Area Code 865 Location

Area code 865 serves Knoxville and much of East Tennessee, centered in the Tennessee River valley at the crossroads of I‑40 and I‑75. This code anchors a region known for the University of Tennessee and quick access to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the most-visited parks in the U.S. The area sits in the Eastern Time Zone and includes a mix of historic neighborhoods, growing suburbs, and major research and energy sites. Its location makes it a hub for education, sports, tourism, and technology in Tennessee.

Area code 865 covers key cities and landmarks, including:

• Knoxville (downtown, Old City, and the Sunsphere)
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Neyland Stadium
• Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Maryville and Alcoa (Blount County)
• Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg (gateways to the Smokies)
• Lenoir City, Farragut, and Clinton

Established in 1999 after a split from area code 423, 865 was chosen with local pride in mind. On a phone keypad, 8‑6‑5 spells “VOL,” a nod to the Tennessee Volunteers. Knoxville’s skyline icon, the Sunsphere from the 1982 World’s Fair, also sits within this area code’s footprint. It remains the primary code for the Knoxville region, covering much of Knox, Blount, Sevier, Anderson, and Loudon counties.

“Area code 865 was introduced on November 1, 1999, in a split from 423 to serve the Knoxville area.” — North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA)

Expect to see 865 on both mobile and landline phone numbers tied to East Tennessee addresses. Calls and texts from 865 often originate from universities, businesses, and tourism services across the Knoxville metro and Smokies communities. If you’re looking up a number with this code, it likely connects to the heart of Knoxville, TN, and its surrounding towns.