Area Code for Los Angeles

Los Angeles uses area codes 213, 310, 323, 424, 661, 747, 818 — plus the newest overlay 738, activated in November 2024. The city has more area codes than any other metro in the United States, a direct result of decades of population growth and explosive demand for phone lines from the entertainment, technology, and healthcare industries concentrated here.

No single code covers all of LA. Downtown and Central LA sit in the historic 213/323 overlay. The Westside — Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Malibu — is 310/424 territory. The San Fernando Valley runs on 818/747. Long Beach and the southeast stretches carry 562, while Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley fall under 661.

What’s the area code for Los Angeles?

The table below covers the primary codes you’ll encounter when dialing to or from LA.

Code	Established	Coverage area	Notes
213	1947	Downtown LA, Koreatown, Westlake	Original CA code; overlay with 323/738 since 2017
310	1991	Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Malibu, South Bay	Westside prestige code; overlay with 424
323	1998	Hollywood, Mid-City, East LA, South Gate, Huntington Park	Overlay with 213/738 since 2017
424	2006	Overlay on 310 region	Same geography as 310
562	1997	Long Beach, Downey, Whittier	Southeast LA County
661	1999	Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster	North LA County, Antelope Valley
747	2009	Overlay on 818 region	Same geography as 818
818	1984	San Fernando Valley — Burbank, Glendale, North Hollywood	First split from original 213
738	2024	Overlay on 213/323 region	Newest LA code; activated November 1, 2024

For a business number, 213, 310, and 818 carry the strongest geographic recognition — they predate the overlay era and are immediately associated with specific LA neighborhoods.

LA area codes by region

Downtown and Central LA: 213 / 323 / 738

The 213 and 323 codes share the same territory since the 2017 CPUC ruling eliminated the boundary between them. Together with the 2024 overlay 738, this cluster covers: Downtown LA, Koreatown, Westlake, Hollywood, Mid-City, East LA, South Gate, Huntington Park, Montebello, and Bell.

For a business based near LA Live, the Financial District, or the Arts District, a 213 area code number signals you are at the core of the city.

A 323 area code covers the same region and carries slightly different cultural associations — more Hollywood and Mid-City than pure Downtown finance.

Westside: 310 / 424

The 310 code is arguably the most recognized LA code outside the city itself. Created in 1991, it covers Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Venice, Malibu, Culver City, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Torrance.

The 424 overlay was added in 2006 when 310 numbers grew scarce. New Westside lines may be assigned either code, but demand for 310 area code numbers remains high because of the brand association with entertainment and tech companies headquartered here.

SpaceX operates from Hawthorne (310). Snap Inc. is headquartered in Santa Monica (310). Beverly Hills’ luxury corridor runs on 310. The prestige signal is still very much alive.

San Fernando Valley: 818 / 747

Area code 818 split from 213 in 1984 to serve the San Fernando Valley. It covers Burbank, Glendale, North Hollywood, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Encino, Chatsworth, Reseda, and Pacoima.

Walt Disney Company is headquartered in Burbank (818). Warner Bros., ABC, and NBCUniversal all have major operations in the Valley under 818. The entertainment production identity of the Valley is encoded in those three digits.

Area code 747 is an all-services overlay added in 2009. Both codes are fully equivalent geographically — your new Valley line may arrive as 747, but it routes the same as 818.

South Bay and Long Beach: 310 / 562

Long Beach and the Whittier corridor carry area code 562, which split from 310 in 1997. Key cities include Long Beach, Downey, Norwalk, Whittier, Cerritos, and Lakewood. The 310 code still serves parts of the South Bay closer to the beach cities (Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance).

History of LA area codes

The story of LA area codes is really a story of population pressure on the North American Numbering Plan (NANPA).

1947 — When AT&T and the Bell System rolled out the NANP across North America, California received three codes: 415 for Northern California, 916 for the Central Valley, and 213 for the entire rest of the state, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and everything in between. The digits were not random — on a rotary phone, lower digits took fewer pulses to dial, so large population centers received the lowest-numbered codes. LA getting 213 (2-1-3: two pulses, one pulse, three pulses) was deliberate. See NANPA for the full national numbering history.

1984 — The San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel Valley were growing too fast. Area code 818 split off from 213 to serve Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, and the entire Valley corridor.

1991 — West LA and the South Bay were added as code 310, covering the Westside from Beverly Hills to the beach cities and south through the South Bay.

1997 — Long Beach got its own code, 562, splitting from 310.

1998 — The fifth split of 213 created 323 on June 13, 1998. The CPUC handled this as a split rather than an overlay — residents in the new 323 area had to change their numbers, which was controversial. The 213 core shrank to a small Downtown footprint.

2006–2009 — Overlays replaced splits as the preferred relief method. Overlays avoid forcing number changes: instead of splitting a region and assigning the new code to one half, both codes apply to the entire area and new lines get the new code while existing lines keep the old one. 424 overlaid 310; 747 overlaid 818.

