# Area code 501

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Area code for central Arkansas

This article is about the American area code. For the country code, see [Telephone numbers in Belize](/source/Telephone_numbers_in_Belize).

**Area code 501** as of post 2002.

**Area code 501** as of 1947–1995.

**Area code 501** is a telephone [area code](/source/Area_code) in the [North American Numbering Plan](/source/North_American_Numbering_Plan) (NANP) for central [Arkansas](/source/Arkansas), including [Little Rock](/source/Little_Rock) and most of its suburbs. The numbering plan area (NPA) comprises most communities in [Cleburne](/source/Cleburne_County%2C_Arkansas), [Conway](/source/Conway_County%2C_Arkansas), [Faulkner](/source/Faulkner_County%2C_Arkansas), [Garland](/source/Garland_County%2C_Arkansas), [Hot Spring](/source/Hot_Spring_County%2C_Arkansas), [Lonoke](/source/Lonoke_County%2C_Arkansas), [Perry](/source/Perry_County%2C_Arkansas), [Pulaski](/source/Pulaski_County%2C_Arkansas), [Saline](/source/Saline_County%2C_Arkansas), [White](/source/White_County%2C_Arkansas) and [Van Buren](/source/Van_Buren_County%2C_Arkansas) counties.

## History

Area code 501 is one of the [original North American area codes](/source/Original_North_American_area_codes) assigned in 1947 when the [American Telephone and Telegraph Company](/source/American_Telephone_and_Telegraph_Company) (AT&T) created a nationwide [telephone numbering plan](/source/Telephone_numbering_plan). Originally it served all of Arkansas. Due to Arkansas' relatively low population density, 501 remained the sole area code for the state until 1995, when [area code 870](/source/Area_code_870) was created to serve north-central, northeast, eastern and southern Arkansas. In 2002, the northwestern part of the state, including [Fort Smith](/source/Fort_Smith%2C_Arkansas) and [Fayetteville](/source/Fayetteville%2C_Arkansas), was [split](/source/Area_code_split) off with [area code 479](/source/Area_code_479).

Prior to October 2021, area code 501 had telephone numbers assigned for the [central office code](/source/Central_office_code) 988. In 2020, *988* was designated nationwide as a dialing code for the [National Suicide Prevention Lifeline](/source/National_Suicide_Prevention_Lifeline), which created a conflict for exchanges that permit [seven-digit dialing](/source/Seven-digit_dialing). This area code was transitioned to [ten-digit dialing](/source/Ten-digit_dialing) on October 24, 2021.[1]

## Service area

Major cities in the numbering plan area include:

- [Benton](/source/Benton%2C_Arkansas)

- [Bryant](/source/Bryant%2C_Arkansas)

- [Cabot](/source/Cabot%2C_Arkansas)

- [Conway](/source/Conway%2C_Arkansas)

- [Hot Springs](/source/Hot_Springs%2C_Arkansas)

- [Jacksonville](/source/Jacksonville%2C_Arkansas)

- [Little Rock](/source/Little_Rock%2C_Arkansas)

- [Malvern](/source/Malvern%2C_Arkansas)

- [Morrilton](/source/Morrilton%2C_Arkansas)

- [North Little Rock](/source/North_Little_Rock%2C_Arkansas)

- [Searcy](/source/Searcy%2C_Arkansas)

- [Sherwood](/source/Sherwood%2C_Arkansas)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-pl556_1-0)** ["Transition to 10-digit dialing (for 988 as 3-digit access to National Suicide Prevention Hotline)"](https://nationalnanpa.com/pdf/PL_556.pdf) (PDF). North American Numbering Plan Administrator. January 8, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.

## External links

- ["Area Code Maps"](https://www.nanpa.com/resources/area-code-maps). [North American Numbering Plan Administrator](/source/North_American_Numbering_Plan_Administrator).

Arkansas area codes: 479, 501, 870/327 North: 870/327 West: 479 area code 501 East: 870/327 South: 870/327

[34°48′N 92°18′W / 34.8°N 92.3°W / 34.8; -92.3 (Area code 501)](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Area_code_501&params=34.8_N_92.3_W_type:adm1st_region:US-AR_scale:2000000&title=Area+code+501)

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