The area code 213 is located in Los Angeles, California.
Area code 213 serves the heart of Los Angeles, California, with a focus on Downtown and nearby central neighborhoods. It’s one of California’s original area codes, established in 1947 under the North American Numbering Plan. Today, 213 operates in an overlay with 323, meaning both area codes cover the same central Los Angeles region. This area code is closely tied to city life, government, business, and culture in the urban core.
You’ll find many of Los Angeles’s best-known landmarks within the 213/323 overlay area. Highlights include major civic, sports, and arts destinations in and around Downtown Los Angeles:
The history of 213 reflects Los Angeles’s growth: it originally covered a much larger area and saw multiple splits, including 714 (1951), 805 (1957), 818 (1984), 310 (1991), and 323 (1998). Since 2017, 213 and 323 form a unified overlay, so new numbers in central Los Angeles can be assigned either code. Local calls in the region require 10-digit dialing. For international calls, use the format +1 213 xxx xxxx, and remember the area sits in the Pacific Time Zone (PT).
"Year established: 1947; original CA area codes: 213, 415, 916." — North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA)
Helpful tip: If you get a call from a 213 phone number, it most likely originates from central Los Angeles within the 213/323 overlay footprint.