Area Code for Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky runs on a single active area code: 502 — one of the original 86 North American codes, assigned to the entire state of Kentucky in October 1947.

Today 502 covers north-central Kentucky, anchored by Louisville (the state’s largest city) and Frankfort (the state capital). A second code, 761, was approved by the Kentucky Public Service Commission in August 2025 as an overlay and launches in mid-2027 when 502’s number pool runs out.

A quick disambiguation: area code 364 is not Louisville — it is the 2014 overlay for western Kentucky’s 270 region (Paducah, Hopkinsville). And just across the Ohio River in Indiana, you’ll find area code 812. Whether you’re tracing a caller ID, picking a business number, or curious about Louisville’s telecom history, this guide covers it all.

What’s the area code for Louisville?

Louisville is served by one active area code under the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), with a second approved and launching in 2027:

Code	Established	Coverage	Status
502	October 1947	North-central KY: Louisville, Frankfort, Bardstown, Shelbyville, Shepherdsville	Active — the primary Louisville code
761	Approved Aug 2025	Same geography as 502 (overlay)	Launching July 2027; permissive dialing Dec 2026

Both codes share Eastern Time (ET) — UTC−5 in winter (EST), UTC−4 during DST (EDT).

Quick rule: any existing Louisville number starting with 502 is an established business or long-time resident. New numbers assigned from July 2027 onward may carry 761 — same city, same streets, newer code.

Louisville metro area codes by region

Area code 502 covers all Louisville neighborhoods and most of the surrounding suburbs:

Downtown and the urban core

• Downtown / Central Business District — Fourth Street Live, Louisville Slugger Museum, Kentucky International Convention Center
• NuLu (New Louisville) — East Market District; galleries, restaurants, bourbon bars
• Old Louisville — Victorian architecture; largest Victorian preservation district in the US
• The Highlands — Bardstown Road corridor; independent restaurants, live music venues
• Germantown — working-class historic neighborhood; craft breweries and coffee shops

Inner-ring neighborhoods

• Crescent Hill — residential; close to Butchertown and the Louisville Zoo
• Clifton / Butchertown — boutique industrial; distilleries and makers spaces
• Shively — southwest Louisville; major manufacturing area
• St. Matthews — eastern urban core; retail and medical corridor

Suburban communities (all 502)

• Anchorage — small, affluent eastern suburb; horse farms
• Prospect — far eastern Jefferson County and southern Oldham County; upscale residential
• J-town (Jeffersontown) — eastern suburb; tech park and light industrial
• Pleasure Ridge Park (PRP) — southwest Jefferson County; working-class residential
• Shepherdsville — Bullitt County seat; growing I-65 corridor suburb
• Shelbyville — Shelby County seat; horse country; Toyota Motor Manufacturing nearby
• Bardstown — Nelson County seat; “Bourbon Capital of the World”; Maker’s Mark, Heaven Hill

Across the Ohio River (not 502)

• Jeffersonville, New Albany, Clarksville, IN — area code 812 (Indiana). These southern Indiana cities are economically integrated with Louisville but require 10-digit dialing from 502.

History of Louisville area codes

Louisville’s area code history mirrors the growth of the US telephone network and Kentucky’s demographic shifts over eight decades.

October 1947 — 502 covers all of Kentucky. AT&T engineers designed the North American Numbering Plan and assigned a single area code to the entire state. Area code 502 was born, with Louisville as its anchor city.

1954 — 606 splits off eastern Kentucky. Population growth and long-distance traffic required a second Kentucky code. Eastern Kentucky — Lexington, Ashland, Pikeville, Corbin — was carved off as area code 606. Louisville retained 502.

September 1999 — 270 splits off western Kentucky. A second split became necessary. Western and south-central Kentucky — Paducah, Bowling Green, Hopkinsville, Owensboro — moved to area code 270. The 502 footprint shrank to its current north-central KY territory.

