Area Code for New Orleans

New Orleans’ area code is 504 — one of the original 86 North American telephone codes, assigned to Louisiana in 1947 and still serving the Crescent City’s south shore today.

The Greater New Orleans metro spans three codes: 504 (south shore — New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner), 985 (north shore — Mandeville, Slidell, Covington), and 225 (Baton Rouge, an hour upriver). This guide covers all three, with deep context on 504’s seven-decade history, its neighborhood-level reach, and what makes it one of the most culturally loaded area codes in the United States.

What’s the area code for New Orleans?

New Orleans and the surrounding south shore parishes are served by area code 504 under the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).

Code	Established	Coverage	Notes
504	1947 (original NANP)	New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner; Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines parishes	Historic code; no overlay as of 2026
985	2001 (split from 504)	North shore — Mandeville, Slidell, Covington, Bogalusa; also Houma, Thibodaux	Created to relieve 504 exhaustion
225	1998 (split from 504)	Baton Rouge metro; East and West Baton Rouge, Livingston, Ascension parishes	Baton Rouge + surrounding south-central LA

All three codes share Central Time (CT) — UTC−6 in winter, UTC−5 during CDT.

Quick rule: south of Lake Pontchartrain = 504. North of the lake = 985. Baton Rouge metro = 225.

New Orleans area codes by neighborhood

Area code 504 covers the full south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, including every neighborhood in New Orleans proper.

Historic core and downtown

• French Quarter (Vieux Carré) — Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, the French Market; birthplace of jazz; 504 has rung here since 1947
• Central Business District (CBD) — Entergy, Pan-American Life, Hancock Whitney Bank, major law firms and hotels
• Warehouse / Arts District — contemporary galleries, converted loft offices, the Convention Center corridor
• Tremé — oldest African-American neighborhood in the United States; home of jazz funerals and second-line parades

Upriver neighborhoods

• Garden District — antebellum mansions; St. Charles Avenue streetcar line; upscale residential
• Uptown — Tulane University, Loyola University, Audubon Park; dense with healthcare and education employers
• Mid-City — City Park, New Orleans Museum of Art, diverse residential; Tulane Medical Center corridor
• Carrollton / Riverbend — residential bend of the Mississippi; neighborhood restaurants and coffee shops

Downriver neighborhoods

• Faubourg Marigny — live music venues; Frenchmen Street; LGBTQ+ community hub
• Bywater — artist studios, boutique hotels; rapidly gentrifying post-Katrina

West Bank and suburbs (all 504)

• Algiers — only West Bank neighborhood of Orleans Parish; connected by ferry to the French Quarter
• Gretna and Westwego — Jefferson Parish West Bank communities across the river
• Metairie — largest suburban city in the 504 area; major retail, corporate, and healthcare corridor
• Kenner — home of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport; 504

History of New Orleans area codes

New Orleans area code history is a compressed story of Louisiana’s growth, AT&T’s original numbering philosophy, and the long aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

1947 — Louisiana gets a single code: 504. AT&T engineers designed the original NANP assigning one area code per state or major region. Louisiana was assigned 504 in its entirety. All original 86 codes had 0 or 1 as the middle digit — a rotary phone engineering choice that reduced dialing time for the highest-traffic cities.

1957 — 318 splits off North Louisiana. As telephone penetration grew, the state needed more numbers. Most of Louisiana west and north of the Mississippi was renumbered as area code 318, leaving 504 to cover southeastern Louisiana.

1998 — 225 splits off Baton Rouge. Population growth in the Baton Rouge metro drained number availability in the 504 NPA. The western portion — East and West Baton Rouge parishes and surrounding communities — was renumbered as area code 225 in a geographic split, per NANPA.

1999 — 337 takes Lafayette and Acadiana. Southwestern Louisiana — the Lafayette/Acadiana region — was split off from 318 as area code 337.

2001 — 985 takes the north shore. Continuing pressure on 504’s number pool prompted another split. The north shore of Lake Pontchartrain (St. Tammany Parish — Mandeville, Slidell, Covington) and the Houma–Thibodaux area were renumbered as 985. Several downriver suburbs in Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes also moved to 985 at this time.

2007–2008 — Post-Katrina reversion. Hurricane Katrina (2005) caused catastrophic depopulation of many downriver areas. As those communities rebuilt, some suburbs that had migrated to 985 in 2001 reverted to 504. Permissive dual dialing ran July 29, 2007 through April 30, 2008; mandatory 504 transition took effect May 1, 2008.

2021 — 10-digit dialing. The FCC’s designation of 988 as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline required all areas using 7-digit dialing to shift to 10-digit dialing by October 2021. New Orleans joined the national shift.

2025 — 457 overlays 318 (North Louisiana only). Number exhaustion in the 318 NPA prompted a new overlay code, 457, for northern Louisiana. The 504 NPA remains without an overlay — a notable distinction for a major US metro.

