Area Code 317

About Area Code 317

Area code 317 is a geographic telephone area code assigned to Indianapolis, Indiana. It operates in the Eastern time zone and was first introduced in 1947. Original NANP code. Indianapolis area. Overlay 463 (2016).

Within Indiana, area code 317 shares numbering capacity with 7 other area codes. The state's 6,862,199-person population (2023 Census Bureau estimate) is served by a combined 8 active codes, with 317 primarily responsible for the Indianapolis region. Indiana's state capital is Indianapolis, and its largest city is Indianapolis.

When you receive a call from a 317 number on your Caller ID, the call originated from a phone number assigned to the 317 area code — but be aware that Local Number Portability (in effect since 2003) means the caller could be physically located anywhere in the US or Canada. Area code 317 only confirms where the number was originally assigned.

Where is the 317 area code located?

Area code 317 is assigned to Indianapolis, Indiana, in the Eastern time zone. The state of Indiana uses 8 active area codes, and 317 is one of them. Calls placed from the 317 area code originate from numbers assigned by NANPA — the North American Numbering Plan Administrator — and the 317 prefix appears on Caller ID for both landline and wireless calls placed from this region.

The Eastern time zone observes Daylight Saving Time, shifting from UTC-5 to UTC-4 in summer. The local time shown above is always current, so you can quickly check whether it's a reasonable hour to call back.

What cities and counties use the 317 area code?

The 317 area code serves 11 notable cities, listed below in order of population. The largest city in the 317 territory is Indianapolis (887,642 residents in Marion County).

• Indianapolis, IN — 887,642 residents (45.7% of 317 numbers)
• Fort Wayne, IN — 267,927 residents (13.8% of 317 numbers)
• Evansville, IN — 116,373 residents (6% of 317 numbers)
• South Bend, IN — 103,453 residents (5.3% of 317 numbers)
• Carmel, IN — 101,064 residents (5.2% of 317 numbers)
• Fishers, IN — 98,977 residents (5.1% of 317 numbers)
• Bloomington, IN — 79,168 residents (4.1% of 317 numbers)
• Hammond, IN — 76,973 residents (4% of 317 numbers)
• Lafayette, IN — 71,886 residents (3.7% of 317 numbers)
• Noblesville, IN — 69,797 residents (3.6% of 317 numbers)

Phone number format in area code 317

All phone numbers within area code 317 follow the standard North American 10-digit format:(317) NXX-XXXX. The NXX is the central office prefix (also called an "exchange") and XXXX is the subscriber line number. For long-distance calls within the NANP, dial 1 + 317 + NXX + XXXX. From outside North America, dial your country's international access code, then 1 (the NANP country code), then the 10-digit number.

If you need to verify whether a specific 317 number is wireless, landline, or VoIP, you can use our reverse phone lookup tool. Be aware that number portability means the area code no longer guarantees the caller's physical location — only where the number was first assigned.

History of area code 317

Original NANP code. Indianapolis area. Overlay 463 (2016).

The original 86 area codes were assigned by AT&T and Bell Labs in 1947 as part of the North American Numbering Plan. At the time, rotary-dial phones meant codes with lower digits (like 212 for NYC, 213 for LA, 312 for Chicago) were given to the largest cities because they took less time to dial. Today's area code assignments still reflect those early choices, even though touch-tone and cell phones made the original reason obsolete.

Is the 317 area code safe to answer?

Area code 317 itself is a normal geographic code with no elevated spam risk. That said, scammers can spoof any area code — including 317 — so if you don't recognize the full number, let it go to voicemail and verify the caller's identity before calling back.