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

Area code 504 covers New Orleans and surrounding areas in Louisiana. It is one of the original 86 area codes established by AT&T in 1947. For the full picture, see all Louisiana area codes.

Quick Facts: Area Code 504

State	Louisiana
Primary city	New Orleans
Cities also served	New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Chalmette, Marrero, Harvey, Gretna, Belle Chasse
Time zone	Central (UTC-6 / UTC-5 DST)
Year established	January 1, 1947
Original 1947 NPA?	Yes
Overlay codes	None
Currently in use?	Yes, actively assigned
Ten-digit dialing required?	Local seven-digit dialing may still apply

History of Area Code 504

Area code 504 is one of the 86 original area codes created by AT&T in 1947, when the first nationwide numbering plan went into effect on January 1 of that year. It was assigned to Louisiana as part of the initial map that divided the United States and Canada into geographic dialing regions.

Since its activation, the geographic area covered by 504 has been reshaped by the following splits:

• 1957 — area code 318 split off to cover Most of the state west of the Mississippi River was reassigned to area code 318, leaving 504 to serve southern and eastern Louisiana.
• 1998 — area code 225 split off to cover The western portion of the 504 numbering plan area, including Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes, was split off as area code 225.
• 2001 — area code 985 split off to cover Much of southeastern Louisiana north and west of New Orleans, including communities along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, was split off as area code 985.

Cities and Areas Served by 504

Area code 504 serves New Orleans metropolitan area, including Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines parishes, including the following cities and communities:

• New Orleans
• Metairie
• Kenner
• Chalmette
• Marrero
• Harvey
• Gretna
• Belle Chasse

Nearby area codes covering the same broader region include: 225, 318, 337, 985.

The Cultural Weight of a 504 Number

Area code 504 is one of the 86 original North American area codes established in 1947, initially covering the entire state of Louisiana before a series of geographic splits reduced it to its current footprint: the city of New Orleans (Orleans Parish) along with Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines parishes. The code’s history mirrors New Orleans’ own turbulent modern timeline. After the 1998 split creating area code 225 for the Baton Rouge area and the 2001 split creating area code 985 for the Northshore region, Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 forced an extraordinary administrative reversal: portions of lower Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes that had been reassigned to 985 in 2001 were returned to 504 beginning in 2007, because their telephone switching infrastructure had been destroyed and service was being routed through New Orleans facilities. Permissive dialing of 504 for those communities began July 29, 2007, with mandatory use resuming May 1, 2008. Ten-digit dialing became mandatory across all of Louisiana on October 24, 2021, to accommodate the nationwide 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline designation — a change that affected 504 specifically because the code had previously carried exchanges in the 988 block. NANPA projections as of early 2025 show 504’s central office code supply is not expected to exhaust until the first quarter of 2053.

Few area codes carry the weight of identity that 504 does in American music and sports. The code inspired the name of the jazz and rhythm-and-blues label 504 Records, rooted in the city’s deep musical tradition stretching from the Tremé neighborhood — the oldest African American neighborhood in the United States and the acknowledged birthplace of jazz — through the brass-band culture documented in HBO’s Emmy-winning series Treme (2010–2013), co-created by David Simon, which explicitly featured the Hot 8 Brass Band’s song “New Orleans After The City” on its soundtrack. Master P’s No Limit Records assembled the rap collective 504 Boyz in 2000, naming the group directly for the area code; their debut album Goodfellas reached number two on the Billboard 200 and included the platinum single “Wobble Wobble.” Lil Wayne, who grew up in the Hollygrove neighborhood of Uptown New Orleans, has referenced his 504 roots throughout his career, as has Cash Money Records — founded in New Orleans in 1991 — whose roster of artists including Juvenile, B.G., and the Hot Boys helped bring the city’s bounce sound to a national audience. The Soul Rebels released a song simply titled “504” on their 2012 EP Unlock Your Mind, and the Hot 8 Brass Band’s area-code reference appeared on the Treme soundtrack. In sports, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees broke Peyton Manning’s all-time NFL touchdown record on December 16, 2019, at which point announcer Joe Tessitore declared on Monday Night Football: “540 in the 504!” — fusing the statistical milestone with the code that defines the city.

How to Get a Phone Number with Area Code 504

There are three ways to get a phone number with the 504 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 504 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 504 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 504 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 504 number. If you already have a 504 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 Louisiana sometimes can’t accept inbound ports of 504 numbers due to 911 routing rules.

Looking for a 504 number? 212areacode.com offers premium 504 numbers for New Orleans, Louisiana — 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 504 numbers →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 504 area code still in use?
Yes. 504 is actively assigned to new phone lines in New Orleans metropolitan area, including Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines parishes.

Can I get a 504 number if I don't live in Louisiana?
Yes. Phone numbers are no longer tied to a physical address. With VoIP service or a number broker, you can hold a 504 number from anywhere in the world. The number routes to whatever device or carrier you specify.

Is 504 a scam area code?
No. 504 is a legitimate, active area code for New Orleans metropolitan area, including Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines parishes. Like any area code, scammers occasionally spoof 504 caller IDs, but the code itself is heavily used by real Louisiana businesses, government offices, and residents.

Does area code 504 have any overlays?
No. As of 2026, area code 504 has no overlay codes. It is the sole area code serving the New Orleans metropolitan area, which includes Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and parts of Plaquemines parishes. NANPA projections show sufficient numbering capacity in 504 through at least 2053.

Why did some 985 numbers switch back to 504 after Hurricane Katrina?
After Hurricane Katrina destroyed local telephone switching infrastructure in lower Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes in 2005, calls in those areas were rerouted through New Orleans facilities. Because the physical switching was now in the 504 numbering zone, NANPA and the Louisiana Public Service Commission returned those communities to 504. Permissive dialing began July 29, 2007, and mandatory use of 504 for those areas resumed May 1, 2008.

Is area code 504 one of the original U.S. area codes?
Yes. Area code 504 was one of the original 86 North American area codes established by AT&T and the Bell System in 1947. At that time it covered the entire state of Louisiana. Its middle digit ‘0’ — under the pre-1953 convention — confirmed it was a state-wide code. Subsequent splits in 1957, 1998, and 2001 reduced it to the New Orleans metro area.

What cities and parishes does area code 504 cover today?
Area code 504 covers the city of New Orleans (Orleans Parish) plus all of Jefferson Parish — including Metairie, Kenner, Marrero, Harvey, and Gretna — along with all of St. Bernard Parish (Chalmette) and most of Plaquemines Parish (Belle Chasse, Port Sulphur, Buras). Ten-digit dialing is required for all local calls within the 504 area.

Related Reading

• Most Desirable Area Codes
• How Do Area Codes Work?
• How Are Area Codes Assigned?
• Why the Right Area Code Matters

Looking for a different code? See the complete US area code directory.