The 718 Area Code Explained — New York Phone Numbers

Area code 718 covers Brooklyn and surrounding areas in New York. It was activated in 1984 as an overlay of area code 212. Today it shares its territory with overlay codes 347 and 929. For the full picture, see all New York area codes.

History of Area Code 718

Area code 718 was activated on September 1, 1984 in connection with area code 212. 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 718 has been reshaped by the following splits:

• 1984 — area code 718 split off to cover Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, moved from 212 on September 1, 1984 (contested by outer-borough officials, who threatened legal action)
• 1992 — area code 718 split off to cover The Bronx and the Marble Hill section of Manhattan, moved from 212 because Marble Hill's exchanges wire through Bronx central offices

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

• 1999 — area code 347 activated as an overlay
• 2011 — area code 929 activated as an overlay

Cities and Areas Served by 718

Area code 718 serves the four non-Manhattan boroughs of New York City and the Marble Hill section of Manhattan, including the following cities and communities:

• Brooklyn
• Queens
• The Bronx
• Staten Island
• Marble Hill (Manhattan)

Nearby area codes covering the same broader region include: 212, 646, 332, 917, 347, 929.

Overlay Codes for 718

Area code 347 shares the same geographic territory as 718 (added in 1999). New phone numbers in the region may be assigned either code.

Area code 929 shares the same geographic territory as 718 (added in 2011). 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 New York.

The Cultural Weight of a 718 Number

Area code 718 was created on September 1, 1984 when New York Telephone, faced with a forecast 212 exhaustion, asked the New York Public Service Commission to split the city. The commission’s vote on February 1, 1984 moved Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island to the new 718 while leaving Manhattan and the Bronx in 212. The decision was unpopular with outer-borough officials, who saw it as a status downgrade and threatened legal action; the split happened anyway, but permissive dialing of 212 across the whole city continued until January 1, 1985. The split divided roughly three million phone subscribers into approximately equal halves and made New York City one of the first major American cities split across two numbering plan areas — Los Angeles, also splitting that year (213 / 818), was the other. In 1992 the Bronx was moved into 718 too, alongside the Marble Hill exchange (legally Manhattan, but wired through the Bronx); Marble Hill residents lobbied to stay in 212 and lost on the basis that rewiring the trunk was uneconomical.

718 became its own cultural marker over the following decades — distinct from the prestige claims attached to 212 and 917, and rooted in the specific identities of the four boroughs it covers. The 1998 single ‘718’ by 2 Skinnee J’s narrated the rent-driven migration from Manhattan to the outer boroughs in 718 terms; Ghostface Killah’s group Theodore Unit released an album called 718 as an explicit Staten Island reference. The overlays 347 (October 1, 1999) and 929 (April 16, 2011) added numbering capacity without disturbing existing assignments, and a new overlay 465 is scheduled to enter service on June 18, 2026 — the first New York State area code to begin with a 4, added in response to a projected exhaustion of the 347/718/917/929 pool in the third quarter of 2027.

How to Get a Phone Number with Area Code 718

There are three ways to get a phone number with the 718 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 718 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 718 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 718 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 718 number. If you already have a 718 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 New York sometimes can’t accept inbound ports of 718 numbers due to 911 routing rules.

Looking for a 718 number? 212areacode.com offers premium 718 numbers for Brooklyn, New York — 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 718 numbers →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 718 area code still in use?
Yes. 718 is actively assigned to new phone lines in the four non-Manhattan boroughs of New York City and the Marble Hill section of Manhattan.

What is the difference between 718 and 347?
Today they share the same geographic territory in New York. 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 718?
Area code 718 is an overlay of 212. Both codes serve the same region of New York.

Can I get a 718 number if I don't live in New York?
Yes. Phone numbers are no longer tied to a physical address. With VoIP service or a number broker, you can hold a 718 number from anywhere in the world. The number routes to whatever device or carrier you specify.

Is 718 a scam area code?
No. 718 is a legitimate, active area code for the four non-Manhattan boroughs of New York City and the Marble Hill section of Manhattan. Like any area code, scammers occasionally spoof 718 caller IDs, but the code itself is heavily used by real New York businesses, government offices, and residents.

Is 718 a Brooklyn area code or a Queens area code?
Both, and also the Bronx, Staten Island, and the Marble Hill section of Manhattan. 718 was assigned to all four non-Manhattan boroughs (plus Marble Hill, which wires through Bronx exchanges) as a single numbering plan area.

Why did Marble Hill end up with a 718 number even though it's in Manhattan?
Marble Hill is legally part of Manhattan but became physically connected to the Bronx after the Harlem River was rechanneled in 1895. Its phone exchanges are wired through Bronx central offices, so when the Bronx was moved from 212 to 718 in 1992, Marble Hill moved with it.

Related Reading

• Why Use Area Codes For Local Calls?
• How Do Area Codes Work?
• Area Code 212: Manhattan, New York Coverage & History
• What Is Area Code 646? (Manhattan, New York)
• Area Code 332: Manhattan, New York Coverage & History