New 357 area code, new dialing procedure coming to the 559 region. Here's what to know.

A new area code will be added as an overlay to the Valley region starting March 26, 2025, according to the California Public Utilities Commission .

The new 357 area code will serve the same geographic area currently served by the existing 559 area code.

Currently, the 559 area code serves Central California and includes all or portions of Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Tulare, and Kings counties. The 559 area code also serves communities such as Clovis, Coalinga, Fresno, Madera, Porterville, Reedley, Selma, and Visalia, as well as some unincorporated areas.

To help Valley residents transition to the overlay, the California Public Utilities Commission provided detailed information and tips.

357 area code: What you need to know

The addition of the 357 area code will require a new dialing procedure for anyone with a 559 or 357 area code, according to the utilities commission.

To complete calls from a landline phone, anyone with a 559 or 357 area code must dial 1 and then the area code and telephone number. This means that all calls from a 559 area code that are currently dialed with seven digits will need to be dialed using the new 1 and the area code and the telephone number dialing procedure.To complete calls from a mobile phone, callers will need to dial the area code and telephone number, or 1 and the area code and telephone number whenever placing a call from a phone number with the 559 or 357 area code.

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Starting on Aug. 26, customers with a 559 area code should begin using the new dialing procedure to become familiar with the dialing change, the utilities commission said. However, calls will still be completed if only seven digits are dialed.

On Feb. 26, 2025, customers with a 559 area code must use the new dialing procedure, even for local calls within the same area code. On and after this date, seven-digit calls will not be completed, and a recording will instruct the caller to hang up and dial again.Beginning March 26, 2025, new telephone lines or services in the 559 area may be assigned numbers from the new 357 area code. Anyone assigned a new 357 area code telephone number must use the new dialing procedure.

Important takeaways

• Telephone numbers, including the current area code, will not change.
• The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
• What is a local call now will remain a local call.
• Customers in the overlay region will dial 1 followed by 10 digits for local calls within and between the overlay area codes, and 1 followed by 10 digits for long distance calls.
• Customers still can dial just three digits to reach 911 and 988, as well as 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711, or 811, if those are currently available in their community.

Helpful tips

• Customers should ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are currently programmed to dial seven digits are reprogrammed to dial 1 and the area code and telephone number.
• Customers should ensure such equipment is programmed to recognize 357 as a valid area code.
• Customers should identify their telephone number as a 10-digit number (three-digit area code and seven-digit telephone number) and include the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates, and others.
• Customers should ensure their websites, personal and business stationery, printed checks, advertising materials, contact information, and personal or pet ID tags include the area code.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: New 357 area code, new dialing procedure coming to the 559 region. Here's what to know.