The 551 area code
The 551 area code covers Jersey City, Hackensack and Fort Lee in New Jersey, in the Eastern time zone. Here is which cities use it, the current local time, the codes it overlays, how 551 numbers are written, and how to get a local 551 number for your business.
551 covers Jersey City, Hackensack and Fort Lee in New Jersey. It sits in the Eastern time zone, where it is currently 11:29 PM. It shares that ground with 201, so ten-digit dialling is required. Numbers are written as (551) XXX-XXXX.
Where is the 551 area code?
The 551 area code serves Jersey City, Hackensack and Fort Lee in New Jersey. It is one of the active area codes in the North American Numbering Plan, the system that assigns phone numbers across the United States, Canada, and nearby regions. A caller seeing a 551 number knows, at a glance, that the line is tied to New Jersey.
What cities use the 551 area code?
551 is an overlay on 201, which means it was added over the same ground rather than carved out of it. So 551 numbers are handed out across the same places:
Jersey City accounts for the largest share of 551 prefixes, with Hackensack and Fort Lee next. A local number in any of them reads as local to everyone else on the list, because they all dial on 551.
Which area codes overlay 551?
551 is part of an overlay complex with 201. An overlay puts more than one area code over the same geography instead of splitting the region in two, so existing numbers keep their code and new ones get the added code. Two neighbours on the same street can hold different area codes. That is why ten-digit dialling is required here: you cannot assume a local call shares your area code.
What time is it in the 551 area code?
The 551 area code is in the Eastern time zone. Right now it is about 11:29 PM there. If you are calling a 551 number, check the local time first so you reach someone during business hours. If you run a business on a 551 line, missing a call after hours means the caller moves on to the next name on their list.
How to write a 551 phone number
A full 551 number is ten digits: the three-digit area code, then a three-digit prefix, then a four-digit line number. It is usually written as (551) XXX-XXXX, or 551-XXX-XXXX. To dial it from outside the United States, add the country code: +1 551 XXX XXXX.
Area codes near 551
These area codes also serve New Jersey:
Getting a local 551 number for your business
People are far more likely to answer a call from a local number. If you do business in Jersey City, Hackensack and Fort Lee, a 551 number tells customers you are one of them, not an out-of-town call center. A virtual phone service can assign you a 551 number in minutes, no new hardware required.
The catch is answering it. A local number only helps if someone picks up. HiThisIs gives you a local number and a front desk that answers every call on the first ring, day or night, has a real conversation, and texts you the lead in seconds. It is a fraction of the cost of a human answering service, from $99 a month. See plans and pricing, or hear it answer on your own phone.
Common questions about the 551 area code
Where is the 551 area code?
The 551 area code covers Jersey City, Hackensack and Fort Lee in New Jersey, in the Eastern time zone.
What cities use the 551 area code?
Jersey City, Hackensack, Fort Lee, Teaneck, Fair Lawn, Bayonne, Englewood and Kearny all have numbering prefixes in 551. 551 overlays 201, so the two share the same geography.
What time zone is the 551 area code in?
The 551 area code is in the Eastern time zone. The current local time there is 11:29 PM.
Does 551 overlay another area code?
Yes. 551 is part of an overlay complex with 201. An overlay puts more than one area code over the same geography, which is why ten-digit dialling is required there: two neighbours can hold different area codes on the same street.
Is 551 a real area code?
Yes. 551 is an active North American Numbering Plan area code serving Jersey City, Hackensack and Fort Lee in New Jersey.
How do I get a 551 phone number for my business?
A virtual phone service can assign you a local 551 number so customers in Jersey City, Hackensack and Fort Lee see a familiar area code when you call, and so your business looks local. HiThisIs includes a local number with every plan and answers it around the clock.