Area code 518: New York
Area code 518 is a US state area code for New York, on Eastern Time. It has 775 prefixes in service across 135 rate centers, the largest being Albany, Schenectady and Glens Falls. It shares its area with 838, so local numbers there can start with any of them. Local calls there take 10 digits.
Local time in area code 518
America/New_York
Prefixes in service
775 of 792 possible
135 rate centers
Area code 518 facts
| Location | New York, United States |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Eastern Time |
| Overlays | 838 |
| In service since | 1947, when the plan began |
| Local calls | 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 518?
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 518 rate centers with the most prefixes in service. 123 smaller ones aren't listed.
| Rate center | Prefixes |
|---|---|
| Albany | 200 |
| Schenectady | 50 |
| Glens Falls | 45 |
| Troy | 34 |
| Colonie | 34 |
| Plattsburgh | 31 |
| Saratoga Springs | 21 |
| Amsterdam | 14 |
| Hudson | 13 |
| Gloversville | 11 |
| Ballston Spa | 10 |
| Malone | 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 518 number?
NANPA's dialling plan for 518: local calls inside the code take 10 digits, toll calls 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 518 | 518-555-0147 |
|---|---|
| From another US or Canadian area code | 1-518-555-0147 |
| From outside North America | +1 518 555 0147 |
| E.164, for CRMs and SMS tools | +15185550147 |
When did area code 518 start?
Area code 518 is one of the original codes NANPA lists from 1947. Today 518 and 838 cover the same area as an overlay, which is why 10-digit dialling is needed for local calls there.
Tools for 518 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 518 number tells you where it was issued, not what it is now.
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Area code 518 questions
- What state is area code 518?
- Area code 518 is in New York, United States. Its largest rate centers by number of prefixes are Albany, Schenectady, Glens Falls, Troy and Colonie.
- What time zone is area code 518 in?
- Eastern Time.
- What area codes overlay 518?
- 838. An overlay adds a new code to the same area instead of splitting it, so neighbours can have different area codes and local calls need 10 digits.
- When did area code 518 start?
- Area code 518 is one of the original codes NANPA lists from 1947.
- Is a 518 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 518 have?
- 775 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 New York
212315329332347363465516585607624631646680716718838845914917929934
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.