If you have ever seen a phone number beginning with area code 310, you were probably looking at a number from the Los Angeles coast. The code is tied in many minds to beaches, studios and upscale shopping streets. Below you will find where it is used, how it came about, and what to remember when one of these numbers calls you.
Where Area Code 310 Is Used
The 310 region stretches across the western side of Los Angeles County. It includes Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Malibu, Inglewood, Hawthorne, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance and the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Parts of the city of Los Angeles itself, such as the Westwood and Brentwood areas and the neighborhoods around LAX, also fall within it.
Catalina Island, off the coast, is part of the same code. The mix of beach towns, airport districts, university areas and entertainment businesses is one reason the code has such a recognizable personality.
How Area Code 310 Was Created
All of southern California once shared a single code, 213, which was one of the original 1947 assignments. As the population and the demand for lines grew, that code was divided several times. 310 was carved out of 213 in 1991 to serve the western part of the Los Angeles area, leaving 213 to cover the central core.
The story did not end there. Later, a portion of the original 310 territory in the southeast was moved to a new code, 562, which now serves areas such as Long Beach. This reduced the load on 310 for a while, but demand for new numbers kept rising.
To solve that without shifting more customers, an overlay code was introduced. This is a common technique in which a second code is laid over the same geography so new numbers can be issued without changing existing ones.
The 424 Overlay and What It Means
The overlay for the 310 region is 424. Anyone in the area could end up with either code, regardless of which beach town they live in. Neighbors on the same street may hold different codes, and both work the same way.
Because both codes serve the same communities, you cannot assume the age or status of a business from the digits alone. A 424 number is just as local as a 310 one.
What to Know When You Get a Call From Area Code 310
A call from 310 usually comes from the Los Angeles coast: a business, a service provider, a medical office, a studio, a friend or a relative. Like any other prefix, however, it can be spoofed, which means a caller can make a false number appear on your screen.
- Do not feel pressured to answer unknown numbers; a genuine caller can leave a message.
- Verify claims about accounts or deliveries through an official website or app instead of following a caller’s instructions.
- Be wary of any request for passwords, codes or payments over an unexpected call.
Also keep in mind that people hold on to their mobile numbers after moving. A 310 number could belong to someone who now lives hundreds of miles away.
Dialing Tips for Area Code 310
Since 310 shares its geography with 424, you must dial ten digits for every call in the region, including calls to your next-door neighbor. Dial the area code first, then the seven-digit number. The same ten-digit habit is a good idea when saving contacts, since your phone will then work in any place you travel.
When calling from abroad, begin with the international access code of the country you are in, then 1 for the United States, then the area code and number.
Local Context: Life Within 310
The area covered by 310 is broad and varied. The coast offers piers, bike paths and surf towns. Inland, you find campuses, hospitals and large employers near the airport, along with film and music business offices. Traffic patterns around the freeways shape daily life, and many residents commute between the coast and other parts of the county.
For visitors, it is useful to know that a hotel, restaurant or attraction on a map might list a 310 number even when it feels like a different city from the one you started in. The code spans many municipalities, each with its own character.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cities use area code 310?
Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Malibu, Torrance, Inglewood and the beach cities of the South Bay are among the places it serves.
Is 424 the same region as 310?
Yes. 424 is an overlay that covers the same territory, so both codes are local to the same communities.
Do I have to dial the area code for local calls?
Yes. Ten-digit dialing is required because of the overlay, so always include the area code.
Area code 310 sums up a big slice of coastal Los Angeles, from the westside to the South Bay. If you want to identify another number, the lookup tool at areascode.us can help.
