956 area code
McAllen area, Central Time.Area code 956 covers McAllen, Laredo, Brownsville and 32 more places in Texas, on Central Time.
Right now in McAllen
Central Time (CST, UTC-6; CDT, UTC-5 in summer)
Calling hours: Mon to Sat, 9 AM to 9 PM · Sun, noon to 9 PM (Texas law)
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Where 956 numbers come from
Numbers are issued by rate center, a billing area named for its main town. 956 has 35. Each one's share is how many 956 numbers start there. Its biggest metro area is McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
- Laredo16%
- Brownsville14%
- McAllen14%
- Harlingen12%
- Edinburg7%
- Mission6%
- Weslaco5%
- Pharr5%
- Rio Grande City2%
Also: San Benito, Los Fresnos, Roma, Donna, Mercedes, Raymondville, Zapata, Dolores, Port Isabel, Edcouch, La Feria, Encinal + 14 more
Share of exchanges (blocks of 10,000 numbers). Source: NANPA rate center and exchange reports, November 10, 2026
When can you call a 956 number?
Sales calls to homes and cell phones have legal hours, set by Texas law. Hold every 956 number to them, since you can't tell a work line from a personal cell.
What applies to 956Mon to Sat, 9 AM to 9 PM · Sun, noon to 9 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)
- Texas lawMon to Sat, 9 AM to 9 PM · Sun, noon to 9 PMCalls to residences.Tex. Bus. & Com. Code 301.051(b)(2) (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
The 956 area code
956 went into service on July 7, 1997, split off from 210. Local calls can still be dialed with 7 digits. NANPA is planning relief: 956 is running low on numbers, and a new code is coming.
- 1997956 starts
Source: NANPA area code database
Calling a list of 956 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.
956 area code FAQ
What area code is 956?
956 is a Texas area code for McAllen, Laredo, Brownsville, Harlingen and 31 more places.
What time zone is the 956 area code in?
Central Time (CST, UTC-6; CDT, UTC-5 in summer).
What are the calling hours for 956 numbers?
Mon to Sat, 9 AM to 9 PM · Sun, noon to 9 PM, local time, under Texas law.
When did the 956 area code start?
On July 7, 1997. It was split from 210.
Calling 956 numbers? Reach more of them.
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