No New Numbers Will Be Assigned to Michigan’s Oldest and Most Iconic Area Code

There are many things that can define Michigan. Think the Mackinac Bridge, the auto industry, Motown music or the state's lakes and recreational activities.

Another instant identifier of Michigan, particularly the Detroit area is the 313 area code.

👇🏼BELOW: The Evolution of D. Stumpy - the Detroit Roadside Sports Mascot + A Cruise Down the Forgotten Canals of Detroit👇🏼

Coming in November 2025, there will be no new 313 phone numbers issued. Those behind the North American Numbering Plan which oversees the assignment of area codes has known for a while that the 313 area code was running out of numbers. In the past geographic regions would be split off - think 734 for the area around Ann Arbor or 248 in Oakland County.

Come November 2025 the 313 area code is expected to be exhausted and instead of splintering off another section of the Metro Detroit area into a new area code, an overlay will be created.

The new area code, 679, will cover the same geographic area as 313 (Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park and nearby suburbs like the Grosse Points). Those in the area will be forced to dial a 10-digital full phone number to complete a call.

READ MORE: What Exactly Are the Borders of Michigan's Downriver Region?

While it may be a change for Detroiters, the concept of overlays are very commonly used as is the 10-digit dialing.

What's interesting about the impending change is the 679 area code had be proposed for the Detroit area as far back as 2000 but was suspended as the geographic split was used to relieve the run on 313 numbers.

It was 2023 that the 679 plan picked up steam again as the Michigan Public Service Commission proposed the new area code.

Opposition to the change revolves around the iconic status of the 313 digits in representing Detroit.

The only way to keep the 313 excusive to Detroit would be to lop off more suburbs into a new area code. That would mean places like Ecorse, Inkster Dearborn and Dearborn Heights to the west;  Allen Park, Lincoln Park, River Rogue and Taylor Downriver; as well as Harper Woods, the Grosse Points and Redford to the north and east would need to be chopped off from 313.

Get our free mobile app

Even then, it's likely that eventually, even keeping 313 for Detroit proper, the available numbers will eventually be exhausted.

So if not this year as planned, someday 313 will no longer be the only digits for Detroit.

So get ready, Detroiters, to rep The 679.