Cross the Potomac from Washington, D.C. into Arlington or Alexandria, Virginia, and the area code on the signs, storefronts, and business cards shifts — from 202 to 703, or to its younger sibling, 571.
The 571 area code is Northern Virginia’s overlay code, sharing the exact same territory as the historic 703 area code. If a 571 number just called you, or you’re setting up a local number for a D.C.-area business, this guide covers everything: which cities and counties 571 serves, its time zone, the 2000 overlay history, dialing rules, and how to spot scam calls spoofing the code.
571 Area Code at a Glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| State | Virginia |
| Region | Northern Virginia (Washington, D.C. metro) |
| Anchor communities | Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County |
| Created | March 1, 2000 |
| Type | Overlay of the 703 area code (no geographic split) |
| Time zone | Eastern Time (UTC−5 standard / UTC−4 daylight) |
| Dialing | 10-digit mandatory for all local calls |
| Notable | Serves the world’s largest concentration of data centers (“Data Center Alley”) |
Where Is the 571 Area Code Located?
Because 571 is an overlay, it has no separate map — it covers exactly the same territory as 703: Northern Virginia, the suburban and exurban ring wrapping around Washington, D.C.’s western and southern flanks. Residents, businesses, and government agencies in the same building may hold 703 or 571 numbers; it depends solely on when the number was assigned.
Cities in the 571 Area Code
Major communities include:
- Arlington — the dense urban county directly across the Potomac from D.C., home to the Pentagon, Reagan National Airport, and a huge federal-contractor workforce.
- Alexandria — historic Potomac port city with Old Town’s colonial streets and a growing tech corridor.
- Fairfax (city and county) — the region’s economic engine, with Tysons, Reston, and the county’s corporate headquarters.
- Falls Church — small independent city known for top-ranked schools.
- Manassas and Manassas Park — independent cities in Prince William County with Civil War history and suburban growth.
- McLean — home to CIA headquarters and Tysons’ corporate towers.
- Tysons — Northern Virginia’s downtown, with massive retail and office density.
- Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Annandale, Springfield, Chantilly, Centreville — Fairfax County’s suburban backbone.
- Ashburn, Leesburg, Sterling — fast-growing Loudoun County communities along “Data Center Alley,” the Dulles Toll Road corridor holding the world’s largest concentration of data centers.
- Woodbridge and Dale City — Prince William County’s I-95 corridor communities.
Counties in the 571 Area Code
The overlay spans Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties, parts of Fauquier County, and the independent cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park — nine counties in total across the region.
History of the 571 Area Code
The 703 area code was one of the original 86 codes assigned on January 1, 1947, when it covered the entire state of Virginia. Growth pared it back in stages: the 804 area code split off central and eastern Virginia in 1973, and the 540 area code took the Shenandoah Valley, Roanoke, and the west in 1995 — leaving 703 with only Northern Virginia.
Then the 1990s hit Northern Virginia with a second wave of pressure. The region’s role in the rise of the commercial internet — Reston is home to companies that built much of the early internet backbone — plus post-Cold War federal contracting expansion, created extraordinary demand for new telephone lines. The 703 number pool was nearly exhausted.
On March 1, 2000, regulators added 571 as a full overlay across the same Northern Virginia footprint. No existing 703 number changed; new lines simply received 571 prefixes as 703 supply ran low. The trade-off was mandatory ten-digit dialing for every local call — a rule the region has followed since 2000.
571 vs. 703: What’s the Difference?
Geographically, none. The only difference is age: 703 numbers date from 1947–2000, while 571 numbers were assigned after March 2000. In Northern Virginia’s federal-contracting and tech economy, both prefixes carry full local credibility.
What Time Zone Is the 571 Area Code?
