Area code 424 — The Westside, South Bay and Los Angeles coast
The first overlay California ever used. Until 2006 the state had settled every number shortage by splitting a territory and making one half change its numbers; 424 was the point at which that stopped. It covers the same coastal strip as 310 — Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, the South Bay and Malibu — and every California overlay since has followed the template it set.
New numbers available in 424Area code 424 covers the Westside, the South Bay and the Los Angeles coast: Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo and Malibu.
It shares every street with 310. Having issued numbers only since 2006, it is where the available numbers on that coastline are.
Area code 424 at a glance
- State
- California
- Region
- The Westside, South Bay and Los Angeles coast
- Time zone
- Pacific Time (PT)
- In service since
- August 26, 2006
- Type
- Overlay code
How a 424 number is built
Every North American number has four parts. Knowing where the seams fall answers most of what people ask about 424.
Cities and areas served by 424
- Santa Monica
- Beverly Hills
- Torrance
- Redondo Beach
- Manhattan Beach
- El Segundo
- Malibu
- Inglewood
Nearby area codes
Bordering California and the surrounding region. A number in one of these is close to 424 but not in it.
How 424 came about
The code that arrived because a split was rejected — and changed how California handles shortages.
- 1991310 is carved out of 213The Westside, the South Bay and the coast separate from 213. Within a decade the new code is itself running short, and the numbering plan has to decide what to do about it.
- 1999–2002A split is proposed, and abandonedRegulators plan to divide 310 geographically, which would force one half of the territory onto new numbers. Opposition is heavy — a split moves businesses off numbers already printed on everything they own — and the plan is suspended rather than carried out.
- August 2005An all-services overlay is approved insteadThe California Public Utilities Commission unanimously approves an overlay: a second code across the same ground, with nobody changing a number. It is the first time the state has taken this route.
- July–August 2006Ten digits, then the first numbersTen-digit dialling becomes required across the territory on 26 July 2006. Numbers in the new code begin to be issued a month later, on 26 August.
Which code should you choose?
Two codes cover the Westside, the South Bay and the coast, over identical ground.
| Code | Since | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| 424 | 2006 | The available numbers on this coastline |
| 310 | 1991 | The recognised Westside code; very thin supply |
| 323 | 1998 | Central Los Angeles, inland of here |
| 213 | 1947 | Downtown Los Angeles |
Both are equally local to Santa Monica or Torrance. 310 is the one people recognise on sight; 424 is the one where you can still pick the last four digits.
What people get wrong about 424
Is 424 used for spam calls?
424 is spoofed less than 310, and the reason is worth understanding rather than relying on: a forged number persuades in proportion to how familiar it looks, and 310 carries decades of association with this coastline that 424 has not accumulated. Spoofing the more recognisable code simply works better. Neither code is protected — displaying any area code costs a caller nothing, and caller ID is a label attached at the far end rather than proof of origin. The Westside pattern tends toward calls about property, financing and investment. Any of those asking for money or credentials should be verified on a number you found independently.
Area code 424 FAQ
What area code is 424?
424 covers the Los Angeles Westside, the South Bay and the coast — Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Malibu and Inglewood. It is an overlay on 310 and covers exactly the same territory.
Is 424 a real Los Angeles area code?
Yes. It has served the Westside and South Bay since August 2006 and is where most new numbers on that coastline are issued.
What is the difference between 424 and 310?
Nothing geographic — they cover identical ground. 310 dates from 1991 and has very little unassigned supply left; 424 arrived in 2006 and holds most of the free numbers.
When did the 424 area code start?
Numbers began to be issued on 26 August 2006. Ten-digit dialling had become mandatory across the territory a month earlier, on 26 July.
Was 424 California’s first area code overlay?
Yes. Every earlier California shortage was resolved by splitting a territory in two. The 310 split was proposed and then dropped, and the overlay approved in its place was the first the state used.
Is a 424 number less local than a 310?
No. An overlay adds a second code across a territory rather than taking part of it away, so 424 is exactly as local to Santa Monica or Manhattan Beach as 310 is.
Does 424 cover Beverly Hills and Malibu?
Yes. The whole 310 territory is shared, so Beverly Hills, Malibu, Santa Monica and the South Bay beach cities are all in 424 as well.
Can I choose a memorable 424 number?
Considerably more easily than on 310, which has been issuing since 1991 and has little left. Most of the unassigned inventory on this coastline is in 424.
What time zone is the 424 area code in?
Pacific — UTC−8 in winter and UTC−7 under daylight saving.
How do I get a 424 business number?
Search 424 for availability or 310 if instant recognition matters more than choice of digits. Neither requires an address in the territory, and both reach the same customers.
Getting a 424 business number
424 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 California.
- 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 424 number
- Recording & SMSOn the same line, no add-on