March 2014 — 364 overlays western KY (not Louisville). As 270 neared exhaustion, the Kentucky Public Service Commission (KPSC) approved area code 364 as an overlay for 270. This is a western KY development — 364 does not touch Louisville or the 502 area.

August 19, 2025 — KPSC approves 761 overlay for 502. With 502 forecast to exhaust central office codes by Q3 2027, the KPSC approved area code 761 as the Louisville overlay. The National Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) confirmed the timeline: permissive 10-digit dialing begins December 7, 2026; mandatory 10-digit dialing begins June 7, 2027; first 761 codes activate July 5, 2027.

What changes in 2027. No one changes an existing 502 number. The overlay model means residents and businesses keep their numbers. New assignments draw from 761. All local calls within the 502/761 area will require 10 digits.

502 as Louisville’s identity

Few area codes carry cultural weight the way 502 does. Louisville is one of America’s most distinctive cities — and 502 is the number that answers when it calls.

Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby. The “Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” runs every first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs, Louisville (502). The Derby is the oldest continuously held major sports event in the United States, dating to 1875. It draws over 150,000 attendees and a global TV audience.

Louisville Slugger. Hillerich & Bradsby has manufactured the iconic Louisville Slugger baseball bat in Louisville since 1884. The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory on West Main Street is a 502 landmark. More than 60% of Major League Baseball players have used a Louisville Slugger.

Muhammad Ali. Cassius Clay — later Muhammad Ali — was born in Louisville on January 17, 1942. He remains the most recognized athlete in the world. The Muhammad Ali Center, a cultural museum on the Louisville riverfront, carries a 502 number.

Bourbon trail. Kentucky produces 95% of the world’s bourbon supply. The 502 area code sits at the heart of bourbon country — Bardstown (Nelson County, 502) hosts Heaven Hill, Barton 1792, and the Bardstown Bourbon Company. Nearby 502 distilleries include Bulleit (Lawrenceburg), Woodford Reserve (Versailles, technically 859), and the broader Louisville bourbon district (Angel’s Envy, Rabbit Hole, Michter’s).

University of Louisville Cardinals. U of L competes in the ACC in basketball and football. The KFC Yum! Center — named for a Louisville-headquartered company — is home to Cardinals basketball in the heart of downtown (502).

UPS Worldport. Louisville is the global sorting hub of UPS. UPS Worldport at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport processes over 400,000 packages per hour and handles the majority of UPS international air cargo. This makes Louisville the overnight logistics capital of the world — and gives every UPS package that transits the hub a 502-area connection.

Louisville area code spam and scams

Louisville’s 502 code is targeted for spoofing because a local number dramatically increases answer rates. Kentucky-specific scam patterns to know:

LG&E and KU utility shutoff impersonation. Scammers spoof Louisville Gas and Electric (LG&E) numbers and play automated messages warning of imminent disconnection. The calls typically come on weekends when LG&E customer service lines are closed — and demand immediate phone payment. LG&E has confirmed publicly it never cold-calls customers demanding immediate phone payment. All disconnection notices arrive by mail well in advance.

IRS and government impersonation. The FBI’s Louisville field office issued a warning in March 2026: 475 IC3 complaints related to government impersonation scams in Kentucky in 2025 alone, with total losses exceeding $3.15 million. Common patterns include fake arrest warrants and suspended Social Security numbers requiring immediate action.

Fake UPS delivery notifications. Given Louisville’s status as UPS Worldport, scammers spoof 502 numbers with fake UPS package-held or delivery-fee messages — exploiting the fact that Louisville residents are genuinely frequent UPS customers and the city’s UPS identity is widely known.

Kentucky Derby ticket fraud. In the weeks before the Derby, scammers offer counterfeit or nonexistent tickets over the phone, often claiming to be selling unused corporate hospitality packages. Churchill Downs does not sell tickets by outbound phone solicitation.

