<P> This was intended as a long - term solution, but within two years both 713 and 281 were close to exhaustion due to Houston's rapid growth and the proliferation of cell phones and pagers . On January 16, 1999, area code 832 was created as an overlay for the entire Houston area . At the same time, the 713 - 281 boundary was unified, and area code 281 was turned into an overlay for the entire region . The result was three area codes covering the Houston metro area, with ten - digit dialing required for all calls . </P> <P> On May 9, 2013, the Texas Public Utility Commission announced that area code 346 would be added to the Houston area as an overlay . This new area code went into service on July 1, 2014 . This had the effect of allocating over 31 million numbers to a service territory of eight million people . However, under current projections, the Houston area will not need another area code until mid-2025 . </P> <P> Counties served by these area codes: </P> <Ul> <Li> Harris (shared with 936) </Li> <Li> Brazoria (shared with 979) </Li> <Li> Chambers (shared with 409) </Li> <Li> Fort Bend (shared with 979) </Li> <Li> Galveston (shared with 409) </Li> <Li> Liberty (shared with 936) </Li> <Li> Montgomery (shared with 979 and 936) </Li> <Li> Waller (shared with 979 and 936) </Li> </Ul>

Where is the 281 area code in california