit number, such as 716-555-0123. Seven digits alone won't connect.
• From another area code in the US or Canada: put 1 in front of 716 and the seven digits.
• From a mobile phone anywhere: save the number as +1 716 555 0123 and it will work whether you're at home or traveling.
• From a landline in another country: use that country's exit prefix, commonly 00, then 1, 716 and the number.
• Emergency and three-digit services: 911 stays three digits, as do 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 and 811 where they're offered.

Businesses should print the area code wherever their number appears.

How to Get a 716 Phone Number for Your Business

A 716 number tells callers in Buffalo, Niagara Falls or Jamestown that they're reaching a business in their own region. A 624 number reaches the same people and dials the same way, so either works if a particular 716 number isn't available.

Ringflow provides local numbers in New York area codes that run on a cloud phone system rather than a single desk line. Setting one up looks like this:

1. 1Look up available 716 numbers in Ringflow's New York local numbers, or take a 624 number for the same area.
2. 2Have calls ring the Ringflow mobile and desktop apps, or forward calls to another phone.
3. 3Set up an auto attendant that sends callers to the right person or department.
4. 4Enable business texting for appointment reminders and customer questions.
5. 5Port a 716 number you already use instead of reprinting cards, signs and vehicle lettering.

Serving customers outside New York too? Browse local numbers across US area codes, or add a toll-free number for callers nationwide.

Conclusion

Area code 716 has belonged to Buffalo and western New York since the first nationwide numbering plan, giving up territory to 607 in 1954 and to 585 in 2001 before gaining a partner code, 624, in 2023. Ten-digit dialing had already arrived in 2021 because of 988, so the overlay changed how numbers are issued, not how people dial.

When a 716 number calls, the code tells you where the number was assigned, not whether the caller is trustworthy. For a business that wants a local western New York line, Ringflow offers 716 numbers with app-based call routing, an auto attendant, business texting, number porting and a free trial.

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