Area codes 213 and 323

Area codes 213 and 323 are California telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan. They contain, roughly, the area of central Los Angeles. 213/323 also includes several gateway cities of the region, including Bell and Huntington Park. Before being reunited in an overlay in 2017, they were separate area codes, with 213 containing only downtown Los Angeles and its immediately adjoining neighborhoods, with 323 containing the rest of the area.

Area code 213 was one of the three original area codes assigned to California in 1947. Initially it covered the southern third of the state from the Central Coast to the Mexican border. The numbering plan area was extended to the north in 1950, merging the southern portion of the Central Valley, including Bakersfield, from area code 415.

As a result of southern California's rapid expansion during the second half of the 20th century, the plan area 213 was split on numerous occasions. The first area split became necessary in 1951, when most of the southern portion, including Orange County and San Diego, was assigned area code 714. In 1957, 213 was restricted to Los Angeles County, with most of the old 213's northern and western portion becoming area code 805. In 1984, the San Fernando Valley and the San Gabriel Valley became area code 818, thus making Los Angeles one of the first major cities in the US to be split between two area codes (New York City was split between 212 and 718 the same year). In 1991, West Los Angeles and the South Bay became area code 310. The 213 area code was reduced even more in 1998, when practically all of the old 213 territory outside of downtown became area code 323. 213 only covered the downtown area its immediately adjoining neighborhoods such as Koreatown, Echo Park, and Chinatown. 323 covered most of the remainder of central Los Angeles, including Hollywood. 323 also included several gateway cities of the region, including Bell and Huntington Park. It completely surrounded 213 until the 2017 overlay. The plan requires ten-digit dialling in the unified areas, and making the traditional 7-digit local dialling within the area code extinct.

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