Area code 747 — The San Fernando Valley
Planned as a split and delivered as an overlay. Regulators intended to divide the San Fernando Valley and move its southern and western half onto a new code; the response from the Valley was that it would rather dial ten digits than give up 818. The plan was changed, and 747 went into service across the whole territory in May 2009 with nobody changing a number.
New numbers available in 747Area code 747 covers the San Fernando Valley: Burbank, Glendale, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Northridge, Woodland Hills and San Fernando.
It shares every street with 818. Having issued numbers only since 2009, it holds most of the Valley’s available supply.
Area code 747 at a glance
- State
- California
- Region
- The San Fernando Valley
- Time zone
- Pacific Time (PT)
- In service since
- May 18, 2009
- Type
- Overlay code
How a 747 number is built
Every North American number has four parts. Knowing where the seams fall answers most of what people ask about 747.
Cities and areas served by 747
- Burbank
- Glendale
- Van Nuys
- North Hollywood
- Sherman Oaks
- Northridge
- Woodland Hills
- San Fernando
Nearby area codes
Bordering California and the surrounding region. A number in one of these is close to 747 but not in it.
How 747 came about
A relief code that changed shape between being planned and being used.
- 1984The Valley gets its own code818 separates from 213, giving the San Fernando Valley a code of its own for the first time. It becomes closely identified with the Valley over the following two decades.
- PlannedA split is drawn upWith 818 running short, the proposal is to split it: the southern and western Valley would move to 747 and change their numbers, while the rest kept 818. Public sentiment runs against it, on the grounds that an overlay lets everyone keep the code they have.
- October 11, 2008Permissive dialling beginsThe overlay is adopted instead. Ten-digit dialling opens across the Valley while seven digits still work, giving the territory seven months to adjust before the second code exists.
- May 18, 2009747 goes into serviceNumbers begin to be issued across the same ground 818 covers. No existing line changes, and the Valley keeps the code it had argued to keep.
Which code should you choose?
Two codes cover the San Fernando Valley, over identical ground.
| Code | Since | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| 747 | 2009 | The Valley’s available numbers, including patterned endings |
| 818 | 1984 | The code the Valley is known by; little left |
| 661 | 1999 | North over the hills — Santa Clarita and Bakersfield |
| 323 | 1998 | Central Los Angeles, over the Cahuenga Pass |
Both are equally local to Burbank or Northridge. 818 is the recognisable one, 747 is the one with supply — and the Valley kept both rather than being split between them.
What people get wrong about 747
Is 747 used for spam calls?
747 is spoofed less than 818, because a forged code persuades in proportion to how well the recipient knows it, and the Valley has known 818 since 1984. That reflects what is effective for a caller with something to hide, not any safeguard built into the code. Displaying a number costs nothing and proves nothing — caller ID carries whatever the originating system supplies. Calls in this area lean toward vehicle warranties, solar and home services. The reliable move with any of them is to hang up and dial the company on a number from its own website rather than the one that rang you.
Area code 747 FAQ
What area code is 747?
747 covers the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles — Burbank, Glendale, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Northridge, Woodland Hills and San Fernando. It is an overlay on 818 and covers the same territory.
Is 747 a real Los Angeles area code?
Yes. It has served the San Fernando Valley since 18 May 2009 and is where most new Valley numbers are issued.
What is the difference between 747 and 818?
Nothing geographic — they cover identical ground. 818 dates from 1984 and has little unassigned supply; 747 arrived in 2009 and holds most of the free numbers.
Was the 747 area code originally going to be a split?
Yes. The plan was to divide the Valley and move its southern and western portion to 747, changing those numbers. Public sentiment favoured an overlay so that 818 holders could keep their code, and the plan was changed before it took effect.
When did the 747 area code start?
It went into service on 18 May 2009. Permissive ten-digit dialling had been running since 11 October 2008.
Is a 747 number less local than an 818?
No. An overlay covers the same territory rather than a piece of it, so 747 is exactly as local to Burbank or Sherman Oaks as 818.
Does 747 cover Burbank and Glendale?
Yes. The entire 818 territory is shared, so Burbank, Glendale, Van Nuys and the rest of the Valley are in 747 as well.
Can I choose a memorable 747 number?
Much more easily than on 818. Having issued only since 2009, 747 holds the larger unassigned pool in the Valley, so repeated or patterned endings are more often free.
What time zone is the 747 area code in?
Pacific — UTC−8 in winter and UTC−7 under daylight saving.
How do I get a 747 business number?
Search 747 for the widest choice of digits, or 818 if you would rather have the code the Valley recognises instantly. Both reach the same customers and neither needs a Valley address.
Getting a 747 business number
747 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 747 number
- Recording & SMSOn the same line, no add-on