Area Code 318: Get a Shreveport Phone Number

318 · Shreveport

What is the area code for Shreveport?

The area code for Shreveport, Louisiana is 318, with overlay code 457 sharing the same geographic footprint. The 318 area code is a North American Numbering Plan geographic code assigned in 1947, covering the Northern Louisiana region. It serves approximately 700,000 residents on the Central Time (CT) (UTC-6 / UTC-5 DST).

The 318 area code has 756 assigned central-office prefixes (NXX codes, the three digits after the area code) across 118 rate centers, with numbers allocated to roughly 57 carriers.

At 756 of the ~792 usable central-office prefixes, the 318 area code has about 95% of its numbering capacity assigned, and that near-exhaustion is part of why overlay code 457 was added to the region. See how 318 compares in our NXX prefix allocation analysis across 338 US area codes. (Prefix data: localcallingguide.com / NANPA, 2026.)

Where is area code 318? Location and map area

Area code 318 is located in Louisiana, the United States. Its coverage area centers on Shreveport and spans the Northern Louisiana region. If you received a call from a 318 number, the caller's number was assigned in this area — though with number porting and virtual numbers, the person may be calling from anywhere.

The 318 location sits in Central Time (CT), so local business hours run roughly 9 a.m.–5 p.m. CT. Neighboring Louisiana area codes include 225, 337, 504.

All Shreveport area codes

Shreveport is served by 2 area codes across the metro area. 318 is the original 1947 code; the others were added as overlays or for surrounding suburbs.

• 318 (current page) — Overlay on the same metro, assigned 1947
• 457 — Shreveport — assigned 2025

Cities served by the 318 area code

The 318 area code covers 5 major cities and towns across the Northern Louisiana region (LA):

Businesses across Shreveport and surrounding cities use 318 numbers to project local presence and lift call answer rates. Industry studies of local presence dialing consistently report answer-rate gains of 20–40% over toll-free or out-of-area numbers — a caller ID that matches the recipient's region looks familiar and gets picked up.

318 area code time zone and business hours

The 318 area code is in the Central Time (CT) zone (UTC-6 / UTC-5 DST). Standard business hours in 318 run 9 AM to 5 PM CT.

If you're calling into 318 from a different time zone, factor in the offset. For example, an Eastern Time business calling 318 at 9 AM ET reaches Shreveport at 8 AM CT — likely outside standard business hours.

History of the 318 area code

The 318 area code was one of the original 86 area codes assigned in 1947 when the North American Numbering Plan was first deployed. As Shreveport grew and number demand increased, overlay code 457 was added to serve the same geographic region — a common solution that avoids forcing existing subscribers to change their numbers.

• 1947 318 entered service (one of the 86 original NANP area codes)
• 2025 457 added to serve the same region

Is the 318 area code safe? Spam and scam calls

318 is a legitimate geographic area code for Shreveport — it is not a scam code or a premium-rate prefix, and a call from a 318 number is most likely a genuine local caller. The risk is not the area code itself but a tactic called neighbor spoofing: scammers fake their caller ID so an unwanted call appears to come from your own area code, because people answer familiar numbers more readily.

If you get an unexpected 318 call, a few signals point to a likely scam — a pre-recorded message, urgent pressure to act now, a demand for payment by gift card or wire transfer, or anyone asking for passwords, Social Security, or account numbers. Let suspicious calls go to voicemail, never share personal information, and report fraud to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

The FCC consumer guide on spoofing explains your rights under the Truth in Caller ID Act. A real Shreveport business will leave a clear voicemail and will not pressure you.

US carriers verify caller ID with the STIR/SHAKEN framework, which flags many spoofed numbers as "Spam Likely" before they ring. DialPhone 318 numbers are registered for STIR/SHAKEN attestation, so calls from your business are verified as genuine and reach customers without a false spam label. See the DialPhone guide to VoIP security for more.

Why get a 318 area code number for your business?

Getting a 318 number gives your business three measurable advantages over a toll-free or out-of-area number:

1. Local trust signal. Customers in Shreveport recognize 318 as their home area code. Caller ID matching builds immediate credibility for service businesses, sales outreach, and patient communication.
2. Higher answer rate. Calls from a familiar local area code are answered far more often than unknown or toll-free numbers — industry measurements of local presence dialing put the lift at 20–40%, which matters most for outbound sales, appointment confirmations, and time-sensitive service callbacks.
3. Targeted marketing. Businesses serving Shreveport and the broader Northern Louisiana can advertise a local number across print, radio, billboards, and digital channels for higher conversion than a national 800 number.

For businesses in Shreveport and surrounding cities, top industries that benefit from local 318 presence include Professional Services, Healthcare, and Retail. DialPhone's AI receptionist is available for every 318 number — never miss a call, even after standard business hours.

How to get a 318 area code number

Setting up a 318 business number with DialPhone takes under 10 minutes:

1. Sign up for a DialPhone plan. Choose any plan starting at $24/user/month. Free 14-day trial, no credit card required.
2. Search available 318 numbers. Filter the DialPhone number inventory by area code, city, or pattern.
3. Choose your number and configure. Assign your new 318 number to a user or team, set up call routing, voicemail, AI receptionist, and business SMS.
4. Port your existing number (optional). Already have a 318 number? Free number porting in 2 to 5 business days with zero service interruption.

New to local numbers? The complete guide to getting a local phone number covers choosing the right area code, porting an existing line, and avoiding spam flags.

318 area code overlay codes

The Northern Louisiana region is served by multiple overlay area codes:

Area Code	Coverage
318	Primary area code for Northern Louisiana, assigned 1947
457	Overlay — same geography (assigned 2025)

All overlay codes serve the same Shreveport region. New subscribers may be assigned any available code; existing numbers retain their original prefix.

AI receptionist for 318 area code businesses

Every DialPhone 318 number includes optional AI receptionist coverage, available 24/7. The AI handles calls when your team is unavailable — answering common questions, booking appointments, routing urgent callers to on-call staff, and capturing voicemail with full transcription and intent tagging.

For businesses in Shreveport that handle high call volume, run extended hours, or need bilingual support (especially valuable in service areas with diverse customer bases), the AI receptionist reduces voicemail backlog and improves first-call resolution.

All area codes in Louisiana

Louisiana has 6 active geographic area codes. The 318 area code is part of the same numbering plan as the codes listed below — calls between them are typically local within the state, depending on the carrier.

Nearby area codes

Related area codes in Louisiana and the Central Time (CT) region:

• 225 area code — Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• 337 area code — Lafayette, Louisiana
• 504 area code — New Orleans, Louisiana
• 985 area code — Slidell, Louisiana
• 457 area code — Shreveport, Louisiana
• 205 area code — Birmingham, Alabama

All Louisiana area codes → · Browse all US area codes →

More area codes: ← 317 Indianapolis · 319 Cedar Rapids →

How this page is verified

DialPhone re-verifies every area code page every 90 days. Area code geography, timezone, and overlay data come from the official North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) database. Pricing reflects the published DialPhone plan tiers — see the pricing page for current details. Number availability varies; check the DialPhone signup flow for live inventory in the 318 region.

What to know before getting a 318 number

• Number availability is finite. Popular Shreveport area codes can be inventory-constrained — request specific vanity patterns early.
• Porting timing varies. Most 318 ports complete in 2-5 business days; complex multi-line legacy contracts can take 7-10.
• HIPAA tier required for healthcare. The Core $24 plan doesn't include a BAA — healthcare users need Advanced ($34) or above.