Area code 818 — San Fernando Valley
Split from 213 on 7 January 1984 to serve the San Fernando Valley — eight months before New York performed the same operation with 718. It is the only Los Angeles code that maps onto a place Angelenos already treated as separate: the Valley is a cultural boundary as much as a geographic one, and 818 is the number that marks it.
New numbers available in 818Area code 818 covers the San Fernando Valley — Burbank, Glendale, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, North Hollywood and west to Woodland Hills.
It shares that territory with the 747 overlay, added in 2009 after the public made clear it preferred not to change numbers again.
Area code 818 at a glance
- State
- California
- County
- Los Angeles County
- Region
- San Fernando Valley
- Time zone
- Pacific Time (PT)
- In service since
- January 7, 1984
- Type
- Geographic code
How a 818 number is built
Every North American number has four parts. Knowing where the seams fall answers most of what people ask about 818.
Cities and areas served by 818
- Burbank
- Glendale
- Sherman Oaks
- Van Nuys
- North Hollywood
- Studio City
- Woodland Hills
- Northridge
Nearby area codes
Bordering California and the surrounding region. A number in one of these is close to 818 but not in it.
How 818 came about
The first of the modern Los Angeles splits, and the one that followed a boundary people already recognised.
- Before 1984The Valley dials 213Burbank, Glendale and the whole San Fernando Valley share a code with downtown Los Angeles, thirty miles and a mountain range away.
- January 7, 1984The Valley gets its own number818 is split from 213 to serve the San Fernando Valley. Los Angeles becomes one of the first major American cities divided into multiple numbering areas — eight months ahead of New York’s 718 split.
- 1997The eastern edge separates626 is split off to serve Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, tightening 818 onto the San Fernando Valley proper.
- 2009An overlay, by public preference747 is overlaid across the whole 818 territory rather than splitting it again. The choice reflected clear public preference against another round of number changes — the same reasoning that had turned overlays into the default across Los Angeles.
Which code should you choose?
Two codes cover the San Fernando Valley, and they cover it identically.
| Code | Since | How it reads |
|---|---|---|
| 818 | 1984 | The Valley. Four decades of association with it |
| 747 | 2009 | Same ground, newer, with far more numbers free |
| 213 | 1947 | Downtown, over the hills |
| 626 | 1997 | Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley — a different valley |
If you want the number itself to say Valley, 818 is the one that does it. 747 covers exactly the same streets and is the better bet for a memorable ending.
What people get wrong about 818
Is 818 used for spam calls?
818 is spoofed as a plausible suburban Los Angeles number. That is its usefulness to a fraudster: it reads as residential and unremarkable, which suits a call pretending to be a local trade, a delivery or a neighbour rather than an institution. Caller ID is a display field rather than proof of origin, so an 818 on screen tells you nothing about where the call started. Treat unexpected requests for payment or personal details as suspect — so check anything unexpected against a number you already had on file.
Area code 818 FAQ
What area code is 818?
818 covers the San Fernando Valley, including Burbank, Glendale, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Studio City, Woodland Hills and Northridge. It shares that territory with the 747 overlay.
Is 818 Los Angeles?
Yes — the San Fernando Valley is part of the City of Los Angeles, along with independent neighbours like Burbank and Glendale. It is separated from the rest of the city by the Santa Monica Mountains, which is the boundary the 1984 split followed.
What is the difference between 818 and 747?
Nothing geographic. 747 was overlaid on the entire 818 territory in 2009, so both cover the same ground. 818 is the older and more recognisable; 747 has far more unassigned numbers.
When was the 818 area code created?
On 7 January 1984, when it was split from 213 to serve the San Fernando Valley. It was among the earliest big-city numbering splits in the United States — New York’s 718 split followed eight months later.
Can I still get an 818 number?
Yes. 818 is still issuing numbers, though 747 covers the same streets and holds a considerably larger pool if a specific pattern or memorable ending matters to you.
What time zone is the 818 area code in?
Pacific, like the rest of Los Angeles — UTC−8 in winter, UTC−7 in summer.
Is 818 the same as 626?
No. 818 covers the San Fernando Valley; 626 covers Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, on the other side of Los Angeles. 626 was split off from 818 in 1997.
How do I get an 818 business number?
Search 818 inventory for the Valley, or 747 if the digits matter more than the prefix. Configure routing before the number goes out.
Why did the Valley get its own area code?
Because 213 was running short and the San Fernando Valley was the natural piece to separate — geographically distinct behind the mountains and already regarded locally as its own part of Los Angeles.
Why do I have to dial ten digits in the 818 area?
Because 747 overlays the same territory. Once two codes share the same streets, a seven-digit local number no longer identifies which one you mean.
Getting a 818 business number
818 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 818 number
- Recording & SMSOn the same line, no add-on