How much does it cost to call an 01204 number?

Calls to 01204 numbers are geographic landline calls, charged at your provider’s standard UK landline rate and normally included in any inclusive minutes — the same as calling an 03 number.

I had a missed call from an 01204 number — is it a scam?

Not necessarily, but be careful. Scammers often spoof local codes such as 01204 so a call looks like it’s from Bolton and you’re more likely to answer. A familiar area code is never proof of who is calling — if in doubt, hang up and call the organisation back on a number you find independently.

How do I dial a Bolton number from abroad?

Drop the leading 0 and add the UK country code +44. A Bolton number written as 01204 XXXXXX becomes +44 1204 XXXXXX when dialled internationally.

Can this tool tell me who owns the number?

No. It shows the geographic area of the dialling code and the communications provider Ofcom allocated the number range to — not the individual or business that holds a specific number, which can also have been ported to another network.

01204 Area Code – Bolton | Dialling Code, Format & Call Charges

Q: Where is the 01204 area code?

01204 is the UK geographic dialling code for Bolton, covering Bolton and nearby villages. It sits in Greater Manchester in North West, England. Bolton is a large former cotton-spinning town in Greater Manchester.

Dialling code: 01204
Area / city: Bolton
Covers: Bolton and nearby villages
County: Greater Manchester
Region / nation: North West, England
Number type: Geographic landline (01/02)
Local format: 01204 XXXXXX
From abroad: +44 1204 XXXXXX

Where is the 01204 area code?

The 01204 dialling code is the UK geographic area code for Bolton, covering Bolton and nearby villages. Bolton lies in Greater Manchester, in the North West region of England. Bolton is a large former cotton-spinning town in Greater Manchester.

Because 01204 is a geographic (01/02) code, a number using it is tied to the Bolton area — though with modern hosted telephony (VoIP) a business can keep an 01204 number even after moving premises, so the code reflects the original area rather than a guaranteed physical location today.

Bolton phone number format & example

An Bolton number is made up of a 5-digit area code followed by a 5 or 6-digit local number. Written in full it looks like 01204 XXXXXX (the Xs stand for the local digits). Ofcom has not reserved a dedicated fictitious range for 01204. For on-screen examples it recommends the unused 01632 960000–01632 960999 range. Real Bolton numbers follow the pattern 01204 XXXXXX.

How to dial a Bolton (01204) number

Within the Bolton area: on most lines you can dial just the local part of the number, although dialling the full national number including 01204 always works.
From elsewhere in the UK: dial the full number including the area code — 01204 XXXXXX.
From abroad: replace the leading 0 with +44 — +44 1204 XXXXXX.

Call charges for 01204 numbers

Calls to 01204 geographic numbers are charged at your phone provider’s standard UK landline rate and are normally included in any inclusive call minutes on your landline or mobile plan. UK-wide 03 numbers are guaranteed by Ofcom to cost the same as 01/02 calls, while 084, 087 and 09 numbers cost considerably more — so it’s always worth checking the prefix before you dial.

Spotting spoofed 01204 scam calls

Fraudsters frequently spoof local dialling codes, faking the caller ID so a scam call appears to come from a nearby Bolton (01204) number you might trust. This is called neighbour spoofing. Remember:

A familiar 01204 area code is not proof the caller is local or genuine — caller ID can be faked.
Banks, HMRC and the police will never ask you to move money or share passwords or one-time codes over the phone.
If a call feels off, hang up, wait a moment, and call the organisation back on a number from their official website or your statement.
Report nuisance calls to the ICO and forward scam texts to 7726 (free).

Nearby & related area codes

Explore the dialling codes of places near Bolton:

0161 Manchester North West 01942 Wigan North West 01254 Blackburn North West 01706 Rochdale North West

Browse all UK area-code guides ›

01204 area code – Bolton