STIR/SHAKEN and caller authentication. The FCC mandated STIR/SHAKEN to fight spoofing. Carriers assign calls an attestation level: A (fully verified), B (partial), or C (unverified). Spoofed scam calls receive C-attestation, triggering “Spam Likely” on modern smartphones.

DialPhone 502 numbers carry A-attestation — the highest trust level — so your outbound calls display as verified. See our STIR/SHAKEN glossary for the full technical breakdown.

How to get a Louisville business phone number

Getting a Louisville 502 number for your business takes under 10 minutes through a cloud VoIP provider. No Louisville office or Kentucky address required.

Step 1: Choose your area code. Area code 502 is the established Louisville identity — it’s what local customers recognize. As 761 launches in 2027, both codes will signal authentic Louisville presence.

Step 2: Sign up with a VoIP provider. DialPhone lets you search available 502 numbers by area code during signup. Select from available numbers in real time. Inventory is tightening as 502 approaches its 2027 exhaust date — act sooner rather than later if a specific prefix matters.

Step 3: Assign to users or a team queue. Route the Louisville number to mobile, desktop app, or a call queue. Add a greeting, IVR menu, or AI receptionist to handle after-hours calls automatically.

Step 4: Configure outbound caller ID. Set your 502 number as the outbound caller ID. Calls you make will display your Louisville number — not an 800 number or your personal cell.

Step 5: Port existing Louisville numbers if needed. Already have a 502 number with another carrier? Port it to DialPhone in typically 2–5 business days. See our number porting guide for the full process.

See DialPhone pricing for plan details, or start a free trial to claim your Louisville number today.

Famous companies in Louisville area codes

Louisville’s 502 code maps to one of the most economically diverse mid-size metros in America — food brands, healthcare, logistics, spirits, and financial services.

Yum! Brands (HQ: 502). The parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell is headquartered in Louisville. Yum! Brands operates over 55,000 restaurants in 155+ countries — all managed from a 502 address.

Brown-Forman (HQ: 502). One of the largest American-owned spirits companies, Brown-Forman produces Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey (despite the Tennessee origin, the parent company is Louisville-based), Old Forester, Woodford Reserve, and Herradura tequila. A Fortune 500 company with global operations anchored by a 502 number.

Humana (HQ: 502). One of the largest health insurance companies in the United States, Humana is headquartered at 500 West Main Street, Louisville. With over $100 billion in annual revenue, Humana is consistently among the top 50 companies on the Fortune 500.

UPS Worldport (Operations: 502). The global logistics hub that processes the majority of UPS’s international air volume operates from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. UPS employs over 20,000 people in the Louisville area.

GE Appliances (HQ: 502). While owned by Haier since 2016, GE Appliances maintains its headquarters in Louisville’s Appliance Park — a massive campus that has manufactured refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines since 1951. Over 6,000 employees, 502 address.

Texas Roadhouse (HQ: 502). The casual dining chain with over 700 locations across the US is headquartered in Louisville. Fortune 1000 company, 502 main line.

Papa John’s International (HQ: 502). The pizza delivery chain was founded in Jeffersonville, Indiana (812), but its global headquarters relocated to Louisville (502). Over 5,000 locations worldwide, managed from a 502 address.

Republic Bancorp (HQ: 502). Kentucky’s largest independent bank holding company, headquartered in Louisville with branches across the state and in several other states.

Louisville area code FAQ

Louisville area code FAQ

What is the area code for Louisville, KY? +

Louisville, Kentucky uses area code 502. It is one of the original 86 North American area codes, established in October 1947, and it has served Louisville continuously since then.

A second code, 761, was approved by the Kentucky Public Service Commission on August 19, 2025, as an overlay for the 502 numbering plan area. The 761 overlay is not yet active — permissive 10-digit dialing begins December 7, 2026, and mandatory 10-digit dialing begins June 7, 2027. Until then, 502 is the only active area code for Louisville.

