---
title: "Area code 818: California, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/818.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/818"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 818 serves California, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in California."
---

# Area code 818: California, United States

Area code 818 serves California, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in California.

NANPA lists 781 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 818, held by 33 holders across 17 rate centers.
Pacific Bell holds the most prefixes, 265 (34%). 53% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 5,471 complaints on file for 3,884 numbers in 818, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 1984-01-07
- Time zone: Pacific (P)
- Assigned overlays: 747 (2009-05-18)
- Prefixes in use: 781
- Pooled prefixes: 412 (53%)
- Rate centers: 17
- Companies holding prefixes: 33
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-25 to 2025-12-11 (188 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 39

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VAN NUYS | 236 | 30% |
| CANOGAPARK | 92 | 12% |
| BRBN BRBN | 88 | 11% |
| NO HOLLYWD | 63 | 8% |
| GLENDALE | 57 | 7% |
| NORTHRIDGE | 38 | 5% |
| RESEDA | 33 | 4% |
| SNFN SNFN | 33 | 4% |
| 9 other rate centers | 141 | 18% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pacific Bell | 265 | 34% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 73 | 9% |
| T-Mobile USA | 71 | 9% |
| Verizon Wireless | 63 | 8% |
| Mcimetro Access Transmission Services | 43 | 6% |
| Frontier California | 37 | 5% |
| 27 other carriers | 229 | 29% |

A prefix holder is the company a code was assigned to, not necessarily a number's current carrier, because numbers can be ported to another company.

## History

- 1947-01-01: Area code 213, named as the parent of 818 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 1984-01-07: Area code 818 went into service.
- 1997-06-14: Area code 626 went into service and names 818 as its parent.
- 2009-05-18: Area code 747 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 818.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 818, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 310 (about 22 miles), 424 (about 22 miles), 626 (about 24 miles), 562 (about 28 miles) and 657 (about 39 miles).

## ZIP codes

39 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Glendale, CA (14 ZIP codes), Van Nuys, CA (13 ZIP codes) and Northridge, CA (6 ZIP codes). A ZIP code and an area code are unrelated systems, so a ZIP code can sit in more than one area code and an area code spans many ZIP codes.

## Complaints on file

5,471 complaints for 3,884 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 195
- 2024: 170
- 2025: 138

## Questions

### Where is area code 818?

NANPA assigns area code 818 to California, United States.

### In which state does area code 818 sit?

California. 818 is one of 41 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 818 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 818 are Glendale, CA, Van Nuys, CA and Northridge, CA. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 818?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 818, Pacific Bell holds the most prefixes, 265 prefixes or 34%.

### Which time zone does 818 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 818 as Pacific (P).

### What year did 818 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1984-01-07, so 818 has been in use since 1984.

### Does area code 818 have an overlay?

Yes. 747 (in service 2009-05-18) shares the same area with 818, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.

### Which area codes are nearest to 818?

The area codes closest to 818, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 310 (about 22 miles), 424 (about 22 miles), 626 (about 24 miles), 562 (about 28 miles) and 657 (about 39 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 818 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 781 prefixes in service in 818, spread over 17 rate centers and 33 holders.

### Are there complaints about 818 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 5,471 complaints for 3,884 numbers in 818. They are unverified consumer reports. A number with no complaints on file is not proven safe.

Sources: NANPA central office code report dated 2026-10-17; NANPA NPA report dated 2026-10-18; FCC unwanted-call complaints, data fetched 2026-10-17; ZIP code places from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).