Area Codes for Chennai and Nearby Cities

Despite it's very large population, Chennai proper currently has only one area code. Area codes for several locations near Chennai are shown below.

Area codes are also sometimes called STD codes or 'subscriber trunk dialing' codes. In India, area codes are also known as SDCA codes. SDCA stands for 'short distance charging area'.

Chennai area code / STD:   44 

Area codes are generally used to route inbound calls to a specific geographic area within a country. However, in India, mobile phone numbers do not utilize area codes, so the area code above applies only when dialing landline phones in Chennai.

To make an inbound international call (or domestic long distance call) to a Chennai landline phone, you need to dial this 2-digit area code, along with an 8-digit local subscriber number - 10-digits total.

If you are calling a Chennai mobile phone number, you should not use this area code. Click here for further details on dialing a Chennai mobile phone number - and for information on how to tell a landline number from a mobile number.

Click for more on dialing a Chennai / Bombay landline number.

Area Codes for Cities Near Chennai

Several cities and towns near Chennai have their own distinct area codes, aka STDs or SDCAs.

Here are the area codes for several locations near Chennai:

Location Area Code
Chennai area code  44 
Chengalpattu area code  4114 
Arkonam area code  4177 
Arni area code  4173 
Chengam area code  4188 
Gudiyatham area code  4146 
Kancheepuram area code  4112 
Madurantagam area code  4115 
Polur area code  4181 
Pondicherry area code  413 
Ponneri area code  4119 
Ranipet area code  4172 
Sriperumpudur area code  4118 
Tirupattur area code  4179 
Tiruvannamalai area code  4175 
Tiruvellore area code  4116 
Tiruvettipuram area code  4182 
Vaniyambadi area code  4174 
Vellore area code  416 
Villupuram area code  4146 
Wandiwash area code  4183 

Notes:

  • 3-digit area codes (SDCA codes): Subscriber numbers for the areas cited above with 3-digit area codes / SDCA codes (e.g., Navi Chennai, Kalyan) are 7-digits long, not 8-digits as in Chennai proper.
  • 4-digit area codes (SDCA codes): Subscriber numbers for the areas cited above with 4-digit area codes / SDCA codes (e.g., Bhiwandi, Dahanu) are 6-digits long, not 8-digits as in Chennai proper.

In both cases, these numbering rules allow the final complete phone number to conform to the required 10-digit telephone number format that is standard throughout India for landline phones. Mobile phones are also currently 10-digits long, but that will be changing in 2009 when 11-digit mobile phone numbers are implemented.

Please check India's official National Numbering Plan (large pdf) for a complete list of India area codes / SDCA codes.

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In some cases, area codes may be referred to as city codes. However, a 'city code' more correctly refers to the codes used for airports and other geographic designations under the UN's UN/LOCODE system and/or the IATA airport coding system.

Chennai online telephone directories
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