504 as New Orleans / NOLA identity

Few American cities have absorbed a telephone area code as deeply into civic identity as New Orleans has with 504.

The code’s prestige comes from its age. Alongside NYC’s 212, DC’s 202, Atlanta’s 404, and Chicago’s 312, the 504 is a founding NANP code — assigned in the original 1947 rollout. In an era of overlays and splits that have multiplied numbers across every major metro, holding a single original code is a mark of heritage.

May 4th = 504 Day. New Orleanians celebrate 5/04 (May 4th) as an unofficial civic holiday honoring the area code. Bars, restaurants, and local businesses run 504-themed promotions. The date has become a social media touchstone for the diaspora — a way for people who’ve left to signal they’re still 504 at heart.

Cultural footprint. 504 Records is a New Orleans jazz label. The 504 Boyz were a New Orleans rap collective formed by Master P. The Soul Rebels and Hot 8 Brass Band reference the code in their work. When Drew Brees broke the all-time NFL touchdown record at the Superdome on December 16, 2019, ESPN’s Joe Tessitore called it “540 in the 504!” — the number of touchdowns, in the city’s area code.

The broader NOLA identity. New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz, the home of Mardi Gras, and the cradle of Creole and Cajun cuisine — gumbo, beignets, étouffée, po’boys. The New Orleans Saints (NFL — Who Dat Nation) and New Orleans Pelicans (NBA) both operate out of 504. Tulane University and Loyola University New Orleans anchor an academic tradition that survived Katrina’s devastation and helped drive the city’s post-2005 rebuild.

The post-Katrina recovery story is itself part of 504’s identity. The metro lost roughly half its population in 2005. By the early 2010s, a wave of young entrepreneurs, healthcare workers, and creatives re-chose New Orleans — and re-chose 504 numbers — as a deliberate act of civic commitment.

New Orleans area code spam and scams

New Orleans and the 504 area code are actively targeted by scammers who spoof local numbers to boost answer rates. Louisiana-specific patterns to know:

Hurricane recovery and FEMA fraud. After named storms, scammers spoof 504 numbers to impersonate FEMA representatives. They offer fake disaster grants or free home inspections requiring an upfront fee. FEMA never charges for disaster assistance and never initiates contact this way.

Entergy utility shutoff scams. Entergy New Orleans is the city’s electric utility. Scammers impersonate Entergy, claiming your service will be cut unless you pay immediately via gift card or wire transfer. Entergy initiates shutoff notices by mail, not phone.

Benefits termination scams. Automated calls claim Medicaid, SNAP, or Lifeline benefits are expiring, urging victims to press a number to “save their benefits.” Louisiana’s high public-benefit enrollment rate makes this an especially targeted approach for the 504 area.

Mardi Gras ticket and event scams. Callers spoofing 504 numbers offer tickets to Mardi Gras balls, Jazz Fest, or French Quarter Fest. Payment collected; tickets never materialize. Legitimate ticket offers for major NOLA events do not come unsolicited by phone.

IRS and Social Security impersonation. Standard national scam pattern, but targeted with local 504 caller ID. Callers claim a warrant is pending or your SSN is compromised and demand gift card payments.

STIR/SHAKEN and call authentication. The FCC mandated STIR/SHAKEN to combat spoofing. Carriers assign each outbound call an attestation level: A (fully verified — carrier confirms the caller owns the number), B (partial), or C (unverified gateway). Spoofed scam calls receive C-attestation and appear as “Spam Likely” on modern smartphones.

DialPhone 504 numbers carry A-attestation — the highest STIR/SHAKEN trust level. See our STIR/SHAKEN glossary for the full technical breakdown.

How to get a New Orleans business phone number

Getting a 504 number for your business takes under 10 minutes through a cloud VoIP provider. No New Orleans office required.

Step 1: Choose your area code. A 504 number signals authentic New Orleans south shore presence. If you serve the north shore (Mandeville, Slidell, Covington), a 985 number may serve that market better. Both are available through DialPhone.

Step 2: Sign up with a VoIP provider. DialPhone lets you search available 504 numbers by area code during signup. Select from available numbers in real time — no waiting lists.

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

Step 4: Configure outbound caller ID. Set your 504 number as the outbound caller ID. Calls you make will display the New Orleans number — not an 800 number or personal cell.

Step 5: Port existing numbers if needed. Already have a 504 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 New Orleans number today.

Famous companies in New Orleans area codes

The 504 code maps to one of the most economically diverse cities in the South — a combination of energy, healthcare, finance, maritime trade, and tech.

Energy. Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) is headquartered in New Orleans and is a Fortune 500 company serving three million customers across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Its main corporate offices operate on 504 numbers.

Healthcare. Ochsner Health is the largest healthcare system in Louisiana, headquartered in Jefferson Parish (504). It operates dozens of medical facilities across the state. LCMC Health Systems, the non-profit system operating University Medical Center New Orleans, also runs on 504.

