Area code 985: Louisiana
Area code 985 is a US state area code for Louisiana, on Central Time. It has 447 prefixes in service across 45 rate centers, the largest being Houma, Hammond and Slidell. NANPA lists no overlay code for it. Local calls there take 7 digits.
Local time in area code 985
America/Chicago
Prefixes in service
447 of 792 possible
45 rate centers
Area code 985 facts
| Location | Louisiana, United States |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Central Time |
| Overlays | None |
| Split from | 504 |
| In service since | February 12, 2001 |
| 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 985?
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 985 rate centers with the most prefixes in service. 33 smaller ones aren't listed.
| Rate center | Prefixes |
|---|---|
| Houma | 53 |
| Hammond | 44 |
| Slidell | 39 |
| Covington | 32 |
| Morgan City | 25 |
| Mandeville | 23 |
| Thibodaux | 22 |
| Laplace | 16 |
| Bogalusa | 14 |
| Larose | 12 |
| Amite City | 10 |
| Franklinton | 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 985 number?
NANPA's dialling plan for 985: 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 985 | 555-0147 |
|---|---|
| From another US or Canadian area code | 1-985-555-0147 |
| From outside North America | +1 985 555 0147 |
| E.164, for CRMs and SMS tools | +19855550147 |
When did area code 985 start?
Area code 985 went into service on February 12, 2001, split from 504. It has no overlay, so every number in its area still starts with it.
Tools for 985 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 985 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 985 questions
- What state is area code 985?
- Area code 985 is in Louisiana, United States. Its largest rate centers by number of prefixes are Houma, Hammond, Slidell, Covington and Morgan City.
- What time zone is area code 985 in?
- Central Time.
- Does area code 985 have an overlay?
- Not as of NANPA's file dated 10/16/2026. Every number in its area uses 985.
- When did area code 985 start?
- Area code 985 went into service on February 12, 2001, split from 504.
- Is a 985 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 985 have?
- 447 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 Louisiana
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.