424 Area Code: Where It’s Used & How to Get One

Area code 424 covers Los Angeles (Westside) and surrounding areas in California. It was activated in 2006 as an overlay of area code 310. Today it shares its territory with overlay code 310. For the full picture, see all California area codes.

History of Area Code 424

Area code 424 was activated on July 26, 2006 in connection with area code 310. The decision was driven by population growth and the exhaustion of available phone numbers in the original numbering plan area.

Since its activation, the geographic area covered by 424 has been reshaped by the following splits:

• 1991 — area code 310 split off to cover Area code 310 was split from 213 on November 2, 1991, to serve the western and coastal portions of Los Angeles County.
• 1997 — area code 562 split off to cover Area code 310 was split on January 25, 1997, creating area code 562 for the southeastern portion of Los Angeles County and parts of Orange County.
• 2006 — area code 424 split off to cover Area code 424 was introduced on July 26, 2006, as an overlay to 310 — the first non-mobile overlay in California — requiring mandatory ten-digit dialing across the entire 310/424 numbering plan area.

Overlay codes have been added to the same geographic territory in:

• 2006 — area code 310 activated as an overlay

Cities and Areas Served by 424

Area code 424 serves West Los Angeles, South Bay, and coastal communities of southwestern Los Angeles County, plus a small portion of Ventura County and Santa Catalina Island, including the following cities and communities:

• Los Angeles (Westside)
• Santa Monica
• Beverly Hills
• Malibu
• Torrance
• Inglewood
• Culver City
• Manhattan Beach

Nearby area codes covering the same broader region include: 310, 213, 323, 562, 818, 747.

Overlay Codes 424

Area code 310 shares the same geographic territory as 424 (added in 2006). New phone numbers in the region may be assigned either code.

Because multiple area codes serve the same area, ten-digit dialing is mandatory for all local calls. A call from any of these codes originates from the same geographic region in California.

The Cultural Weight of a 424 Number

Area code 424 was born out of one of the most contentious area code battles in California history. When the 310 area code — carved from 213 in 1991 to serve the Westside and South Bay — began exhausting its number supply, regulators first proposed splitting it at Imperial Highway in 1999, a plan that would have given the South Bay the 424 designation. Fierce opposition from South Bay governments and businesses, who had already changed their numbers just eight years earlier in the 310 split, derailed that plan. Regulators then proposed an overlay instead, but that too triggered a backlash on the politically powerful Westside, where ten-digit local dialing was seen as an unwelcome burden. Los Angeles Times columnist Robert Scheer championed the protest movement, and the California State Assembly passed the Consumer Area Code Relief Act of 1999 on September 9, 1999, suspending the overlay. The reprieve lasted nearly seven years: on July 26, 2006, 424 was finally activated as an overlay to 310, becoming the first non-mobile area code overlay in the entire state of California. All new numbers in the region were assigned 424 prefixes, while existing 310 subscribers kept their numbers, and ten-digit dialing became mandatory throughout the area.

The 310/424 territory is among the most culturally loaded dialing zones in the United States. Beverly Hills — home to Rodeo Drive, the Beverly Hills Hotel, and decades of Hollywood mythology — sits squarely within this footprint, as do Santa Monica, Malibu, Venice Beach, Culver City, and Inglewood. The region has appeared in countless films and television series, from Clueless, which captured Westside teen culture, to the long-running reality franchise The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The Getty Center, the Santa Monica Pier, and the beach cities of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach are all 424/310 addresses. Major employers anchored in this code’s territory include entertainment and media companies, aerospace firms like Northrop Grumman, and major healthcare institutions including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Because 310 was already considered a prestige identifier for the entertainment industry, 424 entered a landscape where both codes now function as markers of West Los Angeles identity — a relatively rare modern area code that carries genuine cultural cachet despite being introduced in 2006.

How to Get a Phone Number with Area Code 424

There are three ways to get a phone number with the 424 area code, each suited to a different need:

1. Buy from a premium-number specialist. Companies that hold curated inventories of specific area codes can sell you a 424 number directly, often with a one-time fee and ownership transferred to you (no recurring carrier fees). This is the option for picking a specific memorable number, or for getting an area code that most carriers won’t let you request. Browse our 424 inventory.
2. Sign up with a VoIP carrier. Voice-over-IP services (such as Google Voice, OpenPhone, Grasshopper, and many others) can typically provision a 424 number on request, especially for active overlay codes. You won’t usually get to pick the specific number, but you’ll get a working line in the area code. This is the cheapest option for anyone who doesn’t need a particular number.
3. Port an existing 424 number. If you already have a 424 phone number with another carrier, you can transfer it (port it) to a new service provider while keeping the number. This works for landlines, cell phones, and VoIP services, though landlines outside of California sometimes can’t accept inbound ports of 424 numbers due to 911 routing rules.

Looking for a 424 number? 212areacode.com offers premium 424 numbers for Los Angeles (Westside), California — choose your number, port it to any carrier in 3–5 business days, and pay a one-time fee with no monthly charges. Browse available 424 numbers →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 424 area code still in use?
Yes. 424 is actively assigned to new phone lines in West Los Angeles, South Bay, and coastal communities of southwestern Los Angeles County, plus a small portion of Ventura County and Santa Catalina Island.

What is the difference between 424 and 310?
Today they share the same geographic territory in California. New phone lines in the area may be assigned either code. The two codes work identically for calling, billing, and service.

What is the parent area code of 424?
Area code 424 is an overlay of 310. Both codes serve the same region of California.

Can I get a 424 number if I don't live in California?
Yes. Phone numbers are no longer tied to a physical address. With VoIP service or a number broker, you can hold a 424 number from anywhere in the world. The number routes to whatever device or carrier you specify.

Is 424 a scam area code?
No. 424 is a legitimate, active area code for West Los Angeles, South Bay, and coastal communities of southwestern Los Angeles County, plus a small portion of Ventura County and Santa Catalina Island. Like any area code, scammers occasionally spoof 424 caller IDs, but the code itself is heavily used by real California businesses, government offices, and residents.

Is area code 424 the same area as area code 310?
Yes. Area code 424 is a full overlay of 310, meaning both codes cover the identical geographic territory — the Westside and South Bay areas of Los Angeles County, a small part of Ventura County, and Santa Catalina Island. New subscribers receive 424 numbers while existing 310 holders keep theirs.

Do I need to dial ten digits for local calls within the 424 area?
Yes. Because 424 and 310 share the same geography, ten-digit dialing (area code + seven-digit number) has been mandatory throughout the 310/424 numbering plan area since July 26, 2006, when the overlay took effect.

Was 424 the first area code overlay in California?
Yes. When it launched on July 26, 2006, area code 424 was the first non-mobile area code overlay in the state of California. Until the 657/714 overlay became active in 2008, the 310/424 pairing was the only overlay in the entire state.

What cities does area code 424 serve?
Area code 424 serves western and southwestern Los Angeles County, including Los Angeles Westside neighborhoods, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Culver City, Inglewood, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo, and Hawthorne, among others, plus Santa Catalina Island.

Related Reading

• How Do Area Codes Work?
• How Are Area Codes Assigned?
• Why the Right Area Code Matters
• When Did We Start Using Area Codes?