Quick answer: The 424 area code covers the Westside of Los Angeles, the Beach Cities, and the South Bay — Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo, Torrance, San Pedro and the Palos Verdes Peninsula. It went live on July 26, 2006 as an overlay to 310 — both codes ring the exact same coastal LA territory. It sits in Pacific Time, and 10-digit dialing is required for every local call.
424 at a glance
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| State | California |
| Region | Western Los Angeles · Westside · South Bay · Beach Cities |
| County | Los Angeles (western coastal portion) |
| Major cities | Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, Culver City, Torrance |
| Cities served | 25+ |
| Population covered | ~2 million |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC−8 / UTC−7 DST) |
| Created | July 26, 2006 |
| Type | Overlay on top of 310 |
| Sibling code | 310 |
| Country / plan | United States · NANP |
Where the 424 area code covers
424 rings the western edge of Los Angeles County — the strip of cities that runs along the Pacific from Malibu in the north, through Santa Monica, Venice and Marina del Rey, down through El Segundo, the Beach Cities (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach), and around the Palos Verdes Peninsula to San Pedro. Inland it reaches into Beverly Hills, Culver City, Torrance, Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale and Gardena.
Other 424 / 310 communities include: West Hollywood (parts), Westwood, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Bel Air, Beverly Glen, Cheviot Hills, Mar Vista, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Westchester, Lomita, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes and Catalina Island.
Neighboring area codes
| Direction | Code(s) | Region |
|---|---|---|
| North | 818 / 747 | San Fernando Valley |
| East | 213 / 323 | Downtown / central Los Angeles |
| Southeast | 562 | Long Beach + SE LA county |
| Same territory | 310 | The original Westside / South Bay code |
The 310 + 424 overlay — how it works
Phone numbers along the LA coast started running short in the early 2000s. Rather than re-carve the territory and force everyone to renumber, the California Public Utilities Commission layered 424 on top of 310. Both codes now ring the same neighborhoods.
What that means in practice:
- Existing 310 lines stayed 310. Nobody had to change numbers.
- New numbers issued after July 2006 went to whichever pool — 310 or 424 — had inventory. Today, most fresh business lines are 424.
- A 424 number is not "lesser" than a 310 number. They cover the identical geography. To a Santa Monica or Manhattan Beach customer, both read as local.
- 10-digit dialing is mandatory because two codes share one region — the seven-digit local part isn't unique, so the network needs the full number to route.
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How the 424 area code works
424 is a standard 10-digit phone number in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). The format follows the NPA-NXX-XXXX structure:
424— NPA (area code)NXX— three-digit central-office prefixXXXX— four-digit subscriber line number
Dialing rules:
| Calling from | Dial |
|---|---|
| Inside the US / Canada | 424 XXX XXXX (10-digit dialing is mandatory) |
With a leading 1 | 1 424 XXX XXXX |
| Outside North America | +1 424 XXX XXXX |
| Any mobile (worldwide) | +1 424 XXX XXXX |
Time zone of the 424 area code
424 sits in the Pacific Time Zone:
- Pacific Standard Time (PST): UTC−8 (early November through early March)
- Pacific Daylight Time (PDT): UTC−7 (early March through early November)
Reference clock — when it's 12:00 PM in 424 (Santa Monica):
| City | Time |
|---|---|
| New York | 3:00 PM |
| Chicago | 2:00 PM |
| Denver | 1:00 PM |
| London | 8:00 PM |
| Berlin | 9:00 PM |
| Mumbai | 12:30 AM (next day) |
| Singapore | 3:00 AM (next day) |
| Tokyo | 4:00 AM (next day) |
If you're scheduling outbound calls to a 424 number from outside California, target between 9 AM and 5 PM Pacific Time to land in normal Westside business hours.
