The history of the 305 area code

In 1947, all of Florida was 305

Area code 305 was created in 1947 with the first North American area codes, and at the start it covered the entire state of Florida. A call to Pensacola, Tampa, Orlando or Key West went to the same area code.

Three splits shrank it to the southern tip

As Florida grew, new codes took over parts of the state. The Florida Public Service Commission counts three splits of 305. The first, in 1953, created 813 for the Gulf coast around Tampa.

The second, on April 16, 1988, moved Orlando and the east coast from Brevard down to Palm Beach County to the new 407. The Bellcore letter announcing that split said 305 would keep three counties: Broward, Dade and Monroe.

The third came in 1995, when Broward County moved to 954. Since then 305 has covered Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys and nothing else.

An overlay instead of another split: 786

By the late 1990s Miami-Dade was running short of numbers again. This time, rather than split 305 once more, the commission approved an overlay: in 1998 a second code, 786, was added over the same Miami-Dade territory. Nobody had to change their number, and new lines could be given either code.

The Keys kept 305 alone for much longer. 786 arrived there on June 1, 2015, after the commission approved the plan in 2014; its announcement pointed out that 786 spells S-U-N on the keypad.

Ten digits for every local call

When two codes share one territory, the area code is needed to tell numbers apart, so the FCC requires ten-digit dialing for local calls in an overlay. Miami-Dade has dialed ten digits since 786 arrived; in the Keys ten-digit dialing became mandatory on April 18, 2015.

A third code: 645

In October 2021 the numbering administrator, NANPA, forecast that 305 and 786 would run out of prefixes during the first quarter of 2024. On February 1, 2022 the Public Service Commission approved a third overlay code for the region, 645.

Since August 4, 2023, new lines anywhere in Miami-Dade and the Keys can be given a 645 number. Existing 305 and 786 numbers stayed as they were, and dialing did not change, because the region already dialed ten digits.

Why Miami calls itself the 305

With Broward gone, 305 meant Miami-Dade and the Keys, and the three digits became a name for Miami itself. The Miami rapper Pitbull calls himself "Mr. 305".

Since 2014 the city has even had a day for it. 305 Day falls on March 5, written 3/05; it began with cafecito at Versailles restaurant, and businesses mark it with $3.05 prices and 3:05 p.m. specials.

Getting a 305 number today

Carriers give new lines whatever numbers they have available, so a new line in Miami-Dade or the Keys may come with a 305, a 786 or a 645 number. To be sure of a 305, and of the digits in it, the dependable way is to buy an existing number and move it to your carrier.

Every number on this site is exactly that: a 305 number sold by Exclusive Digits, ready to transfer to the carrier you use.