Quick answer
Area code 959 serves most of Connecticut, except the south-west corner. Cities in it include Hartford, Bristol, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain and Groton. This guide covers where 959 is, how it came to be, how to dial it and what to know before using a 959 number for a business.
- Area code 959 is an overlay of 860, so both codes serve the same part of Connecticut.
- That territory is most of the state, except the south-west, which uses 203 and 475.
- Area code 860 was split from 203 on August 28, 1995. Connecticut had one area code, 203, from 1947.
- Local calls use ten digits, because two area codes share one area.
Where is area code 959?
Area code 959 is not a place of its own. It is an overlay: it covers the same territory as area code 860, which is most of Connecticut except the south-west corner (Fairfield County and New Haven County, which use 203 and 475). Cities and towns in the 860 and 959 area include Hartford, Bristol, East Hartford, Glastonbury, Groton, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Enfield, Bloomfield, Litchfield and East Lyme.
Because of that, you cannot tell which Connecticut city a 959 number belongs to from the area code alone. It means the number comes from the Hartford-and-eastern-Connecticut part of the state, and new numbers there can be issued from either code.
| City | Where it is |
|---|---|
| Hartford | The state capital, in the 860 and 959 area |
| New Britain | Central Connecticut |
| Bristol | Hartford County |
| Manchester | Hartford County |
| Middletown | Middlesex County |
| Groton | Eastern Connecticut |
959 area code history
The code has a short, well-documented history. These are the dates that matter:
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1947 | Connecticut has one area code, 203. It remains the state's only code for 48 years. |
| August 28, 1995 | Area code 860 is split from 203 and takes most of the state outside the south-west. |
| October 4, 1996 | Dialing of 860 becomes mandatory. |
| August 1999 | Area code 959 is announced as an overlay, but implementation is delayed. |
| November 14, 2009 | Ten-digit dialing is required in the area. |
| August 27, 2013 | NANPA announces an in-service date of August 30, 2014 for area code 959. |
How to dial
Because 959 and 860 share the same geography, every local call in the area is dialed with ten digits, the area code plus the seven-digit number, even when calling a neighbour. Calls from outside the area use 1 + the area code + the seven-digit number.
When you save a Connecticut contact, always keep the full ten digits. A caller from Hartford might have either an 860 or a 959 number, and your phone system should treat them as equally local.
Will the area code change?
No further split or change has been announced. Since the overlay is already in place, new numbers can be issued without another split.
Time zone and business hours
Connecticut observes Eastern Time, the same as New York. A call to a 959 or 860 number at 9 AM Eastern reaches offices as they open, and the same time is 6 AM in Los Angeles.
Using a 959 number for business
A 959 number is a neutral choice for a business serving the Hartford area and eastern Connecticut. It reads as local to customers, and because every call needs ten digits anyway, there is no practical downside compared with an 860 number.
Ringflow can set up a Connecticut number on mobile and desktop with call forwarding, voicemail-to-email, an auto-attendant and text messaging. Porting an existing 959 or 860 number is free, and there is a 14-day free trial. Number availability varies, so check which code you can get at signup.
If you also work in nearby areas, see our guides to area code 860 and area code 203, or read how a virtual phone number works and how to add a second business number.
Spam and scam calls
Local-looking numbers are easy to spoof, so a Connecticut caller ID does not prove the call is local. Never share a one-time code or financial details with someone who called you first. Report scam calls at reportfraud.ftc.gov and add your number to donotcall.gov.
Ready when you are
Ready to get a 959 area code number?
Look local across Connecticut. Get a 959 number in minutes with a 14-day free trial, no card, and free number porting if you already own one.
FAQ
It is an overlay of area code 860 and serves most of Connecticut except the south-west corner, which uses 203 and 475.
Nothing in geography. Both serve the same territory, and 959 was added as an overlay so new numbers can be issued.
Yes. Local calls in the 860 and 959 area use ten digits.
Connecticut's original code was 203. Area code 860 was split from it on August 28, 1995.
Eastern Time.
