Area code 804 and 686

Area code 804 is an area code serving the central part of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. 804 was created in 1973 as a split from 703. It covers a diverse range of communities, including the capital city of Richmond, Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Mechanicsville, Ashland, and Chester. It was split several times, by 757 in 1996, and 434 in 2001. Eventually, it was overlaid by 686 on February 1, 2024.