Area codes 916 and 279 are California telephone area codes that serve Sacramento, the state capital, and most of its suburbs. Area code 916 was one of the first three original area codes established in California in October 1947. It originally covered most of northeastern California, but area code splits have reduced its coverage to the greater Sacramento area. Area code 279 began service in March 2018 to relieve an exhausted supply of telephone numbers in the 916 area code.