213 Area Code: Downtown Los Angeles, California

The 213 area code is a North American Numbering Plan (NANP) geographic code assigned to Downtown Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Since July 2017, it has operated as an overlay with the 323 area code — and since November 2024, also with the newly introduced 738 area code — forming a triple-overlay numbering plan area across the Los Angeles urban core.

The 213/323/738 overlay complex covers the following neighborhoods and cities:

Businesses that want to activate service right away can start with local phone numbers.

The 213 area code's story is the story of California's explosive 20th-century growth.

When NANPA introduced the North American Numbering Plan in 1947, the entire southern half of California — from the Central Coast to the Mexican border — was assigned a single area code: 213. For just four years, one code served Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and everything in between.

Then came five successive splits over the next five decades:

1951 — Area Code 714. San Diego and most of Orange County were split off, forming the new 714 area code.

1957 — Area Code 805. Northern and western portions of the remaining 213 territory — what are today Santa Barbara and Ventura County areas — were split off as 805.

1984 — Area Code 818. The San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel Valley — among the fastest-growing suburban regions in the US — were removed from the 213 NPA and reassigned to the new 818 area code.

1991 — Area Code 310. West Los Angeles, the Westside, and the South Bay were split off as the new 310 area code.

1998 — Area Code 323. The fifth and final split carved Hollywood, East Hollywood, East Los Angeles, and Southeast Los Angeles County cities out of 213, assigning them to the new 323 code.

2017 — The 213/323 Overlay. Rather than a sixth split, the California Public Utilities Commission eliminated the boundary between 213 and 323. From July 8, 2017, both codes became overlays covering the entire former 213/323 territory simultaneously, with mandatory 10-digit dialing for all local calls.

November 2024 — Area Code 738. As the 213/323 number pool continued filling, NANPA introduced 738 as a third overlay to the same territory.

For a detailed numbering history, see Wikipedia's overview of the 213 area code.

Los Angeles is one of the most complex area code environments in the United States, with multiple overlays across different zones of the metro. Here's how the codes covering the urban core compare to the wider LA landscape:

The 213 area code region is the economic and cultural engine of the American West.

Entertainment and Media dominate the 213/323/738 territory. The entertainment industry in Los Angeles directly and indirectly supports over 325,000 workers across approximately 15,000 businesses, generating an estimated economic impact of around $117 billion.

The major studios, talent agencies, music labels, streaming platforms, and production houses operating in Hollywood and Downtown LA have built their client-facing phone presence around 213 and 323 numbers for decades.

Finance and Banking form the region's second major pillar. More than 100 foreign banks and countless domestic banks operate branches in Los Angeles, along with hundreds of investment banks, financial law firms, and asset management firms headquartered in or near Downtown LA's Financial District — Bunker Hill and the surrounding blocks remain one of the most concentrated financial corridors west of Chicago.

International Trade and Commerce anchor the broader LA economy, with the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach processing more container traffic than any other US port complex.

Technology and Aerospace round out the picture, with the LA tech sector expanding rapidly — Silicon Beach firms in the 310 territory have supply chains and vendor networks that run deep into the 213/323 urban core. Teams managing clients across entertainment, finance, and tech use an omnichannel communication platform to keep every channel — calls, SMS, email — unified in one place.

A 213 number in Los Angeles carries a signal that 323, 738, and especially out-of-state numbers simply cannot match.

77 Years of Legacy Recognition. The 213 area code has been dialing into Los Angeles since 1947. Entertainment executives, entertainment attorneys, studio procurement teams, and Downtown LA financial clients have been exchanging 213 numbers since their industries were built.

A 213 caller ID reads as established — not as a pop-up shop or remote vendor.

The Entertainment Industry's Original Code. The major studios, talent agencies, and music industry offices that first put Hollywood on the map did so with 213 numbers. That association persists, making 213 the prestige prefix for companies entering the entertainment and media ecosystem.

Downtown's Financial and Legal Community. The Bunker Hill financial district, the LA courthouse complex, and the high-rise legal offices of Downtown Los Angeles are 213 territory. For financial services, legal practices, and professional service firms targeting these communities, a 213 number is the most contextually relevant choice.

Scalable AI-Powered Infrastructure. Teloz combines your 213 number with enterprise-grade infrastructure so your Los Angeles presence grows from a single agent to a full enterprise team without disruption. Explore the full Teloz platform at teloz.com.