Area code 902 — Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Original assignment, in service since 1947.
At a glance
- Country
- Canada
- Province / territory
- Nova Scotia
- Service area
- Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
- Time zone
- Atlantic Time (AST/ADT, UTC-4/-3) · current offset -03:00
- Type
- Original
- In service since
- 1947
- Country code
- +1 (NANP)
Map
Cities served by 902
Related & overlay area codes
Area code 902 shares geography with one other code serving the same region. A call placed inside this overlay must dial all 10 digits regardless of which code your own line uses.
Carriers operating in 902
The following national and regional telecommunications carriers hold central office (CO) code assignments within numbering plan area 902. Number portability means a phone number originally issued by one carrier may now ride on another carrier's network.
About area code 902
Area code 902 is a Canadian numbering plan area covering Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. It was placed into service in 1947 as one of the original Canadian assignments, and today operates under the Atlantic Time (AST/ADT, UTC-4/-3) time zone.
Numbers in the 902 NPA are issued in central office (CO) blocks of 10,000 to local exchange carriers, who then assign them to subscribers. Because Canada uses a competitive carrier model under CRTC oversight, multiple carriers — both incumbent and competitive — hold blocks within 902. The current carrier of record for any specific number can be looked up via the Canadian Local Number Portability Consortium, but the originally issued carrier is no longer a reliable signal of who actually serves that line.
If you receive a call from a number beginning with 902, the caller is either physically located in or has historically been associated with Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The same applies to overlay codes 782: any of these area codes can correspond to a phone in the same geography, and many households carry numbers from two or three different overlays simultaneously across landlines and mobile devices.
To call a number in 902 from outside Canada and the United States, dial your country's international access prefix, then +1 902 followed by the 7-digit local number. Within the NANP, simply dial 1 followed by all 10 digits — or just the 10 digits if you are also located in an overlay region where 7-digit local dialling is no longer permitted.
Frequently asked questions
Where is area code 902?
Area code 902 serves Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Nova Scotia, Canada.
What time zone is 902?
Numbers in 902 are in the Atlantic Time (AST/ADT, UTC-4/-3) time zone.
Is 902 a toll-free or mobile-only code?
No. Canadian area codes are geographic — they apply to both landline and mobile numbers in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Toll-free codes in the NANP (800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888) are a separate category.
Why do I see calls from 902 if I do not know anyone there?
Two reasons. First, mobile portability: someone who moved away from Nova Scotia can keep their 902 number anywhere in the world. Second, scam callers frequently spoof Canadian area codes to appear local. If you do not recognise the number, it is generally safe to let it go to voicemail.