2017 — The CPUC took the overlay concept further: it eliminated the boundary between 213 and 323 entirely, making the two codes interchangeable across all of central LA. New numbers in Hollywood could now be assigned 213; new Downtown numbers could be assigned 323.

2024 — The 213/323 overlay complex was projected to exhaust available numbers. The CPUC approved 738 on March 16, 2023 (Application A.22-08-009) and activated it on November 1, 2024 — the newest area code in the city.

LA now has 12 area codes serving the county, the highest concentration of any county in the nation.

213 vs 310: cultural meaning in LA

If you know LA, you know that area codes carry identity weight.

213 is the OG. It was assigned to Los Angeles in 1947 when the NANP was first drawn up — the original AT&T logic gave low-digit codes to major population centers because a rotary phone dialed fewer pulses for lower numbers, making large metros faster to reach. When 818, 310, and 323 all split off, long-established businesses and residents kept their 213 numbers. That retention makes 213 a timestamp: if a company or family has had the same 213 number for 40 years, the area code itself signals roots.

West Coast rap encoded 213 before it became a VoIP marketing point. Snoop Dogg, Warren G, and Nate Dogg named their supergroup 213 after the area code that defined their Long Beach/Compton origins. Dr. Dre referenced 213 throughout The Chronic (1992). Ice Cube and NWA came up in the same 213 era, when South Central, Compton, and Inglewood all shared one code. The split that created 310 in 1991 drew a line between the new Westside code and the older codes that stayed south and east.

310 became the prestige signal for a different kind of LA. Beverly Hills real estate agents, Santa Monica production companies, and Malibu homeowners carry 310. SpaceX, Snap, and the entertainment agencies of Century City are 310. When LA residents describe someone as “very 310” they mean Westside money and industry connections. The comedian Brody Stevens, who grew up in the Valley, built a whole persona around “818 till I die” — a deliberate rejection of 310 aspiration in favor of Valley authenticity.

The 213 vs 310 divide maps roughly to what New Yorkers mean by 212 vs 646: the original code signals legacy, and the split codes signal arrival.

Spam, scams, and neighbor spoofing in LA

LA area codes are among the most spoofed in the United States. The 213 area code is the top-reported scam area code in California, with roughly two-thirds of flagged 213 numbers tracing back to non-fixed VoIP lines that can be spun up and discarded quickly.

Neighbor spoofing is the dominant technique: the scammer’s dialer matches the first six digits of the target’s own number (area code + exchange) so the call appears to come from someone nearby. A Culver City business getting a call from 310-737-XXXX when their own number is 310-737-YYYY is a classic neighbor spoof.

LA-specific scam patterns to recognize:

• Chinese consulate robocalls (213): Spoofs the actual Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles number, plays a recorded message demanding you press 9 for a “final notice” of legal action.
• IRS and Social Security impersonation (213/310): Caller claims you owe back taxes and face arrest; requests immediate wire transfer or gift cards. The FCC notes these calls frequently spoof government agency numbers — see the FCC spoofing guide.
• Hollywood casting fraud: Scammers pose as casting agents or production assistants using 213/323 numbers, offering auditions or extra work in exchange for an upfront fee or personal data.
• Entertainment industry phishing: Targets writers, below-the-line crew, and agents with fake contract offers, directing them to fraudulent DocuSign-lookalike pages.

STIR/SHAKEN call authentication — the framework mandated by the FCC for US carriers — assigns an attestation level to every call. An A-attestation means the originating carrier has verified that the calling party is authorized to use that number. Numbers provisioned through compliant carriers like DialPhone carry A-attestation, so your outbound business calls show cleanly as verified rather than “Spam Risk.” Read our full explainer at STIR/SHAKEN glossary.

How to get an LA business phone number

Getting an LA area code for your business does not require a physical office in Los Angeles. Cloud VoIP providers provision numbers in minutes.

1. Choose your target area code. Match the code to your market: 213 or 323 for Downtown and Central LA, 310 for Westside clients, 818 for Valley-based operations.
2. Sign up with a VoIP provider. Go to DialPhone pricing and select a plan. Business plans start at a per-seat monthly fee with unlimited domestic calling included.
3. Select your LA number. During setup, search available numbers by area code. Inventory updates in real time — if 213 numbers are scarce, 323 or 738 cover the same territory.
4. Port your existing number if needed. If you already have an LA number with another carrier, you can port it in. Typical port time for LA 213/310/323 numbers is 2–5 business days. See the number porting guide for the paperwork checklist.
5. Activate and test. Your new LA number is live instantly for provisioned lines. Outbound calls carry STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation from day one, so your caller ID displays as verified to recipients.

Start with a free trial — no credit card required, LA number included.

Famous companies in LA area codes

Los Angeles area codes are embedded in the identity of some of the world’s most recognized companies.

