318 Area Code: Location, Cities, History & How to Get One

The 318 area code is the phone prefix of a region that punches far above its weight — geographically vast, historically significant, and culturally extraordinary. It covers the northwestern and central parishes of Louisiana, anchored by Shreveport in the west and stretching east through Monroe to the heart of the state near Alexandria. This is the territory of Barksdale Air Force Base, one of the most strategically important military installations in the United States. It is the land of the Louisiana Hayride, the radio stage that introduced Elvis Presley and Hank Williams to the nation. And it is the birthplace of the American blues tradition, rooted in the soil of Caddo Parish before it traveled north to reshape the world.

In 2025, the 318 area code entered a new chapter with the introduction of the 457 overlay — Louisiana's first-ever area code overlay — and mandatory 10-digit dialing across the entire region. Whether you need to understand who called you from a 318 number, want to establish a local presence in the Ark-La-Tex market, or are simply curious about one of the South's most distinctive telephone territories, this guide covers everything.

What Is the 318 Area Code?

The 318 area code is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) serving the northern and central portions of Louisiana. It covers a large geographic territory — more than 20 parishes — stretching from the Arkansas border in the north to the edge of the Acadiana region in the south, and from the Texas border in the west to the Mississippi River corridor in the east.

As of September 25, 2025, the 318 area code shares its territory with the new 457 overlay area code — the first overlay ever implemented in Louisiana. Both codes cover the exact same geographic region, meaning new telephone lines may be assigned either a 318 or a 457 prefix. Since August 25, 2025, all local calls within the 318/457 territory require mandatory 10-digit dialing — dialing just 7 digits will not connect.

The entire 318 area code location falls within the Central Time Zone (CT) — Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−6) in winter and Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−5) during daylight saving time.

318 Area Code Quick Facts

The History of Area Code 318

The history of the 318 area code reflects Louisiana's growth, the communications revolution, and the relentless expansion of demand for telephone numbers over seven decades.

1947 — Louisiana Gets Area Code 504

When AT&T established the North American Numbering Plan in 1947, the entire state of Louisiana was assigned a single area code: 504. This original code covered every parish in the state, from New Orleans in the south to Shreveport in the northwest — a single prefix for a geographically diverse and rapidly growing state.

1957 — Area Code 318 Is Born

By the mid-1950s, Louisiana's telephone network was growing fast enough to require a split. In 1957, area code 318 was created from a split of 504, assigned to cover most of Louisiana west of the Mississippi River. The new 318 territory was enormous — stretching from the Gulf Coast north to the Arkansas border, encompassing Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, Lafayette, and Lake Charles in a single area code. Area code 504 was retained for New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana.

1999 — Area Code 337 Split for Southern Louisiana

The explosive growth of cell phones, fax machines, and internet dial-up connections during the 1990s put severe pressure on available number capacity in the large 318 territory. In 1999, the southern portion of the 318 numbering plan area was split off to create area code 337, covering Lafayette, Lake Charles, and the Acadiana/southwestern Louisiana region. Permissive dialing for the new 337 code began on October 11, 1999, with mandatory use of the new code beginning on March 13, 2000. After this split, area code 318 was reduced to its current footprint: northern and central Louisiana.

2023–2025 — The 457 Overlay: Louisiana's First

The continued growth of wireless devices, IoT connections, and VoIP services eventually exhausted the remaining available numbers in the 318 territory. On May 5, 2023, the Louisiana Public Service Commission approved an all-services distributed overlay for the 318 numbering plan area, adding area code 457 — marking the first area-code overlay ever implemented in Louisiana. The rollout followed a structured timeline:

• August 26, 2024: Network preparation begins
• February 24, 2025: Permissive 10-digit dialing period begins
• August 25, 2025: Mandatory 10-digit dialing — 7-digit calls no longer connect
• September 25, 2025: New telephone lines begin receiving 457 numbers

Complete 318 Area Code Timeline

Cities & Parishes Covered by the 318 Area Code

The 318 area code spans a vast portion of northern and central Louisiana, covering more than 140 cities and towns across 20+ parishes. The region is anchored by three metro areas: the Shreveport-Bossier City metro in the northwest, the Monroe-West Monroe metro in the northeast, and the Alexandria metro in the center of the state.

Major Cities

Key Parishes in the 318 Area Code

Neighboring Area Codes

The Economy Behind the 318 Area Code

The economy of the 318 area code region is built on four pillars: military and defense, healthcare, energy, and agriculture. Together, these sectors generate billions of dollars in annual economic activity and provide stable employment to hundreds of thousands of people across the northern and central Louisiana parishes.