Cities and counties in the 424 region
The largest 424 cities and what each is known for:
| City | Approx. population | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Torrance | 145,000 | South Bay business + automotive corridor |
| Inglewood | 109,000 | SoFi Stadium, Intuit Dome, the Forum |
| Santa Monica | 91,000 | Beachfront, Third Street Promenade, Silicon Beach |
| Hawthorne | 88,000 | SpaceX headquarters, light industrial |
| Redondo Beach | 66,000 | Beach Cities anchor, Riviera Village |
| Manhattan Beach | 36,000 | Beach Cities anchor, Beach Volleyball capital |
| Culver City | 39,000 | Sony Pictures, Amazon Studios, post-production hub |
| Beverly Hills | 32,000 | Luxury retail, Rodeo Drive, entertainment industry |
| Hermosa Beach | 19,000 | Beach Cities anchor, pier + strand |
| El Segundo | 17,000 | LAX-adjacent · aerospace + tech (Mattel, AT&T, Boeing) |
| Malibu | 11,000 | 21 miles of coastline, surfing, celebrity homes |
| Palos Verdes Estates | 13,000 | Palos Verdes Peninsula cliffs + ocean views |
ZIP codes in the 424 area code
The 424 / 310 region overlaps with roughly 80+ Westside / South Bay ZIP codes. The most common ones, grouped by city:
| City | ZIP codes |
|---|---|
| Santa Monica | 90401, 90402, 90403, 90404, 90405 |
| Beverly Hills | 90210, 90211, 90212 |
| Culver City | 90230, 90232 |
| Malibu | 90263, 90264, 90265 |
| Venice | 90291, 90292, 90293 |
| Marina del Rey | 90292, 90295 |
| El Segundo | 90245 |
| Manhattan Beach | 90266 |
| Hermosa Beach | 90254 |
| Redondo Beach | 90277, 90278 |
| Torrance | 90501, 90502, 90503, 90504, 90505 |
| Inglewood | 90301, 90302, 90303, 90304, 90305 |
| Hawthorne | 90250 |
| Gardena | 90247, 90248, 90249 |
| Palos Verdes Estates / Rancho PV | 90274, 90275 |
| San Pedro | 90731, 90732 |
| Westwood / Brentwood / Bel Air | 90024, 90025, 90049, 90077 |
(Source: USPS ZIP code data and California Public Utilities Commission records.)
Example 424 prefixes (NXX)
Hundreds of central-office prefixes are assigned within 424. A sample by area (not exhaustive):
| Area | Common prefixes (NXX) |
|---|---|
| Santa Monica / Westside | 209, 235, 244, 248, 281, 302, 314, 333, 343, 354, 363, 372, 391, 393, 401, 425, 442, 456, 478, 501, 522, 543, 558, 571, 600 |
| Beverly Hills / West LA | 248, 281, 333, 354, 421, 444, 462, 500, 535, 666, 777 |
| South Bay / Beach Cities | 203, 227, 269, 277, 320, 333, 425, 456, 488, 526, 528, 543, 558, 562, 600 |
| Torrance / Hawthorne / Gardena | 224, 234, 285, 333, 392, 393, 396, 461, 488, 522, 526, 561, 666, 750 |
| San Pedro / Palos Verdes | 254, 488, 528, 530 |
(Source: NANPA Central Office Code Utilization Survey and Telcodata records.)
History and origin of the 424 area code
Quick timeline of the LA coast's dialing history:
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1947 | NANP launches. All of greater Los Angeles is served by area code 213. |
| 1957 | 213 splits — Riverside / San Bernardino get 714, Bakersfield / Santa Barbara get 805. 213 keeps LA. |
| November 1991 | 310 splits from 213. West LA, the Westside, the South Bay and the Beach Cities get their own code — separating them from downtown / east LA, which keeps 213. |
| 1997 | 562 splits from 310, taking Long Beach + SE LA County. |
| July 26, 2006 | 424 added as an overlay across the same territory as 310. 10-digit dialing — already required across most of LA — continues. |
| 2026 | Both 310 and 424 still ring the same Westside / Beach Cities footprint. |
Why a 424 number helps your business
The Westside and Beach Cities are saturated with media, tech, entertainment, healthcare and professional-services businesses. A local code reads as "established in LA" — and Pacific-coast customers screen unfamiliar caller IDs aggressively.
Trust and answer rates
People screen calls. A 424 (or 310) caller ID reads as a Westside neighbor; an out-of-state number often goes straight to voicemail.
Marketing and brand recall
A 424 number on a billboard, vehicle wrap or geo-targeted ad reads as local Westside. Vanity numbers — like 424-MALIBU-AGENT or 424-BEACH-PROS — double as advertising.
Flexibility without an office
A virtual 424 number isn't tied to a physical address. Remote teams, online sellers, and out-of-state owners can all run a Santa Monica or Beverly Hills line — calls forward to any device, anywhere.
