Aerial View of Palm Beach County (561 area code) — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: pisaphotography
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Palm Beach County will soon get a new area code.
The county, which has used the 561 area code for nearly 25 years, will begin using a new code next summer, officials said. The Florida Public Service Commission cited emerging technologies and a growing population requiring new phone numbers in approving the plan this past Tuesday.
According to officials, those who already have 561 phone numbers will not be affected. New customers, or those getting additional phone lines, will receive the new area code. The code’s three digits have yet to be announced but will have the same geographic boundaries as the 561 area code.
Originally, 305 was Florida’s statewide area code. Now, the state has 22 different codes.
Miami-Dade and Broward counties each have two codes. The 786 exchange was added to Miami-Dade’s 305 area code in 1998. Broward county cut ties from the 305 exchange and began using 954 in 1995, followed by the addition of 754 in 2002.
Palm Beach County originally used the 305 area code, which started becoming extremely overused in 1988. It was then that new numbers from Palm Beach County to Orlando began using the 407 exchange. Then, in 1997, the county was assigned the 561 area code. This was due to continued growth both there and in the Orlando area.
The Public Service Commission announced that a workshop is planned for December 21 to discuss a new proposal that would add an additional area code in Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys.
Florida’s panhandle recently received a 448 area code, which is currently serviced by 850. Central Florida got the 689 area code in 2019.
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
