Area code 913 — The Kansas side of the Kansas City metro
One of the original 1947 codes, cut back in 1997 to the Kansas side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. It is the only code here that divides a single city between two states: 913 is Kansas, 816 is Missouri, and the two cover one continuous urban area either side of the state line.
New numbers available in 913Area code 913 covers the Kansas portion of the Kansas City metro — Kansas City, Kansas, plus the Johnson County suburbs of Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa and Leawood, and Leavenworth to the north.
It is one of the few large-metro codes in the country with no overlay: the numbers here still identify a place rather than a vintage.
Area code 913 at a glance
- State
- Kansas
- Region
- The Kansas side of the Kansas City metro
- Time zone
- Central Time (CT)
- In service since
- 1947
- Type
- Geographic code
How a 913 number is built
Every North American number has four parts. Knowing where the seams fall answers most of what people ask about 913.
Cities and areas served by 913
- Kansas City (KS)
- Overland Park
- Olathe
- Shawnee
- Lenexa
- Leawood
- Leavenworth
- Prairie Village
Nearby area codes
Bordering Kansas and the surrounding region. A number in one of these is close to 913 but not in it.
How 913 came about
Half a century covering northern Kansas, then a single decisive reduction to the metro.
- 1947Among the original eighty-sixThe first numbering plan assigns 913 to the northern half of Kansas — a territory running from the Missouri line out across the plains, with the Kansas City suburbs as only a small part of it.
- Mid-1990sThe metro drains the stateGrowth in Johnson County, combined with mobile phones and pagers, pushes the pool toward exhaustion. Most of the demand comes from a small corner of a very large numbering area.
- February 12, 1997The split is announcedNANPA confirms that 913 will be reduced to the Kansas City side of the metro, with everything from Lawrence westward taking a new code.
- July 20, 1997785 takes the rest of the stateThe split takes effect. 913 is left covering the metro suburbs it had been drained by, and 785 covers the remaining northern two-thirds of Kansas.
- October 2, 1998Permissive dialling endsFor over a year both codes worked across the old territory while people updated stationery and address books. From this date the boundary is enforced.
Which code should you choose?
Kansas City is one metropolitan area with two codes, and the difference between them is the state line.
| Code | State | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| 913 | Kansas | Kansas City KS, Overland Park, Olathe, Johnson County |
| 816 | Missouri | Kansas City MO, Independence, the Missouri side |
| 785 | Kansas | Topeka, Lawrence and northern Kansas outside the metro |
| 620 | Kansas | Southern Kansas |
For a business in the metro this is a real decision rather than a cosmetic one: 913 says Kansas side, 816 says Missouri side, and locals read the difference immediately.
What people get wrong about 913
Is 913 used for spam calls?
913 is spoofed as a plausible suburban Kansas City prefix — useful to anyone impersonating a local bank, utility or contractor. The state-line detail gives it one specific angle: a caller can pick 913 or 816 to match whichever side of the metro the recipient lives on, which makes the number feel closer than a generic regional code would. Caller ID is a display field rather than proof of origin, so a 913 on screen establishes nothing. Treat unexpected requests for payment or personal details as suspect — so confirm anything unexpected on a number from your own records.
Area code 913 FAQ
What area code is 913?
913 covers the Kansas side of the Kansas City metropolitan area, including Kansas City KS, Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Leawood and Leavenworth.
What is the difference between 913 and 816?
The state line. 913 covers the Kansas half of the Kansas City metro and 816 covers the Missouri half. They are adjacent parts of one continuous urban area under two different state governments.
Is 913 Kansas City, Missouri?
No. Kansas City, Missouri is 816. 913 is Kansas City, Kansas and the Johnson County suburbs on the Kansas side of the border.
Does 913 cover all of Kansas?
Not any more. It covered the northern half of the state until 1997, when everything from Lawrence westward was split off as 785. Southern Kansas is 620.
Does 913 have an overlay?
No. Unusually for a metro of this size, 913 still has no second code sharing its territory — the 1997 split freed enough capacity that one has not yet been required.
What time zone is the 913 area code in?
Central. The Kansas side of the metro runs UTC−6 in winter and UTC−5 in summer — and so does the Missouri side, so the state line does not move the clock.
Can I still get a 913 number?
Yes. 913 is still issuing numbers across the Kansas side of the metro.
How do I get a 913 business number?
Search the 913 pool if your customers are on the Kansas side of the metro. If they are on the Missouri side, 816 is the number they will expect.
Which side of Kansas City should my business number be on?
Whichever side your customers are. Locals read 913 as the Kansas side and 816 as the Missouri side, and in a metro with two city governments and two tax regimes that distinction carries real meaning.
When was the 785 area code split from 913?
It took effect on 20 July 1997, with both codes working across the old territory until permissive dialling ended on 2 October 1998.
Getting a 913 business number
913 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 Kansas.
- 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 913 number
- Recording & SMSOn the same line, no add-on