Residents and businesses in southeastern Georgia will soon have a new area code option, as the Georgia Public Service Commission has announced the addition of the 565 area code. This new code will overlay the existing 912 area code, which covers a wide swathe of southeastern Georgia, to address the growing demand for new phone numbers in the region. The 912 area code, established in 1954 as the first split from the original statewide 404 area code, is projected to exhaust its available number combinations by the second quarter of 2028.

The addition of the 565 area code will ensure a sufficient supply of phone numbers for the area for the next 24 years, according to telecommunications industry officials. Current phone customers with the 912 area code will retain their existing numbers. The 565 area code will only be assigned to new customers once all available 912 numbers are used up. “This overlay is a proactive step to ensure that southeastern Georgia continues to have access to the phone numbers it needs to grow and thrive,” said a spokesperson for the Georgia Public Service Commission.

The 912 area code currently serves major cities like Savannah, Brunswick, Douglas, Hinesville, Kingsland, Pooler, Richmond Hill, Saint Marys, Statesboro, and Waycross, as well as numerous smaller municipalities. It was previously split in 2000 to create the 229 and 478 area codes for Southwest and Middle Georgia, respectively.

While the specific launch date for the 565 area code is yet to be announced, residents and businesses are encouraged to be aware of the upcoming change and prepare for potential adjustments to dialing procedures in the future.