How to get a 424 phone number
A 424 number is useful if you sell into the Westside, run a service business in Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach or Beverly Hills, target the Silicon Beach / entertainment corridor, or want a local-feeling presence for Westside customers. You don't need to live in California — virtual-number providers can issue you a real 424 number that rings on any device.
The setup runs in five steps and takes about five minutes:
- Sign up. Free account. No card needed to browse numbers.
- Search 424 (and 310 if you want options). Both cover the same Westside region.
- Pick a number. Standard or vanity (e.g. 424-MALIBU-AGENT).
- Pick a plan. Choose the seat count and features that fit your team.
- Activate instantly and configure your features.
Features to set up first
A few capabilities deliver value immediately:
- Call forwarding to route calls to any device.
- Voicemail-to-email so messages arrive as text.
- Auto attendant (IVR) to greet and route callers.
- Business SMS to text customers from your line.
- Call recording for quality and training.
Pricing as of mid-2026:
| Provider | Starts at | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| My Country Mobile | $12 / user / mo | Global teams; 190+ destinations |
| OpenPhone | $15 / user / mo | US-based startups |
| MightyCall | $15 / user / mo | Small businesses with toll-free needs |
| RingCentral | $30 / user / mo | Mid-market and enterprise |
| LinkedPhone | $20 / user / mo | Solo professionals and consultants |
See 424 virtual number options →
Three common mistakes with 424 numbers
- Thinking 424 is "less local" than 310. It isn't. Both codes cover the identical Westside + Beach Cities territory. To a Santa Monica customer, a 424 number reads exactly as local as a 310 number.
- Dialing only seven digits. Has not worked across LA since the late 1990s. Always dial all 10 digits.
- Assuming a 424 caller is physically on the Westside. With virtual numbers and number portability, a 424 number can ring anywhere in the world.
Is 424 a spam-heavy area code?
424 isn't on any "high-risk" robocall list, but as part of a top-2 US metro it sees its share of spoofed calls. The FCC, FTC and California Public Utilities Commission have stepped up enforcement under the STIR/SHAKEN call-authentication framework, which most US carriers fully implemented by 2021. If you receive a suspicious 424 call:
- Don't return it — scammers spoof local-looking 424 numbers to raise pickup rates.
- Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- File a complaint with the FCC at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov.
- Add the number to your phone's block list.
Quick facts: 424 at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Region | Westside LA / Beach Cities / South Bay |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC−8 / UTC−7 DST) |
| Overlay of | 310 (since July 26, 2006) |
| Dialing | 10 digits required for local calls |
| Major cities | Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, Culver City, Torrance |
| Nearby codes | 310, 818, 213, 323, 562 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the 424 and 310 area codes?
They cover the exact same Westside / South Bay territory. 424 was added as an overlay in 2006 to expand the number supply, so either code works equally well as a local Westside line.
Why do I have to dial 10 digits for local 424 calls?
Because 424 and 310 share one region, the phone network needs the full 10-digit number to route calls correctly. This applies to every local call.
Can I get a 424 number if I do not live in California?
Yes. A virtual number isn't tied to a physical address, so a business anywhere can run a 424 line and have calls forwarded to its real location.
Is a 424 number toll-free?
No. It's a standard local geographic number for the LA Westside. Toll-free numbers use prefixes like 800, 888, or 877.
What cities are in the 424 area code?
Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, Culver City, Torrance, Malibu, Venice, Marina del Rey, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Inglewood, Hawthorne, Gardena, Lomita, Westwood, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades and Catalina Island, among others.
When was the 424 area code created?
July 26, 2006, as an overlay on top of 310.
Can I pick a specific or vanity 424 number?
Often, yes. Many providers let you search available numbers and choose memorable or vanity combinations (like 424-MALIBU-AGENT), subject to what's currently unassigned.
How fast can a 424 business number be set up?
Most numbers activate the same day, often within minutes through self-service portals. Porting an existing 424 number takes 5–10 business days, during which you stay live on a temporary number.
Get a 424 virtual number for your business
If you want to sound local to Westside LA customers — for sales calls into Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, a clinic or service business in Manhattan Beach or Redondo Beach, or just to separate work calls from personal mobile — a virtual 424 number sets up in minutes.
My Country Mobile offers 424 numbers with call forwarding, voicemail-to-email, SMS, IVR, and integrations with HubSpot, Zoho, Pipedrive and Zendesk. Calls route to any device worldwide, pricing starts at $12/user/month, and over 17,500 businesses already trust MCM with their virtual phone presence.
