Richmond's new area code is 686

It's official — 686 is the new area code for the Richmond area, joining 804.

Driving the news: The State Corporation Commission announced the approved new code Tuesday afternoon, and it will be assigned to new numbers beginning in 2024 or whenever 804 runs out.

• The 804 covers all of the Richmond region, from Petersburg to King William, plus, inexplicably, the Northern Neck.

Catch up fast: The 804 is expected to be out of numbers by mid-2024, Axios previously reported, and the SCC began the process this summer of getting a new code.

• 804 has been the Richmond area code since 1973. Prior to that, it was 703.

What's next: Anyone who gets a new phone number beginning sometime in 2024 will have a new 686 preface.

Of note: Existing 804 customers will keep their 804 number, and 686 is expected to last 32 years, per the SCC.

• So save the date now for 2054 so we can complain about this again then.