🇺🇸USA State Guide: Alabama

Alabama Calling Code
is +1 (USA)

To call Alabama, dial +1 followed by the 3-digit area code (like 205 for Birmingham or 251 for Mobile). Connect instantly to any Alabama number from your browser.

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How to Call Alabama Step-by-Step

Alabama is part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).

1

Exit Code

If calling from abroad, dial your country's exit code (e.g.,00in Europe).
(Not needed if calling from within USA/Canada)

2

Country Code (+1)

Dial +1. This is the country code for the United States, including Alabama.

3

Area Code & Number

Dial the 3-digit Alabama area code (e.g., 205) followed by the 7-digit phone number.

Alabama Time Zone

Alabama is primarily in the Central Time Zone (CT). When calling from the UK, Alabama is usually 6 hours behind. When calling from California, Alabama is 2 hours ahead.

Alabama Area Codes List

Find the correct area code for major Alabama cities.

CityRegionArea Code
BirminghamCentral Alabama205 / 659
HuntsvilleNorth Alabama256 / 938
MobileGulf Coast / South251
MontgomerySoutheast / Capital334
TuscaloosaWest Central205 / 659
CityRegionArea Code
AuburnEast Central334
DecaturNorth Alabama256 / 938
DothanSoutheast Corner334
FlorenceNorthwest (The Shoals)256 / 938
HooverCentral205 / 659

Cheap Calls to
Alabama

Calling Alabama from outside the US usually incurs high international rates. With StartACall, you can call Birmingham, Huntsville, or Mobile for pennies per minute using our browser-based VoIP system.

  • Call any Alabama mobile or landline
  • No US phone number required
  • Crystal clear HD Voice quality
  • Avoid roaming fees while traveling

Statewide Coverage

From the Gulf Coast (251) to the Tennessee Valley (256).

Call from Anywhere

Make calls to Alabama from Europe, Asia, or South America.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the area code for Birmingham, AL?

Birmingham primarily uses the 205 area code. The 659 area code was added as an overlay to serve the same region.

What is the area code for Huntsville, AL?

Huntsville uses the 256 area code. The 938 area code is an overlay that covers the same geographic area.

How do I call Alabama from the UK?

Dial 00 (UK exit code), then 1 (US country code), then the 3-digit area code (e.g., 205), and finally the 7-digit number.

Is calling Alabama expensive?

Traditional carriers charge high rates for international calls to the US. StartACall offers VoIP rates starting at just pennies per minute.

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Calling Alabama from abroad: overlay codes, timing and cost

In short

Alabama runs on six area codes, and two of them, 659 and 938, are overlays added when the original codes ran short of numbers. This guide explains what an overlay means for the digits you dial, how to place a call to Alabama from outside the United States, and when to phone given the state's Central Time schedule.

Why Alabama has 659 and 938 alongside its older codes

Area code 205 has served Birmingham and central Alabama since the original numbering plan of 1947, which makes it one of the oldest codes in the country. As Birmingham, Hoover and Tuscaloosa grew, the supply of seven-digit combinations under 205 was exhausted, so regulators added 659 as an overlay in 2019 rather than splitting the region in two.

The same thing happened in north Alabama. Huntsville's aerospace and tech growth put pressure on area code 256, and the 938 overlay was introduced in 2010 to cover the identical territory. A Huntsville business might therefore answer on a 256 number while a newer neighbor uses 938, even though both sit on the same street.

An overlay changes nothing about cost or location. A 659 number is just as much a Birmingham number as a 205 one. The only practical effect is that residents must dial all ten digits for local calls, and callers from abroad were always dialing ten digits anyway.

Dialing an Alabama number from another country

From anywhere outside North America, the pattern is the country code 1 followed by the ten-digit number. A Montgomery landline written locally as (334) 555 0142 becomes +1 334 555 0142. Your phone's plus sign replaces whatever international exit code your country uses, so it works the same from London, Lagos or Manila.

Alabama mobiles carry the same geographic codes as landlines, so there is no way to tell them apart from the digits, and with StartACall it does not matter because both cost the same per minute. Calls run in a browser over WebRTC, with no app or SIM required, and the first call is free.

Some Alabama businesses publish only toll-free numbers beginning 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 or 888. These are national codes, not Alabama ones, and many toll-free lines reject calls placed from outside the United States, so a geographic 205, 251, 256, 334, 659 or 938 number is usually the more reliable route from abroad. Ask the business for a direct line if its published number is toll-free only.

Central Time and the best hours to reach Alabama

Nearly all of Alabama observes Central Time, six hours behind UTC in winter and five in summer. From the United Kingdom, dialing between 2pm and 10pm generally lands during Alabama's working and early evening hours. From India, Alabama mornings correspond to roughly 6:30pm to 9:30pm local time.

One quirk worth knowing is that Phenix City, on the Georgia border near Columbus, informally runs on Eastern Time to match its neighbor. If you are calling a 334 number in that corner of the state, assume people there are an hour ahead of the rest of Alabama.

For businesses, aim for 9am to 4pm Central and avoid the noon lunch hour. For family calls, early evening between 6pm and 8pm Central tends to be the most reliable window, since it avoids both the workday and late bedtimes.

Frequently asked questions

What area code is Birmingham Alabama?+

Birmingham uses area codes 205 and 659. The 205 code dates back to 1947, and 659 was overlaid on the same territory in 2019, so both reach central Alabama including Hoover and Tuscaloosa.

Is 938 a real Alabama area code?+

Yes. Area code 938 is an overlay for the 256 region covering Huntsville, Decatur, Florence and north Alabama. It was activated in 2010 and serves exactly the same territory as 256.

Do I dial 1 before an Alabama number from overseas?+

Yes. Dial your international prefix or the plus sign, then 1, then the ten-digit Alabama number. For example, +1 251 555 0100 reaches a Mobile number from any country. The same format works whether you call from a mobile, a landline or a browser.

Does it cost more to call an Alabama mobile than a landline?+

Not with StartACall. US mobiles use the same geographic area codes as landlines and both are billed at the same per-minute rate, pay-as-you-go with no connection fees. The number itself gives no clue which type of line you are calling.

What time is it in Alabama when it is noon in London?+

Alabama is on Central Time, so noon in London is usually 6am in Birmingham in winter and 7am during British Summer Time. Wait until at least 2pm UK time to call.

Last reviewed June 2026Reviewed by the StartACall calling teamDialing rules cross checked against ITU international dialing procedures
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