Barksdale Air Force Base: The Region's Economic Engine

Barksdale Air Force Base, located in Bossier City adjacent to Shreveport, is one of the most significant military installations in the United States — and it is the single largest economic driver in the 318 area code region. Home to the 2nd Bomb Wing and serving as a key installation for the Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale's economic impact is enormous:

• $1.1 billion+ in direct annual economic impact on the region
• $3.8 billion in total economic output for northwest Louisiana from military activity in 2024 (including Camp Minden and National Guard units)
• $870 million+ in military contracting activity added to the regional economy in 2024
• 6,400+ military retirees in Northwest Louisiana with annual gross pay exceeding $205 million
• A $210.2 million Weapons Generation Facility contract was awarded in September 2023 for a new 28-acre complex at Barksdale
• In August 2024, the 2nd Bomb Wing activated two new Bomber Generation Squadrons — the 20th and 96th — expanding the base's operational footprint

Healthcare: The Largest Employment Sector

Healthcare and social assistance is the largest employment sector across the 318 region, reflecting the area's role as a medical hub for a large rural territory. Major health systems include:

• Willis-Knighton Health System — the largest employer in Shreveport, with four hospitals, multiple clinics, and thousands of employees across the region
• Christus Health Louisiana — major regional hospital network serving Shreveport and surrounding communities
• LSU Health Shreveport — academic medical center and research institution training the next generation of Louisiana physicians

Energy, Logistics, and Tech

Shreveport's oil and gas heritage runs deep: after oil was discovered in Louisiana in the early 20th century, the city became a national hub for petroleum industry operations. Trade connections to the east Texas corridor — particularly the 214 area code in Dallas — remain a significant driver of regional commerce. Standard Oil of Louisiana was headquartered here, and while the industry has contracted since its peak, the energy sector remains a significant regional employer and economic contributor. In logistics, Amazon's Shreveport fulfillment center employs 1,000–1,500 workers and represents the broader growth of e-commerce logistics in the region. Metro Aviation, headquartered in Shreveport, is one of the nation's largest air medical transport operators.

Key Industries in the 318 Region

318 in Music & Culture: The Cradle of American Sound

Few regions of comparable size have contributed more to American music than the territory covered by the 318 area code. The northwestern Louisiana parishes — and Caddo Parish in particular — were ground zero for the birth of American blues. The railroad juke joints, speakeasies, and "barrel houses" of the Blue Goose area in Shreveport's African American neighborhoods nurtured the early careers of blues pioneers including:

• Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter) — born near Mooringsport, Caddo Parish, in 1888. One of the most influential blues and folk musicians in American history, Lead Belly's work laid foundations that would reverberate through rock, R&B, and folk music for generations.
• Blind Lemon Jefferson — performed in the Shreveport area's early blues circuit.
• Jesse "Baby Face" Thomas — a key early figure in the Texas-Louisiana blues tradition.

The downtown Calanthean Temple — built in 1923 by the Court of Calanthe, an African American women's organization — served as Shreveport's most prestigious venue for touring jazz artists. Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, and Jelly Roll Morton all performed there during the 1930s, connecting the 318 region to the heart of American jazz history.

The Louisiana Hayride: Cradle of the Stars

On April 3, 1948, KWKH radio in Shreveport launched the Louisiana Hayride — a live country music broadcast that would become the second most important country music radio show in America, behind only the Grand Ole Opry. The artists it launched — including Elvis Presley and Hank Williams — went on to define the Nashville sound centered in the 615 area code. Broadcasting on a 50,000-watt signal that reached 28 states, the Hayride earned its nickname "Cradle of the Stars" by discovering and platforming artists before the rest of the country knew their names. The most famous moments:

Located at a cultural crossroads where the Deep South meets the frontier West, the Ark-La-Tex region that the 318 area code anchors has a musical identity unlike anywhere else in America — simultaneously rooted in blues, country, gospel, rockabilly, and Creole traditions.

Virtual Phone Number vs. Traditional Landline

If you need a 318 area code phone number, you have two main options: a traditional landline or carrier number, or a cloud-based virtual phone number. For most businesses and individuals today — especially those operating outside Louisiana who need a local 318 presence — virtual numbers offer clear advantages.

