Where is the 686 area code?

Area code 686 covers Virginia, on Eastern Time.

What time zone is area code 686 in?

Numbers in the 686 area code sit in Eastern Time.

Is 686 a toll-free or scam area code?

No. 686 is a geographic North American Numbering Plan area code assigned to Virginia. Toll-free numbers use 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888. A call from 686 can still be spoofed, so treat unexpected calls with the usual caution.

Area code lookup

686 area code

Where the 686 area code is, which cities and counties it serves, the local time zone and the overlay codes dialled alongside it.

State: VA
Codes in state: 10
Overlays & neighbours: 9
Time zone: Eastern Time

Quick answer

Area code 686 is a geographic area code assigned to Virginia under the North American Numbering Plan. Virginia observes Eastern Time, and the state also holds 9 other area codes: 276, 434, 540, 571, 703, 757, 804, 826, 948.

Largest cities in Virginia

The largest places in Virginia. Each links to its full local profile: population, income, housing and sales tax.

City	Population
Virginia Beach city	457,066
Chesapeake city	251,153
Arlington CDP	235,463
Norfolk city	235,037
Richmond city	227,595
Newport News city	184,774
Alexandria city	156,788
Hampton city	137,334
Roanoke city	98,677
Portsmouth city	97,299
Suffolk city	96,638
Lynchburg city	79,255

All Virginia cities All Virginia ZIP codes Virginia sales tax

Related area codes

Codes that share or border the same calling area.

686 area code FAQ

The questions people ask about this code.

Where is area code 686?

686 is a geographic area code in Virginia.

What time is it in the 686 area code?

686 observes Eastern Time.

Is 686 a scam area code?

No — it is a normal geographic code, not a toll-free or premium-rate prefix. Caller ID can be spoofed on any code, so verify unexpected callers before sharing information.

Sources & transparency

North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) area code assignments — area code to geography mapping and overlay relationships
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-year estimates — city, county and ZIP code geography

Last reviewed August 2026. Figures are published for reference and can change; verify with the source agency before filing or contracting. How we build and check this data.