Quick answer
The 250 area code serves Victoria, British Columbia in the Pacific Time (PT) (UTC-8 / UTC-7 DST). Assigned in 1996, it covers British Columbia (outside Metro Vancouver) including Victoria, Kelowna, Kamloops. Overlay codes: 778, 236, 672.
- Region
- British Columbia (outside Metro Vancouver), BC
- Time zone
- PT (UTC-8)
- Assigned
- 1996
- Population
- ~1,500,000
- Local time now
- · live
What is the area code for Victoria?
The area code for Victoria, British Columbia is 250, with overlay codes 778, 236, 672 sharing the same geographic footprint. The 250 area code is a North American Numbering Plan geographic code assigned in 1996, covering the British Columbia (outside Metro Vancouver) region. It serves approximately 1,500,000 residents on the Pacific Time (PT) (UTC-8 / UTC-7 DST).
All Vancouver area codes
Vancouver is served by 5 area codes across the metro area. 250 is the 1996 addition; the others were added as overlays or for surrounding suburbs.
Cities served by the 250 area code
The 250 area code covers 5 major cities and towns across the British Columbia (outside Metro Vancouver) region (BC):
Businesses across Victoria and surrounding cities use 250 numbers to project local presence and lift call answer rates. Industry studies of local presence dialing consistently report answer-rate gains of 20–40% over toll-free or out-of-area numbers — a caller ID that matches the recipient's region looks familiar and gets picked up.
250 area code time zone and business hours
The 250 area code is in the Pacific Time (PT) zone (UTC-8 / UTC-7 DST). Standard business hours in 250 run 9 AM to 5 PM PT.
If you're calling into 250 from a different time zone, factor in the offset. For example, an Eastern Time business calling 250 at 9 AM ET reaches Victoria at 6 AM PT — likely outside standard business hours.
History of the 250 area code
The 250 area code was introduced in 1996 when the North American Numbering Plan was first deployed. As Victoria grew and number demand increased, overlay codes 778, 236, 672 were added to serve the same geographic region — a common solution that avoids forcing existing subscribers to change their numbers.
- 1996 250 entered service
- 2001 778 added to serve the same region
- 2013 236 added to serve the same region
- 2019 672 added to serve the same region
Is the 250 area code safe? Spam and scam calls
250 is a legitimate geographic area code for Victoria — it is not a scam code or a premium-rate prefix, and a call from a 250 number is most likely a genuine local caller. The risk is not the area code itself but a tactic called neighbor spoofing: scammers fake their caller ID so an unwanted call appears to come from your own area code, because people answer familiar numbers more readily.
If you get an unexpected 250 call, a few signals point to a likely scam — a pre-recorded message, urgent pressure to act now, a demand for payment by gift card or wire transfer, or anyone asking for passwords, Social Insurance Number, or account numbers. Let suspicious calls go to voicemail, never share personal information, and report fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca. The CRTC guide on caller ID spoofing explains your rights under Canada's STIR/SHAKEN caller-ID authentication framework. A real Victoria business will leave a clear voicemail and will not pressure you.
US carriers verify caller ID with the STIR/SHAKEN framework, which flags many spoofed numbers as "Spam Likely" before they ring. DialPhone 250 numbers are registered for STIR/SHAKEN attestation, so calls from your business are verified as genuine and reach customers without a false spam label. See the DialPhone guide to VoIP security for more.
Why get a 250 area code number for your business?
Getting a 250 number gives your business three measurable advantages over a toll-free or out-of-area number:
- Local trust signal. Customers in Victoria recognize 250 as their home area code. Caller ID matching builds immediate credibility for service businesses, sales outreach, and patient communication.
- Higher answer rate. Calls from a familiar local area code are answered far more often than unknown or toll-free numbers — industry measurements of local presence dialing put the lift at 20–40%, which matters most for outbound sales, appointment confirmations, and time-sensitive service callbacks.
- Targeted marketing. Businesses serving Victoria and the broader British Columbia (outside Metro Vancouver) can advertise a local number across print, radio, billboards, and digital channels for higher conversion than a national 800 number.
For businesses in Victoria and surrounding cities, top industries that benefit from local 250 presence include Professional Services, Healthcare, and Retail. DialPhone's AI receptionist is available for every 250 number — never miss a call, even after standard business hours.
How to get a 250 area code number
Setting up a 250 business number with DialPhone takes under 10 minutes:
- Sign up for a DialPhone plan. Choose any plan starting at $24/user/month. Free 14-day trial, no credit card required.
- Search available 250 numbers. Filter the DialPhone number inventory by area code, city, or pattern.
- Choose your number and configure. Assign your new 250 number to a user or team, set up call routing, voicemail, AI receptionist, and business SMS.
- Port your existing number (optional). Already have a 250 number? Free number porting in 2 to 5 business days with zero service interruption.
New to local numbers? The complete guide to getting a local phone number covers choosing the right area code, porting an existing line, and avoiding spam flags.
250 area code overlay codes
The British Columbia (outside Metro Vancouver) region is served by multiple overlay area codes:
| Area Code | Coverage |
|---|---|
| 250 | Primary area code for British Columbia (outside Metro Vancouver), assigned 1996 |
| 778 | Overlay — same geography (assigned 2001) |
| 236 | Overlay — same geography (assigned 2013) |
| 672 | Overlay — same geography (assigned 2019) |
All overlay codes serve the same Victoria region. New subscribers may be assigned any available code; existing numbers retain their original prefix.
AI receptionist for 250 area code businesses
Every DialPhone 250 number includes optional AI receptionist coverage, available 24/7. The AI handles calls when your team is unavailable — answering common questions, booking appointments, routing urgent callers to on-call staff, and capturing voicemail with full transcription and intent tagging.
For businesses in Victoria that handle high call volume, run extended hours, or need bilingual support (especially valuable in service areas with diverse customer bases), the AI receptionist reduces voicemail backlog and improves first-call resolution.
All area codes in British Columbia
British Columbia has 5 active geographic area codes. The 250 area code is part of the same numbering plan as the codes listed below — calls between them are typically local within the state, depending on the carrier.
Nearby area codes
Related area codes in British Columbia and the Pacific Time (PT) region:
- 604 area code — Vancouver, British Columbia
- 778 area code — Vancouver, British Columbia
- 236 area code — Vancouver, British Columbia
- 672 area code — Vancouver, British Columbia
- 206 area code — Seattle, Washington
- 209 area code — Stockton, California
All British Columbia area codes → · Browse all US area codes →
More area codes: ← 248 Troy · 251 Mobile →
How We Tested
DialPhone re-verifies every area code page every 90 days. Area code geography, timezone, and overlay data come from the official North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) database. Pricing reflects the published DialPhone plan tiers — see the pricing page for current details. Number availability varies; check the DialPhone signup flow for live inventory in the 250 region.
What We Don't Like
- Number availability is finite. Popular Victoria area codes can be inventory-constrained — request specific vanity patterns early.
- Porting timing varies. Most 250 ports complete in 2-5 business days; complex multi-line legacy contracts can take 7-10.
- HIPAA tier required for healthcare. The Core $24 plan doesn't include a BAA — healthcare users need Advanced ($34) or above.