What cities are in the 502 area code? +

Area code 502 covers north-central Kentucky. The largest city is Louisville, followed by Frankfort (the state capital), Bardstown, Shelbyville, and Shepherdsville.

502 covers 13 full counties: Anderson, Bullitt, Carroll, Franklin, Henry, Jefferson, Nelson, Oldham, Owen, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble. It also partially covers Hardin and Meade counties, which include the Fort Knox Army installation.

Is 364 the Louisville area code? +

No. Area code 364 is not associated with Louisville. It is the 2014 overlay for area code 270, which covers western Kentucky — cities like Paducah, Hopkinsville, Owensboro, and Henderson. Louisville has never used 364.

The correct upcoming Louisville overlay is 761, approved by the Kentucky Public Service Commission in August 2025 and set to launch in mid-2027.

What area code is across the Ohio River in Indiana? +

Just across the Ohio River from Louisville, southern Indiana uses area code 812. This covers Jeffersonville, New Albany, Clarksville, and the broader Floyd and Clark counties — the Indiana communities that form part of the Louisville metro area.

Area code 930 is an overlay for 812 (approved 2021) serving the same southern Indiana geography. When calling across the river from Louisville (502) to Jeffersonville (812), it is a standard long-distance call requiring all 10 digits.

Why does Louisville need a second area code? +

The 502 numbering plan area is forecast to exhaust its assignable central office codes in the third quarter of 2027. The surge in mobile devices, VoIP lines, IoT connections, and business phone systems accelerated number consumption beyond the original projections.

The Kentucky Public Service Commission approved area code 761 as an overlay on August 19, 2025. An overlay means no one changes their existing 502 number — new numbers will be assigned from 761 starting July 5, 2027.

What is the time zone for Louisville (502)? +

Louisville and all of area code 502 operate on Eastern Time (ET) — UTC−5 in winter (EST) and UTC−4 during summer (EDT). Kentucky observes daylight saving time.

Note: While most of Kentucky runs Eastern Time, a few western Kentucky counties in the 270/364 area code use Central Time. All of 502's territory is solidly Eastern Time.

Are 502 calls spam? +

Not inherently. Legitimate Louisville businesses use 502 numbers every day. The issue is caller ID spoofing — scammers fake local 502 numbers to increase answer rates.

Common Louisville-specific scams include LG&E utility shutoff impersonation, IRS and government agency fraud (the FBI Louisville field office flagged $3.15M in losses from 475 complaints in 2025 alone), and fake UPS package notifications exploiting Louisville's status as a UPS Worldport hub. DialPhone 502 numbers carry STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation — the highest trust level — so your outbound calls display as verified, not flagged as 'Spam Likely.'

How do I get a Louisville 502 phone number? +

You can get a Louisville 502 number through any cloud VoIP provider — no Louisville office required. The process typically takes under 10 minutes: choose area code 502, sign up, assign the number to your mobile or desktop app, and set outbound caller ID.

DialPhone assigns available 502 numbers instantly. If you already have a Louisville number with another carrier, you can port it in typically 2–5 business days. See our number porting guide for the full walkthrough.

Get a Louisville business number

A Louisville 502 number places your business in one of America’s most recognizable mid-size cities — Derby city, bourbon capital, UPS Worldport, and home to global brands like Humana, Yum!, and Brown-Forman.

DialPhone assigns 502 numbers in minutes with full STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation, so your outbound calls land as verified rather than flagged as spam. With 502 approaching its 2027 exhaust date, inventory is tightening — earlier action means more prefix options.

Explore plans at DialPhone pricing or activate a free trial to claim your Louisville number today.

Looking for a specific code? Browse area code 502 or the full Kentucky area codes guide.

Want to bring your existing Louisville number? Our number porting guide covers the full process — most local ports complete in 2–5 business days.

For our full business phone system, see what DialPhone offers beyond the number itself.