Cincinnati, OH Area Codes

Area codes serving Cincinnati

Cincinnati sits in Ohio, part of the Midwest region and the Eastern Time zone. Its numbers are spread across an overlay of 2 codes that all cover the same ground: 283, 513.

The original code is 513 (in service since 1947). As the area ran low on numbers, regulators added overlay codes on top instead of splitting the city, so longtime residents kept their numbers while new lines received a newer code.

Code	Area served	In service
283	Southwestern Ohio, including Cincinnati, Hamilton and Middletown	April 28, 2023
513	Southwestern Ohio, including Cincinnati, Hamilton and Middletown	January 1, 1947

Nearby cities sharing these area codes

• Hamilton
• Middletown
• Fairfield
• West Chester
• Mason
• Lebanon
• Oxford
• Norwood
• Blue Ash
• Sharonville
• Loveland
• Milford
• Forest Park

How to pick an area code for a new number

When you activate a new line in Cincinnati, the carrier assigns whichever code has numbers available — you usually can't choose. If a specific code matters to you (for example the prestige of 513), ask the carrier whether any blocks remain, or request a number transfer. All codes here dial identically and cost the same.

Dialing in Cincinnati

Because Cincinnati is an overlay area, 10-digit dialing is mandatory: always dial the area code plus the seven-digit number, even for a neighbor. See 10-digit dialing and overlay area codes for the background. For every code in Ohio, visit the Ohio area codes page.