Phone Numbers in Minnesota: Formats and Dialing Rules

Quick Reference

• Country: United States (Minnesota)
• Country Code: +1
• International Prefix: 011
• National Prefix: 1

Overview

This comprehensive guide offers a detailed look at Minnesota's telephone numbering plan, including number structures, dialing procedures, and number portability. It's an essential resource for telecom professionals, developers, and systems administrators.

Number Formats

General Number Structure

• Country Code: +1 (United States)
• Area Code: 3 digits (e.g., 612)
• Subscriber Number: 7 digits (e.g., 123-4567)
• Full Number: 10 digits (e.g., 612-123-4567)

Area Codes in Minnesota

Area Code	Coverage Area	Type
612	Minneapolis and surrounding areas	Geographic
651	St. Paul and eastern metro	Geographic
763	Northwest suburbs of Minneapolis	Geographic
952	Southwest suburbs of Minneapolis	Geographic
218	Northern Minnesota	Geographic
320	Central Minnesota	Geographic
507	Southern Minnesota	Geographic
924	Southern Minnesota (from July 2024)	Geographic

Number Formats by Type

Type	Format	Example
Local Calls	XXX-XXXX	123-4567
Long Distance	1-XXX-XXX-XXXX	1-612-123-4567
Toll-Free	1-800/888/877/866/855/844-XXX-XXXX	1-800-123-4567
Premium Rate	1-900-XXX-XXXX	1-900-123-4567
Emergency	911	911
Special Services	211, 311, 511, 711, 811, 988	211, 311, 511, 711, 811, 988

Regular Expressions for Validation

• General Number (10 digits):
  ^[2-9]\d{2}-\d{3}-\d{4}$
  

• Long Distance (11 digits):
  ^1-[2-9]\d{2}-\d{3}-\d{4}$
  

• Toll-Free:
  ^1-(800|888|877|866|855|844)-\d{3}-\d{4}$
  

• Premium Rate:
  ^1-900-\d{3}-\d{4}$
  

• Emergency:
  ^911$
  

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Local Calls: Dial the 7-digit subscriber number (e.g., 123-4567) within the same area code.
• Long Distance Calls: Dial 1 + area code + 7-digit number (e.g., 1-612-123-4567).
• Toll-Free Calls: Dial 1 + toll-free code (e.g., 1-800-123-4567).
• Premium Rate Calls: Dial 1 + 900 + 7-digit number (e.g., 1-900-123-4567).

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial the international access code (011), followed by the country code, area code (if applicable), and the subscriber number.
  • Example: To call a number in the UK: 011-44-20-7123-4567.
• Incoming: Dial +1 followed by the area code and subscriber number.
  • Example: +1-612-123-4567.

Number Portability

Minnesota supports number portability, allowing users to retain their phone numbers when switching service providers. This feature has been available since 2003 for both mobile and fixed-line numbers.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Operator	Common Prefixes (Area Code + Prefix)
AT&T	Varies by area code
Verizon	Varies by area code
T-Mobile	Varies by area code
US Cellular	Varies by area code
CenturyLink	Varies by area code

Regulatory Body

The regulatory body responsible for telecommunications in Minnesota is the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC). For the most up-to-date information, visit their official website.

Recent or Upcoming Changes to the Numbering Plan

Introduction of Area Code 924

• Permissive Dialing: Begins January 30, 2024. Users can dial either 7 or 10 digits for local calls.
• Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing: Begins July 30, 2024. All local calls must be dialed using 10 digits.
• New Assignments: From August 30, 2024, new telephone lines may be assigned numbers with the 924 area code.

Technical Considerations

ITU-T Standards

Minnesota's phone numbering system adheres to the ITU-T E.164 standard, which defines the format for international public telecommunication numbering.

Number Allocation and Management

The North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) is responsible for the allocation and management of phone numbers in Minnesota. NANPA ensures that numbering resources are used efficiently and meet the needs of the telecommunications industry.

Special Cases

• Golden Numbers: There are no specific regulations for golden numbers in Minnesota.
• Number Blocking: Certain prefixes, such as those used for premium-rate services (e.g., 900 numbers), may be blocked by some service providers.