Area code 313 — Detroit and the Downriver communities
One of the original 1947 codes, and one of a very small number anywhere that became the name of the place it serves. Two splits cut it back from most of southeast Michigan to Detroit and the Downriver communities — and as it shrank, "the 313" became how the city refers to itself.
New numbers available in 313Area code 313 covers Detroit and the Downriver communities of Wayne County — Dearborn, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Grosse Pointe and the river towns south of the city.
Since November 2025 it has shared that territory with the 679 overlay, its first addition in the seventy-eight years since it was assigned.
Area code 313 at a glance
- State
- Michigan
- County
- Wayne County
- Region
- Detroit and the Downriver communities
- Time zone
- Eastern Time (ET)
- In service since
- October 1947
- Type
- Geographic code
How a 313 number is built
Every North American number has four parts. Knowing where the seams fall answers most of what people ask about 313.
Cities and areas served by 313
- Detroit
- Dearborn
- Highland Park
- Hamtramck
- Grosse Pointe
- Lincoln Park
- Wyandotte
- Allen Park
Codes sharing the same area
One other code covers the same ground as 313.
Nearby area codes
Bordering Michigan and the surrounding region. A number in one of these is close to 313 but not in it.
How 313 came about
A code that covered a quarter of Michigan, cut back twice to the city itself, and overlaid for the first time in 2025.
- October 1947One of the original eighty-sixThe first North American numbering plan assigns 313 to the southeastern quadrant of Michigan — Detroit, Flint and the southern Thumb, a territory far larger than the city it is now identified with.
- December 1, 1993The north splits away810 is split off to take Flint, Port Huron, the southern Thumb and Detroit’s northern suburbs. It is the first reduction in forty-six years.
- December 13, 1997Reduced to the city734 takes Ann Arbor, Monroe County and western and downriver Wayne County. What remains of 313 is Detroit and the communities immediately around it — roughly the shape it holds today.
- 1997The suburbs subdivide furtherOakland County is split off from 810 as 248. Metropolitan Detroit, which had one code for its first forty-six years, now has four.
- November 7, 2025A first overlay679 goes into service across the same territory. After two splits that took territory away, 313 gains capacity for the first time without losing any ground — and ten-digit dialling arrives with it.
Which code should you choose?
Detroit and its suburbs are covered by several codes, and only two of them share ground.
| Code | Since | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| 313 | 1947 | Detroit and Downriver. The city itself |
| 679 | 2025 | Same territory as 313. Brand new, widest availability |
| 734 | 1997 | Ann Arbor, Monroe, western Wayne |
| 248 | 1997 | Oakland County — the northern suburbs |
For a business trading on being in Detroit rather than metro Detroit, 313 is the only code that says so. 679 covers the same streets and has far more numbers free.
What people get wrong about 313
Is 313 used for spam calls?
313 is spoofed as a recognisably Detroit prefix, which is precisely what a fraudster wants when impersonating a local utility, a bank branch or a city department. Its strong identity works against the recipient here: a number that reads unmistakably as the city feels more trustworthy than an unfamiliar one. Caller ID is a display field rather than proof of origin, so a 313 on screen establishes nothing about where a call started. Treat unexpected requests for payment or personal details as suspect — so confirm any unexpected demand on a number from the organisation’s own site.
Area code 313 FAQ
What area code is 313?
313 covers Detroit and the Downriver communities of Wayne County, including Dearborn, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Grosse Pointe, Lincoln Park and Wyandotte. It shares that territory with the 679 overlay.
Is 313 only Detroit?
Essentially yes, today. It originally covered the whole southeastern quadrant of Michigan, but splits in 1993 and 1997 reduced it to the city and the communities immediately around it.
Why is Detroit called "the 313"?
Because the code has been the city’s since 1947 and the splits pushed the suburbs onto other codes, making it a precise way to say Detroit rather than metro Detroit. It appears in local music, clothing and everyday speech.
What is the 679 area code?
679 is an overlay placed on the 313 territory on 7 November 2025. It covers exactly the same ground rather than a new area, and its arrival is why ten-digit dialling is now required.
What is the difference between 313 and 734?
734 was split from 313 in December 1997 and covers Ann Arbor, Monroe County and western and downriver Wayne County. 313 kept Detroit itself. They are neighbouring but separate territories.
Can I still get a 313 number?
Yes, though after seventy-eight years of issuing numbers the pool is thin. 679 covers identical territory and has far more available if a specific pattern matters to you.
What time zone is the 313 area code in?
Eastern. Michigan’s Lower Peninsula keeps Eastern despite sitting well west of most of the zone — UTC−5 in winter, UTC−4 in summer.
How do I get a 313 business number?
Search 313 while it lasts — seventy-eight years of issuing has thinned it, and 679 is the deeper pool on the same streets.
Why do I now have to dial ten digits in Detroit?
Because 679 was overlaid on the same territory in November 2025. Once two codes share the same streets, a seven-digit local number no longer identifies which one you mean.
Is 313 a scam area code?
No. It is a legitimate Detroit code used by thousands of businesses and residents. It is spoofed frequently because it is instantly recognisable, but that is impersonation of the code rather than anything about the code itself.
Getting a 313 business number
313 numbers are still being issued, so a business anywhere can hold one and route it to wherever its team actually works — you do not need an address in Michigan.
- STIR/SHAKENAttested, so calls are less likely to show as spam
- AI receptionistCover for the hours nobody is at a desk
- Free portingIf you already hold a 313 number
- Recording & SMSOn the same line, no add-on