Area code 812 — Southern Indiana
Southern Indiana’s original 1947 code, and still on its 1947 boundary: every other part of the state was split, and 812 got an overlay instead. Inside that line it runs on two clocks, Central around Evansville and Eastern everywhere else.
New numbers available in 812Area code 812 covers the southern third of Indiana: Evansville on the Ohio River, Bloomington, Terre Haute, Columbus, Jasper and Vincennes, and the Indiana side of the Louisville metro around Jeffersonville and New Albany.
The 930 overlay has covered the same footprint since March 7, 2015. Most of the area keeps Eastern time, but Evansville’s Vanderburgh County and five neighboring counties run on Central.
Area code 812 at a glance
- State
- Indiana
- Region
- Southern Indiana
- Time zone
- Eastern Time (ET); Central Time (CT) in six southwestern counties, including Evansville
- In service since
- 1947
- Type
- Geographic code
How a 812 number is built
Every North American number has four parts. Knowing where the seams fall answers most of what people ask about 812.
Cities and areas served by 812
- Evansville
- Bloomington
- Terre Haute
- Columbus
- Jeffersonville
- New Albany
- Jasper
- Vincennes
Codes sharing the same area
One other code covers the same ground as 812.
Nearby area codes
Bordering Indiana and the surrounding region. A number in one of these is close to 812 but not in it.
How 812 came about
Everything around it was redrawn. 812 kept its line and took an overlay.
- 1947The southern third of IndianaThe first national plan gives Indiana two codes: 317 for the northern two-thirds and 812 for the southern third. The 812 boundary drawn that year is the one still in use.
- 1948 to 2002The rest of Indiana is split, three times317 gives the north to 219 in 1948 and central Indiana to 765 in 1997, and 219 is split again into 574 and 260 in 2002. Through all of it, 812 does not move.
- April 2006Five 812 counties move to Central timeThe US Department of Transportation moves Daviess, Dubois, Knox, Martin and Pike counties, along with Perry, from Eastern to Central time, joining Evansville and its neighbors. Indiana’s legislature had adopted statewide daylight saving time the year before.
- November 4, 2007And five move backAfter residents and businesses report problems they had not anticipated, the same five counties return to Eastern time. Perry County stays on Central, leaving six 812 counties an hour behind the rest.
- July 31, 2013An overlay, not a splitThe Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approves an all-services overlay for 812 rather than dividing the territory, so no existing number has to change.
- February 7, 2015Ten-digit dialing beginsEvery local call inside 812 now needs the area code. The mandatory date was set later than first planned to give emergency services time to prepare.
- March 7, 2015930 goes liveNew lines in southern Indiana can now be assigned 930 numbers, on exactly the same footprint as 812.
Which code should you choose?
Two codes cover southern Indiana identically. The ones around them are different markets, even where they are only a bridge away.
| Code | Covers | How it reads |
|---|---|---|
| 812 | Southern Indiana since 1947 | The established code from Evansville to Bloomington |
| 930 | The same footprint since 2015 | Identical area, newer, more numbers left |
| 317 | Indianapolis | A different market an hour or more north |
| 502 | Louisville, Kentucky | Across the river from Jeffersonville and New Albany, which stay 812 |
812 is the familiar choice anywhere in southern Indiana. Pick the city as well as the code: an Evansville number and a Bloomington number are both 812, but local customers read them as different towns.
812 by the numbers
Counted from prefix assignment records on October 3, 2026. A prefix is the middle three digits of a number, and each one holds up to 10,000 lines.
| Measure | 812 | 930 |
|---|---|---|
| Prefixes assigned | 783 | 158 |
| Rate centers | 173 | 88 |
| Carrier codes holding numbers | 65 | 36 |
812 has about as many prefixes as Columbus’s 614, but spreads them over 173 rate centers against 614’s 16. That is the shape of the territory: dozens of small-town exchanges such as Birdseye, Chrisney and Crane instead of one dense metro. Every number belongs to one of those exchanges, so a business should pick the town its customers actually call from.
What people get wrong about 812
Is 812 used for spam calls?
An 812 number reads as small-town Indiana, which is exactly what a call pretending to be a utility, a county office or a local contractor wants. Caller ID is a field the calling system fills in, not proof of where a call started, so a familiar 812 prefix proves nothing on its own. Treat unexpected requests for payment, codes or personal details as suspect and call back on a number you already trust.
Sources
- Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission: 930 area code implementation (approval, dialing and in-service dates)
- Federal Register, September 25, 2007: Standard time zone boundary in southwest Indiana (2006 and 2007 county moves)
- State of Indiana: time zone information (Central-time counties)
- Area codes 812 and 930 (boundary history, Kentucky section)
- List of Indiana area codes (219, 765, 574 and 260 splits)
- Local Calling Guide: 812 prefix data (prefix, rate center and carrier counts, read October 3, 2026)
- Local Calling Guide: 930 prefix data
Area code 812 FAQ
Where is area code 812?
Area code 812 covers the southern third of Indiana, including Evansville, Bloomington, Terre Haute, Columbus, Jasper, Vincennes, Jeffersonville and New Albany.
What state is the 812 area code in?
Indiana. The only exception is a small piece of Henderson County, Kentucky on the north bank of the Ohio River near Evansville, which is served by 812.
What time zone is the 812 area code in?
Mostly Eastern Time. Six southwestern counties, Gibson, Perry, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh (Evansville) and Warrick, keep Central Time, so parts of 812 are an hour behind the rest.
What is the difference between 812 and 930?
Nothing geographic. 930 was laid over the entire 812 area on March 7, 2015, so both codes serve the same towns. 812 is older and more familiar; 930 has more unassigned numbers.
Is 812 a country code?
No. 812 is a US area code inside country code +1. The number 812 is also the city code for St Petersburg, Russia (+7 812), which is the usual source of the confusion.
Is Louisville in the 812 area code?
No. Louisville, Kentucky is 502. The Indiana suburbs across the river, including Jeffersonville, New Albany and Clarksville, are 812.
Do I need to dial 10 digits in the 812 area?
Yes. Ten-digit local dialing has been mandatory across 812 since February 7, 2015, a month before the 930 overlay went live.
Has the 812 area code ever been split?
No. 812 still has the boundary it was given in 1947. When it ran short of numbers, Indiana chose an overlay (930) rather than a split, so no existing 812 number had to change.
Is Indianapolis in the 812 area code?
No. Indianapolis is 317 and 463. 812 starts roughly an hour south, around Columbus and Bloomington.
Can I still get an 812 number?
Yes. 812 numbers are still issued across southern Indiana, and 930 covers the same area if you want a wider choice of patterns. Pick the town as well as the code, because each number belongs to a local exchange.
Getting a 812 business number
812 numbers are still being issued, so a business anywhere can hold one and route it to wherever its team actually works — you do not need an address in Indiana.
- STIR/SHAKENAttested, so calls are less likely to show as spam
- AI receptionistCover for the hours nobody is at a desk
- Free portingIf you already hold a 812 number
- Recording & SMSOn the same line, no add-on