WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Like it or not, there is a new area code in Palm Beach County.
The new 728 area code made its debut Friday, sharing Palm Beach County with its traditional 561 prefix.
So why is it necessary?
The North American Numbering Plan Administrator, which oversees the implementation of new area codes, projected that the 561 area code would expire by the third quarter of 2023.
Approved by the Florida Public Service Commission in December 2021, the new 728 area code overlay will co-exist with the three digits most familiar to Palm Beach County residents.
"Palm Beach County's continued growth is the driver behind the Commission's approval of the additional 728 area code," Public Service Commission Chairman Andrew Fay said in a news release. "We believe the approval of this new overlay will help PBC continue to meet the demand for new phone numbers."
Because of the transition to 10-digit dialing in July 2022, the only option for relief was an overlay of the 561 area code. That means no current numbers will change, but any new numbers will have the 728 area code that would be used over the existing designated geographic location.
In 2002, the Public Service Commission approved a geographic split of the 561 area code, introducing the 772 area code, which was assigned to the Treasure Coast.
The 561 area code began in 1996 in a split from the 407 area code, now commonly associated with the Orlando area.
SOUTH FLORIDA AREA CODES AT A GLANCE
| County | Area Code | Inception Year | Origin |
| Palm Beach | 561, 728 | 1996, 2023 | Split from 407 |
| Broward | 954, 754 | 1995, 2001 | Split from 305, Overlay of 954 |
| Miami-Dade | 305, 786 | 1947, 1998 | Original, Overlay of 305 |
A change in area codes is nothing new for South Florida, which has seen an increase through the years.
The 305 area code currently associated with Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys was one of the original 86 area codes created in 1947. It initially covered the entire state.
Miami-Dade County's second 786 area code was introduced as an overlay in 1998.
Broward County's 954 area code split from area code 305 in 1995. The 754 area code in Broward County was activated in 2001 and began use the following year.
There is no cost for callers dialing between the old 561 and new 728 area codes.
