361 Area Code: Corpus Christi, the Gulf Coast & South Texas

The 361 area code is South Texas's Coastal Bend code — in service since February 13, 1999 and covering Corpus Christi, Victoria, Kingsville, Rockport, and over 60 other communities across 25 counties along the Gulf Coast.

It was split from the original 512 code as the region's oil, port, and military industries drove demand for more numbers. Unlike many metro codes, 361 has no overlay: it remains the sole area code for the Coastal Bend, and every number in the region carries it.

This guide covers where the 361 area code is, the Texas vs. California confusion, how the code was created, the time zone, what the Coastal Bend economy looks like, and how to get a 361 number.

Where is the 361 area code?

The 361 area code location is South Texas — specifically the Coastal Bend region stretching from the Gulf of Mexico inland through the ranch country and agricultural flatlands of the Texas coast. It does not include the San Antonio 210 area code, Austin (512), Laredo (956), or Houston (713/281/832).

Major cities and communities in the 361 area code:

Is the 361 area code in California?

No — 361 is an exclusively Texas area code, with no presence in California. The confusion appears in search data for two reasons: general unfamiliarity with Texas area codes, and a well-documented fraud pattern in which scammers spoof 361 numbers when calling and texting people while impersonating California government agencies such as the DMV.

California has its own separate set of codes. The Central Valley uses codes like 350 for Stockton and Modesto; Southern California runs on 213, 310, and 323, among others. None of these are 361.

If you receive a call or text from a 361 number, the line is registered in South Texas — not California. If the caller claims to be a California agency, treat it as a likely scam.

How 361 was created

Texas spent decades under a small handful of area codes. The 512 code, introduced in 1947, covered a sweeping swath of the state including Austin, San Antonio, and the Gulf Coast.

As Texas urbanized, codes were carved off:

1992 — San Antonio and southwest Texas gained 210, the first major split from 512.

February 13, 1999 — The Coastal Bend and South Texas region was assigned 361, carved from the remaining 512 territory. Austin retained 512. The 361 split allowed fresh number blocks to be issued to Corpus Christi's growing energy, military, and port industries without competing against Austin's booming tech demand.

No overlay to date. Despite serving 67 cities across 25 counties, 361's number pool has not required an overlay — making it one of the relatively uncrowded standalone codes on the US Gulf Coast.

What time zone is the 361 area code?

The 361 area code time zone is Central Time (CT), the same clock as Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio:

• Winter (standard time): Central Standard Time (CST), UTC −6
• Summer (daylight saving): Central Daylight Time (CDT), UTC −5

Texas observes Daylight Saving Time on the second Sunday of March and reverts on the first Sunday of November. Note that far-west Texas (El Paso area) uses Mountain Time — but the entire 361 region, including all Coastal Bend counties, is on Central. When calling a 361 number from the East Coast, subtract 1 hour; from Pacific Time, add 2 hours.

The Port of Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend economy

The 361 region punches well above its population size in economic weight, driven by energy exports and Gulf Coast infrastructure:

• Port of Corpus Christi — The nation's #1 crude oil export port and sixth-largest US port by total tonnage. The port connects the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford Shale directly to global markets, moving over 100 million tons of cargo annually.
• Oil and gas — Energy accounts for roughly 40 percent of the Corpus Christi metro economy. Refineries, pipelines, and LNG terminals line the ship channel corridor.
• Military — Naval Air Station Corpus Christi is a major naval aviation training base and one of the area's largest employers, with a decades-long role in training military pilots.
• Gulf Coast tourism — Port Aransas and North Padre Island draw millions of visitors each year for fishing, birding, and beach recreation. Padre Island National Seashore is the longest undeveloped barrier island in the United States.
• Ranching and agriculture — South Texas ranch country (including the historic King Ranch in Kingsville) and cotton farming contribute to the rural economy across the inland 361 counties.

For energy companies, logistics firms, defense contractors, and hospitality businesses, a 361 number provides immediate Coastal Bend credibility. Contact us to find available Corpus Christi or Victoria prefixes for your team.

Scam calls and texts from 361 numbers

The 361 area code appears in two common fraud patterns worth knowing about.

California DMV impersonation: Scammers spoof 361 numbers when texting or calling people across the US while claiming to represent the California Department of Motor Vehicles. If you receive a 361 text claiming you owe a DMV fee or have an outstanding ticket, it is not from any California government agency — the caller is spoofing a South Texas number.

Generic neighbor spoofing: Like any active area code, 361 is also used for standard robocall campaigns — fake package deliveries, warranty calls, and Social Security warnings. The actual caller is rarely in Corpus Christi.

The FCC's STIR/SHAKEN call authentication framework helps carriers flag spoofed calls. If a 361 text or call is unexpected:

• Do not click links in texts from unknown 361 numbers.
• No government agency will ask you to pay fines by text message.
• Report suspected fraud texts to 7726 (SPAM) or at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

How to get a 361 number

A 361 number takes minutes to set up with a VoIP provider:

1. Sign up — Create an account with My Country Mobile or another cloud phone provider.
2. Search — Enter "361" as the desired area code and browse available numbers.
3. Pick a prefix — Choose a number tied to Corpus Christi, Victoria, or Rockport to match your service area.
4. Choose a plan — Add features your operation needs: call routing, auto-attendant, voicemail-to-email, SMS, or analytics.
5. Go live — Activate and start receiving calls and texts from the Coastal Bend immediately.

Key takeaways

• 361 is South Texas's Coastal Bend code, covering Corpus Christi, Victoria, Kingsville, and 67 cities across 25 counties.
• It has been in service since February 13, 1999, split from 512; no overlay exists.
• 361 is a Texas code — callers claiming to be California agencies using a 361 number are running a scam.
• Time zone is Central (CT) — UTC −6 in winter, UTC −5 during Daylight Saving Time.
• The region is home to the nation's #1 crude oil export port and a major naval aviation training base.

Frequently asked questions