The entire 571/703 region runs on Eastern Time (ET):
- Winter (early November – mid-March): Eastern Standard Time (EST), UTC−5
- Summer (mid-March – early November): Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), UTC−4
Practical offsets:
| Your time zone | 571 (Eastern) is… |
|---|---|
| Central (CT) | 1 hour ahead |
| Mountain (MT) | 2 hours ahead |
| Pacific (PT) | 3 hours ahead |
Northern Virginia shares its clock with Washington, D.C., New York, and Atlanta — three hours ahead of Pacific Time. Federal agencies, defense contractors, and data-center operators across the region all run on this single clock.
How to Dial a 571 Number
Because of the overlay, ten-digit dialing is mandatory:
- Local calls within 571/703: Always dial 10 digits — 571 or 703 + the 7-digit number. A bare seven-digit number will not complete.
- Long-distance calls from elsewhere in the U.S. and Canada: Dial 1 + 571 + the 7-digit number.
- International calls: Dial your country’s exit code, then 1 + 571 + the 7-digit number. From most countries:
+1 571 XXX XXXX. - Toll-free: 571 is not a toll-free code. It’s a standard geographic overlay; normal long-distance or plan rates apply.
Virtual phone providers can activate a 571 number in minutes with no Virginia address required — popular with contractors and tech firms wanting a Northern Virginia presence.
Is the 571 Area Code a Scam?
No — 571 is a legitimate area code serving one of the most economically significant regions in the United States. Most 571 calls come from real Northern Virginia residents, federal agencies, defense contractors, and tech companies. But scammers do spoof 571 numbers to exploit the region’s trust signals.
Scams reported from spoofed 571 numbers include:
- Government impersonation — fake FBI, IRS, or “federal grant” calls exploiting the region’s federal presence.
- Security clearance scams targeting defense contractors and federal employees.
- Tech support scams aimed at the region’s tech workforce.
- Utility shutoff threats demanding immediate payment.
- Jury duty scams claiming a missed summons requires a fine paid by gift card.
Stay safe:
- Don’t trust caller ID alone — any 571 number can be spoofed.
- Never share personal, financial, or clearance-related information with unexpected callers.
- Hang up and call back using the agency’s official published number.
- Verify “urgent government” claims independently — real agencies send written notices.
- Report scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the Virginia Attorney General.
571 Area Code FAQs
What cities does the 571 area code cover?
Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, McLean, Tysons, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Annandale, Springfield, Chantilly, Centreville, Ashburn, Leesburg, Sterling, and Woodbridge — the full Northern Virginia footprint it shares with 703.
What time zone is the 571 area code in?
Eastern Time. The region observes Eastern Standard Time (UTC−5) in winter and Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4) during daylight saving — the same clock as Washington, D.C. and New York.
When was the 571 area code created?
The 571 area code was introduced on March 1, 2000, as an overlay for the 703 area code, which had served Northern Virginia since 1947 and was running out of numbers during the internet and federal-contracting boom.
What’s the difference between 571 and 703?
There is no geographic difference — 571 is a full overlay across the same Northern Virginia territory as 703. Both carry equal local recognition; the prefix only indicates whether the number was assigned before or after 2000.
Do I need to dial 10 digits for a local 571 call?
Yes. Ten-digit dialing has been mandatory for all local calls in the 571/703 overlay zone since March 1, 2000. Seven-digit dialing will not complete a call.
Can I get a 571 phone number if I don’t live in Virginia?
Yes. Virtual phone and VoIP providers can assign a 571 number from anywhere in the world, routing calls to any device — no Virginia address or office required.
Conclusion
The 571 area code has shared Northern Virginia’s map with 703 since March 1, 2000 — an overlay born from the internet boom and federal contracting surge that made the region one of America’s most number-hungry markets. From Arlington’s Pentagon corridor to Ashburn’s Data Center Alley, it runs on Eastern Time and requires ten-digit dialing.
Whether a 571 number just called you or you’re establishing a local line for a D.C.-metro business, you now know the code is fully legitimate, exactly where it reaches, and how the 703/571 overlay works. Keep this guide handy the next time an unfamiliar 571 number appears.