Why Your Business Needs a 318 Area Code Number

A 318 area code number is a powerful asset for businesses looking to serve northern and central Louisiana — or the broader Ark-La-Tex tri-state market. Here is why:

• Local credibility across 1.34 million people: The 318 region has approximately 1.34 million residents spread across 20+ parishes. A local 318 number signals that you are part of their community — not a distant call center.
• Higher call-answer rates: Research consistently shows that local area code numbers are answered at significantly higher rates than toll-free or out-of-state numbers. In a region with deep community ties like northern Louisiana, this advantage is especially pronounced.
• Reach the Ark-La-Tex market: The Ark-La-Tex region — where Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas converge — is a distinct economic and cultural zone. A 318 number is the standard identifier for businesses serving this tri-state corridor.
• Defense contractor advantage: With Barksdale AFB generating over $3.8 billion in regional economic activity, businesses in defense contracting, logistics, healthcare, and professional services benefit directly from having a recognized local 318 number.
• Healthcare market access: The 318 region is a major healthcare hub for a large rural catchment area. Medical practices, insurance companies, and health-tech firms targeting the region need a local number patients and providers will recognize and trust.
• University market: Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana State University Shreveport, and Centenary College represent a significant student and faculty population that is easier to reach with a local 318 number.

How to Get a 318 Area Code Number

Getting a 318 area code phone number through Callmama takes just a few minutes and requires no physical presence in Louisiana. Follow these steps:

1. Download the Callmama app — available for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play), or access via web browser.
2. Create your account — sign up with your email address and complete a quick identity verification. No Louisiana address is needed.
3. Search for a 318 number — use the number search tool, filter by area code 318, and browse available numbers. Look for a memorable pattern if needed.
4. Select your plan — choose a subscription plan that fits your call volume and feature needs.
5. Activate and configure — set up call forwarding to your existing mobile or landline, configure voicemail, and add team members if needed.
6. Start making and receiving calls — your 318 number is live immediately and works on any smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Features of Your 318 Virtual Number

• Call forwarding — route incoming calls to any device or number
• Voicemail to email — receive voicemail transcripts and audio files by email
• SMS / text messaging — send and receive text messages from your 318 number
• IVR / auto-attendant — professional call menus for businesses
• Call recording — record calls for compliance or quality assurance
• International calling — competitive rates to call anywhere in the world
• Multiple devices — use your 318 number on your phone, laptop, or tablet simultaneously
• Number portability — bring your existing number to Callmama or keep your new 318 number if you switch providers

How to Dial a 318 Area Code Number

Since August 25, 2025, all calls within the 318/457 numbering plan area — including local calls — require mandatory 10-digit dialing, in keeping with the FCC guidelines for overlay area codes. Calls dialed with only 7 digits will not connect. Here is how dialing works depending on your situation:

Important: If you have an older phone, business phone system, or alarm system programmed for 7-digit local dialing, update it to dial 10 digits. This applies to all equipment in the 318 territory — including fax machines, elevator phones, and medical alert devices.

Is the 318 Area Code a Scam?

The 318 area code is a legitimate geographic area code serving northern and central Louisiana. Calls from 318 numbers most often come from real people and businesses in Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, and surrounding communities. However, like any area code, 318 can be spoofed — scammers use technology to make their calls appear to originate from a 318 number even when they are calling from an entirely different location or country.

Common 318 Area Code Scams

How to Protect Yourself

• Never act on urgency alone. Scammers create pressure to prevent you from thinking clearly. Real callers — including government agencies and utilities — will allow you to verify their identity and call back.
• Do not trust caller ID. Spoofing technology allows any number to be displayed on caller ID. A 318 number does not guarantee the caller is actually in northern Louisiana.
• Hang up and call the official number. If someone claims to be from the IRS, Social Security, or your utility company, hang up and call the number listed on the official website or your billing statement.
• Report scam calls. File reports with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and with Louisiana's Attorney General at ag.state.la.us. Your report helps protect others in the 318 community.
• Use call-blocking tools. Services like Hiya, Nomorobo, and your carrier's built-in spam protection can flag or block known scam numbers before your phone even rings.

Conclusion

The 318 area code is the telephone identity of one of the most fascinating regions in America — a vast northern Louisiana territory where military power, medical excellence, energy history, and world-changing music all converge. From Barksdale Air Force Base's $3.8 billion annual economic footprint to the Louisiana Hayride stage where Elvis Presley first reached a national audience, the 318 region carries a story that far exceeds what its geography might suggest.

The arrival of the 457 overlay in 2025 — Louisiana's first-ever area code overlay — and the mandatory shift to 10-digit dialing mark a new chapter for the 318 territory. The region is growing, and so is the demand for its phone numbers.

For businesses, a 318 area code virtual number from Callmama delivers immediate local credibility across the Ark-La-Tex market — with no Louisiana address required. Setup takes minutes, and every feature you need to run a professional phone operation is included. The 318 area code has served northern Louisiana for nearly 70 years. It is ready to serve your business too.