Finance and insurance. Pan-American Life Insurance Group has been headquartered in New Orleans’ CBD since 1911 — a 504 institution. Hancock Whitney Bank, one of the largest regional banks in the Gulf South, is headquartered in Gulfport but maintains major operations in the 504 market. Capital One has a substantial New Orleans technology and operations presence.

Technology. Lucid (formerly Lucid Software’s data platform spinout) operates out of New Orleans, part of a growing “Silicon Bayou” tech ecosystem. iSeatz, a travel technology company, is headquartered in New Orleans (504) and powers booking platforms for major airlines and loyalty programs.

Maritime and logistics. The Port of New Orleans is one of the busiest ports in the United States by tonnage and operates on 504. Its logistics and shipping tenants span dozens of 504-addressed companies.

Sports. The New Orleans Saints (NFL) and New Orleans Pelicans (NBA) both operate out of the Caesars Superdome complex in the CBD — 504.

New Orleans area code FAQ

New Orleans area code FAQ

What is the area code for New Orleans? +

The area code for New Orleans is 504. It covers the city of New Orleans (Orleans Parish) along with most of Jefferson Parish, all of St. Bernard Parish, and all of Plaquemines Parish — the full south shore metropolitan core.

Area code 504 was established in 1947 as one of the original 86 North American Numbering Plan codes, making it one of the oldest and most recognized area codes in the United States. Unlike most major metros, New Orleans has no overlay code — 504 is the single area code for the city.

Is 985 a New Orleans area code? +

Area code 985 covers the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain — communities like Mandeville, Slidell, Covington, Bogalusa, and Houma — but not the city of New Orleans itself. It was split from 504 in 2001 to relieve number exhaustion.

Think of it this way: if you're south of Lake Pontchartrain in the New Orleans metro, you're in 504. If you're north of the lake on the north shore, you're in 985. Both are considered part of the broader Greater New Orleans area.

What area code is Metairie and Kenner? +

Metairie and Kenner are both in Jefferson Parish and both use area code 504. Jefferson Parish sits immediately west of Orleans Parish and is the most populous parish in the 504 numbering plan area. Major communities in Jefferson Parish within 504 include Metairie, Kenner, Marrero, Harvey, Gretna, and Westwego.

Why is there no area code overlay for 504? +

As of 2026, area code 504 has not received an overlay because the existing number pool has not been exhausted. The 2001 split that created 985 — removing the north shore and some downriver suburbs — significantly reduced demand on the 504 pool.

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and NANPA only authorize new overlays or splits when a numbering plan area is projected to exhaust its available numbers. New Orleans' relatively stable population since Hurricane Katrina has extended 504's runway, making it one of the few original major-metro codes still operating without an overlay.

What cities are in the 504 area code? +

The 504 area code covers: New Orleans (all neighborhoods), Metairie, Kenner, Marrero, Harvey, Gretna, Westwego, Chalmette, Arabi, Belle Chasse, and portions of Plaquemines Parish extending south toward the Gulf.

It does not cover the north shore (985 — Mandeville, Slidell, Covington) or Baton Rouge (225) or Lafayette (337).

What area code is Baton Rouge? +

Baton Rouge uses area code 225. It was split from the original 504 NPA in 1998 when the western portion of southeastern Louisiana — including Baton Rouge, Gonzales, and Hammond — was renumbered. Area code 225 covers East Baton Rouge Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish, and surrounding south-central Louisiana communities.

Are 504 calls spam? +

Not inherently. Legitimate New Orleans businesses use 504 numbers. The problem is caller ID spoofing — scammers fake a local 504 number to boost answer rates in the metro area. Common Louisiana-specific scams include fake FEMA disaster aid calls, Entergy utility shutoff impersonation, and hurricane recovery fraud.

STIR/SHAKEN is the FCC-mandated caller authentication framework. Carriers assign each call an attestation: A (fully verified), B (partial), or C (unverified gateway). Spoofed scam calls get C-attestation and trigger 'Spam Likely' on smartphones. DialPhone 504 numbers carry A-attestation — the highest trust level.

How do I get a New Orleans 504 phone number? +

You can get a 504 number through any cloud VoIP provider without a physical New Orleans office. The process takes under 10 minutes: sign up, search available 504 numbers, assign to your mobile or desktop app, and configure outbound caller ID.

DialPhone assigns available 504 numbers instantly with full STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation. If you already have a 504 number with another carrier, you can port it in typically 2–5 business days. See our number porting guide for details.

Get a New Orleans business number

A 504 number puts your business inside one of the most culturally distinctive metro areas in the United States — and one of the few original NANP codes still operating without an overlay.

DialPhone assigns New Orleans 504 numbers in minutes with full STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation. Your outbound calls display as verified, not flagged as spam. Explore plans at DialPhone pricing or activate a free trial to claim your New Orleans number today.

Looking for a specific code? Browse area code 504, area code 985, or the full Louisiana area codes guide.

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

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