Area code 786 — Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys
Miami’s second code, laid over 305 in 1998 and now just as full: 786 has 786 prefixes in use against 305’s 783. It reached the Florida Keys three years after the mainland, which is why the Keys still mostly answer to 305.
New numbers available in 786Area code 786 covers Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys: Miami, Hialeah, Miami Gardens, Miami Beach, Coral Gables and Homestead on the mainland, and Key Largo through Key West in Monroe County.
It is an overlay, not a separate region. 786 shares every street with the original 305, and since August 4, 2023 with a third code, 645. A new Miami line can come from any of the three.
Area code 786 at a glance
- State
- Florida
- County
- Miami-Dade, plus Monroe County (the Florida Keys)
- Region
- Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys
- Time zone
- Eastern Time (ET)
- In service since
- March 1, 1998
- Type
- Overlay code
How a 786 number is built
Every North American number has four parts. Knowing where the seams fall answers most of what people ask about 786.
Cities and areas served by 786
- Miami
- Hialeah
- Miami Gardens
- Miami Beach
- Coral Gables
- Homestead
- Key Largo
- Key West
Codes sharing the same area
2 other codes cover the same ground as 786.
Nearby area codes
Bordering Florida and the surrounding region. A number in one of these is close to 786 but not in it.
How 786 came about
One code for all of Florida, cut down to Miami, then layered three deep.
- 1947305 is all of FloridaThe first national numbering plan gives the entire state a single code. Over the next five decades 813 (1953), 904 (1965), 407 (1988) and 954 (1995) are carved out of it, until 305 is left with Miami-Dade and the Keys.
- September 11, 1995Broward leavesFort Lauderdale and the rest of Broward County split off as 954. It is the last split: from here on, Miami gets more numbers by stacking codes on the same ground instead of redrawing it.
- March 1, 1998786 arrives, mainland only786 goes live as an overlay on 305 across Miami-Dade County. The Florida Keys are left out at first and stay on 305 alone.
- September 1, 2001786 reaches the KeysMonroe County is added to the overlay, so new lines from Key Largo to Key West can now be given 786 numbers too. Three years behind the mainland, the Keys never catch up: most of their numbers are still 305.
- August 4, 2023645 joins as a third layerAfter the Florida Public Service Commission approved it on February 25, 2022, 645 is laid over the same territory ahead of 305 and 786 running out. Existing numbers do not change.
Which code should you choose?
Three codes cover Miami-Dade and the Keys identically. The ones next door are a different market.
| Code | Covers | How it reads |
|---|---|---|
| 305 | Miami-Dade and the Keys since 1947 | The original, and the one Miami calls itself |
| 786 | The same area since 1998 | Just as local, issued since 1998 |
| 645 | The same area since 2023 | Newest, with the most numbers still free |
| 954 | Broward County | Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, not Miami |
Callers in Miami read 305 and 786 as equally local. Pick 786 or 305 for familiarity, 645 if you want a choice of patterns.
786 by the numbers
Counted from prefix assignment records on October 8, 2026. A prefix is the middle three digits of a number, and each one holds up to 10,000 lines.
| Rate center | 305 | 786 | 645 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 488 | 540 | 38 |
| North Dade | 112 | 105 | 14 |
| Perrine | 32 | 56 | 8 |
| Homestead | 13 | 50 | 9 |
| Keys | 138 | 35 | 9 |
| Total prefixes | 783 | 786 | 78 |
Two things stand out. The whole of Miami-Dade and the Keys runs on just five rate centers, so numbers belong to a handful of very large exchanges rather than dozens of small ones. And in the Keys, where 786 arrived three years late, 305 still holds four prefixes for every one of 786’s.
What people get wrong about 786
Is 786 used for spam calls?
786 is spoofed for the same reason as any big-city code: a Miami number looks local to millions of people, so it gets answered. Caller ID is a field the calling system fills in, not proof of where a call started. Carriers check STIR/SHAKEN attestation, but an unexpected request for payment, a code or personal details should still be checked by calling back a number you already trust.
Sources
- Area codes 305, 786, and 645 (split history, 786 overlay and Keys extension dates, 645 approval)
- Local 10: New area code coming to Miami-Dade County, Florida Keys (645 activation, August 4, 2023)
- Local Calling Guide: 786 prefix data (prefix, rate center and carrier counts, read October 8, 2026)
- Local Calling Guide: 305 prefix data
- Local Calling Guide: 645 prefix data
Area code 786 FAQ
Where is area code 786?
Area code 786 is Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys, in Florida. It covers Miami, Hialeah, Miami Gardens, Miami Beach, Coral Gables and Homestead, plus Key Largo through Key West.
What state is the 786 area code in?
Florida. 786 covers the southeastern tip of the state: Miami-Dade County and Monroe County (the Florida Keys).
Is 786 a Miami area code?
Yes. 786 is one of three codes for Miami, alongside the original 305 and the newer 645. All three cover exactly the same area.
What is the difference between 786 and 305?
There is no geographic difference. 305 has served Miami since 1947 and 786 was laid over the same area on March 1, 1998. 305 is the older and more iconic code; 786 has slightly more prefixes in use today.
When did the 786 area code start?
On March 1, 1998, as an overlay on 305 across Miami-Dade County. It was extended to the Florida Keys on September 1, 2001.
Does 786 cover Key West and the Florida Keys?
Yes, since September 1, 2001. Most Keys numbers still start with 305, because 786 arrived there three years after Miami-Dade.
Is Fort Lauderdale in the 786 area code?
No. Fort Lauderdale and the rest of Broward County use 954 and 754. Broward split from 305 in 1995, before 786 existed.
What is the 645 area code?
645 is the third code for Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys, in service since August 4, 2023. It overlays 305 and 786 exactly, so a 645 number is just as local.
What time zone is the 786 area code in?
Eastern Time: UTC−5 in winter and UTC−4 during daylight saving time.
Do I need to dial the area code for local calls in Miami?
Yes. With 305, 786 and 645 sharing the same streets, a seven-digit number no longer says which code you mean, so local calls are dialed with all ten digits.
Getting a 786 business number
786 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 Florida.
- 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 786 number
- Recording & SMSOn the same line, no add-on