617 area code
Boston area, Eastern Time.Area code 617 covers Boston, Cambridge, Newton and 17 more places in Massachusetts, on Eastern Time. 857 covers the same area.
Right now in Boston
Eastern Time (EST, UTC-5; EDT, UTC-4 in summer)
Calling hours: Every day, 8 AM to 8 PM (Massachusetts law)
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Where 617 numbers come from
Numbers are issued by rate center, a billing area named for its main town. 617 has 20. Each one's share is how many 617 numbers start there. Its biggest metro area is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
- Boston37%
- Cambridge15%
- Newton6%
- Quincy6%
- Brookline5%
- Brighton3%
- Dorchester3%
- Somerville3%
- Jamaica Plain2%
- Milton2%
- Roxbury2%
- East Boston2%
Also: Watertown, Everett, Hyde Park, Charlestown, South Boston, Chelsea, Belmont, Winthrop
Share of exchanges (blocks of 10,000 numbers). Source: NANPA rate center and exchange reports, November 10, 2026
When can you call a 617 number?
Sales calls to homes and cell phones have legal hours, set by Massachusetts law. Hold every 617 number to them, since you can't tell a work line from a personal cell.
What applies to 617Every day, 8 AM to 8 PM
- Federal (TCPA and FTC rule)Every day, 8 AM to 9 PMCalls to residential and mobile numbers. Most calls to businesses are exempt from the FTC's rule.47 CFR 64.1200(c)(1); 16 CFR 310.4(c) (opens in a new tab)
- Massachusetts lawEvery day, 8 AM to 8 PMM.G.L. c. 159C §3 (opens in a new tab)
Local time comes from the area code, not from where the person is today. Mobiles keep their number when they move. Calling hours here are a guide, not legal advice. Every state's calling hours, with sources
617 and 857
617 is one of the original area codes from 1947, and 508 and 781 were later split off from it. 617 and 857 cover the same area, so new numbers can get either code and neighbors can have different area codes. 617 holds 67% of the area's exchanges; 857 holds the rest. Local calls take all 10 digits.
- 1947617 starts
- 1988508 split off
- 1997781 split off
- 2001857 overlay
Source: NANPA area code database
Calling a list of 617 numbers?
Paste it into the free phone number validator. It checks every number, finds each one's time zone and sorts the list by who you can call right now.
617 area code FAQ
What area code is 617?
617 is a Massachusetts area code for Boston, Cambridge, Newton, Quincy and 16 more places.
What time zone is the 617 area code in?
Eastern Time (EST, UTC-5; EDT, UTC-4 in summer).
Is 857 the same as 617?
Same area, different code. 617 and 857 cover the same area (an overlay), so new numbers can get any of them and local calls take all 10 digits.
What are the calling hours for 617 numbers?
Every day, 8 AM to 8 PM, local time, under Massachusetts law.
When did the 617 area code start?
In 1947: it's one of the original area codes.
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