818 — San Fernando Valley (Entertainment): Walt Disney Company (500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank) has been an 818 company since the code launched in 1984. Warner Bros. Entertainment, ABCDisney, and NBCUniversal all operate major production facilities in Burbank and the Valley. The phrase “shot in the Valley” is shorthand for the 818 production infrastructure — stage space, post-production houses, and talent agencies running on 818 numbers.

310 — Westside (Tech + Entertainment): SpaceX is headquartered in Hawthorne, a South Bay city squarely in 310 territory. Snap Inc. runs from Santa Monica (310). William Morris Endeavor and CAA, two of the largest talent agencies in the world, are based in Beverly Hills and Century City — 310 all the way.

213/323 — Downtown and Hollywood: The LA Times has operated from Downtown (213) since before the code existed as a standalone region. University of Southern California (USC) is a 213/323 institution. Paramount Pictures’ historical address falls in the 323 zone — Hollywood proper rather than Westside — a distinction longtime Angelenos notice.

Los Angeles area code FAQ

Los Angeles area code FAQ

What is the area code for Los Angeles? +

Los Angeles does not have a single area code. The city and surrounding county are served by multiple codes: 213 and 323 (Downtown and Central LA, overlaid with new code 738), 310 and 424 (Westside and South Bay), 818 and 747 (San Fernando Valley), 562 (Long Beach area), and 661 (Santa Clarita and Antelope Valley).

For a business number that signals a Downtown LA presence, 213 is the most prestigious choice. For Westside credibility, 310 carries the most recognition.

What is the difference between 213 and 323? +

Both 213 and 323 cover overlapping parts of central and south Los Angeles. Area code 213 is the original 1947 code and carries more cultural prestige — it was retained by long-established businesses and residents after the 323 split in 1998. New subscribers in the region received 323 numbers while existing 213 holders kept theirs.

In 2017 the California Public Utilities Commission eliminated the geographic boundary between them, making the two codes interchangeable across the same territory. Either code works for a Downtown LA business number today.

Is 310 or 424 better for a Beverly Hills business number? +

310 carries stronger brand recognition for the Westside. It was created in 1991 to serve Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Malibu, and the South Bay — areas long associated with the entertainment industry and luxury brands. The 424 overlay launched later when 310 numbers were nearly exhausted.

For a new business line, either code works operationally. But 310 still signals an established Westside presence to anyone familiar with LA geography, which is why demand for 310 numbers remains higher than for 424.

What area code is the San Fernando Valley? +

The San Fernando Valley uses area codes 818 and 747. Area code 818 was created in 1984 when it split from the original 213 region. It covers cities including Burbank, Glendale, North Hollywood, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Encino, Chatsworth, and Reseda.

Area code 747 is an all-services overlay added when 818 numbers grew scarce. New numbers in the Valley may be assigned either 818 or 747 — both reach the same geographic area.

Are 213 and 310 area code calls scams? +

Not automatically, but both codes are heavily spoofed. Scammers use neighbor spoofing — faking the first six digits to match your own area code and exchange — to make calls appear local. The 213 area code is the top-reported scam area code in California, with roughly two-thirds of reported scam numbers tracing back to non-fixed VoIP lines.

Common patterns include fake IRS arrest threats, Chinese consulate robocalls spoofing the real consulate number, and entertainment industry casting fraud. If you receive an unexpected call from a 213 or 310 number claiming urgency, verify the callback number independently before responding.

How do I get a Los Angeles phone number for my business? +

You can get a Los Angeles business number from any cloud VoIP provider without being physically located in LA. The process takes minutes: choose a provider, select your preferred LA area code (213, 310, 323, or 818), and the number is provisioned instantly.

No physical LA office is required. STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation — the highest trust tier for caller ID verification — is applied to numbers provisioned through registered US carriers, meaning your LA business number displays cleanly on recipient phones rather than as 'Spam Risk.'

What is the newest area code in Los Angeles? +

The newest area code in Los Angeles is 738, activated on November 1, 2024. The California Public Utilities Commission approved 738 on March 16, 2023 (NANPA Application A.22-08-009) as an all-services overlay on top of the existing 213/323 region. It was added because the 213/323 overlay complex was projected to exhaust available numbers within five years.

Can I keep my LA area code if I move out of Los Angeles? +

Yes. Number portability rules under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 allow you to keep any US phone number regardless of where you physically relocate. A 310 or 213 number you take with you to New York or Chicago remains yours as long as you keep the service active. This is why LA area codes appear on phones nationwide and why area code alone is no longer a reliable indicator of a caller's physical location.

Get a Los Angeles business number

A local LA number takes minutes to set up — no physical office, no long-term contract on entry-level plans.

• Start a free trial and claim your 213, 310, 323, or 818 number today.
• Compare plans at DialPhone pricing.
• Add AI call answering with DialPhone AI Receptionist — handles after-hours calls, takes messages, and routes callers using your LA number as the display line.
• Already have an LA number? Port it in — typical timeline is 2–5 business days for 213/310/323.

Related: all California area codes · DialPhone business phone