JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Yep. You read that headline right.
The vastly repped and acclaimed 904 area code is synonymous with Jacksonville and the surrounding areas.
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But before Northeast Florida was coined as the nine zero four, it – and all of the Sunshine State – shared the notable Miami area code.
The 305 dominated Florida as the only area code in 1947 when the National Numbering Plan was created. It was one of the first of 86 area codes for the United States and Canada.
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Rapidly expanding populations across the state, communication advancements, and the addition of faxes, beepers, and eventually cell phones called for more area codes.
The 904 wasn’t introduced until 1965, and it still wasn’t exclusive to Northeast Florida. All of North Florida, from the Ocala area to Panama, was the 904.
The 813, now known as Tampa, represented Southwest Florida, and the 305 was for counties on Florida’s east coast.
The rising demand for phone numbers led Panama City, Tallahassee, and Pensacola to break away from the 904 and adopt the 850 area code in 1997.
That left Jacksonville, its surrounding areas, and Daytona Beach carrying the 904 title until 2001, when the 386 area code was introduced. From then on, the 904 became the distinct Northeast Florida identity we know today, making the area code’s exclusive connection to the Jacksonville area only 24 years old.
Much like Miami, Orlando and Tampa, the beloved 904 area code eventually hit the same wall: a shortage of phone numbers.
The Florida Public Service Commission introduced the 324 area code to Northeast Florida in February 2024.
Florida now has 28 area codes, with several counties sharing multiple area codes to support growing population demand.