Area code 502: Kentucky
Area code 502 is a US state area code for Kentucky, on Eastern Time. It has 731 prefixes in service across 35 rate centers, the largest being Louisville, Frankfort and Bardstown. NANPA lists no overlay code for it. Local calls there take 7 digits.
Local time in area code 502
America/New_York
Prefixes in service
731 of 792 possible
35 rate centers
Area code 502 facts
| Location | Kentucky, United States |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Eastern Time |
| Overlays | None |
| In service since | 1947, when the plan began |
| Local calls | 7 digits; toll calls 1 + 10 digits |
| Carrier | Not shown. An area code is where a number was issued; numbers port between carriers. Check line type |
Which cities and towns use area code 502?
NANPA records each prefix against a rate center, the local billing area a number belongs to, usually named after its main town. These are the 502 rate centers with the most prefixes in service. 23 smaller ones aren't listed.
| Rate center | Prefixes |
|---|---|
| Louisville | 398 |
| Frankfort | 41 |
| Bardstown | 28 |
| La Grange | 23 |
| Rose Terrace | 22 |
| Shelbyville | 18 |
| Georgetown | 18 |
| Lawrenceburg | 16 |
| Carrollton | 12 |
| Taylorsville | 11 |
| Shepherdsville | 10 |
| Owenton | 9 |
Source: NANPA central office code assignments, file dated 10/17/2026. Each prefix holds up to 10,000 numbers.
How do I dial a 502 number?
NANPA's dialling plan for 502: local calls inside the code take 7 digits, toll calls 1 + 10 digits. From another area code, dial 1 first. From abroad, use +1. The examples use 555-0147, from a range reserved for fictional numbers.
| Local call inside 502 | 555-0147 |
|---|---|
| From another US or Canadian area code | 1-502-555-0147 |
| From outside North America | +1 502 555 0147 |
| E.164, for CRMs and SMS tools | +15025550147 |
When did area code 502 start?
Area code 502 is one of the original codes NANPA lists from 1947. It has no overlay, so every number in its area still starts with it.
Tools for 502 numbers
- Area code lookup
Look up any code or a whole list of numbers, or find the codes for a state or city.
- Area code time zone
Local time for a list of numbers, with a callable-now flag.
- NPA-NXX lookup
Rate center and state for one prefix, a level below the area code.
- TCPA calling hours checker
Whether it's inside the federal 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. calling window there now.
Next step
A 502 number tells you where it was issued, not what it is now.
Mobiles, landlines and VoIP lines share area codes, and numbers move between carriers. A live line-type and carrier lookup on every number in your list says which is which, and that decides which calling and texting rules apply. It's in the Email + Phone plan.
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Area code 502 questions
- What state is area code 502?
- Area code 502 is in Kentucky, United States. Its largest rate centers by number of prefixes are Louisville, Frankfort, Bardstown, La Grange and Rose Terrace.
- What time zone is area code 502 in?
- Eastern Time.
- Does area code 502 have an overlay?
- Not as of NANPA's file dated 10/16/2026. Every number in its area uses 502.
- When did area code 502 start?
- Area code 502 is one of the original codes NANPA lists from 1947.
- Is a 502 number a cell phone or a landline?
- The area code can't tell you. In the US and Canada mobiles, landlines and VoIP lines share area codes and prefixes, and numbers move between carriers and line types. Only a live line-type lookup answers it for one number.
- How many phone numbers does area code 502 have?
- 731 of its 792 possible prefixes are in service, and each prefix holds up to 10,000 numbers. That counts prefixes assigned to carriers, not numbers in use.
Other area codes in Kentucky
Sources
Location, overlays, in-service date and dialling plan: NANPA NPA database, file dated 10/16/2026. Prefixes and rate centers: NANPA central office code assignments, 10/17/2026. Time zones mapped to the IANA time zone database. By the SimpleVerifier Team; how we build these pages.