Area Code 613 – Ottawa
The phone area code for Ottawa is 613 (international format +1 613). Browse local exchange codes (NXX) and carrier assignments below.
📞 Exchange Codes (NXX) for Area Code 613
Select a central office code to view local carrier data and detailed information
📍 Geographic Location of Ottawa
Geographic Coverage and Administration
Area code 613 is a geographic numbering plan area (NPA) within the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), administered by the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA) under the regulatory authority of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). It serves the eastern portion of the province of Ontario, with the National Capital Region (Ottawa) as its principal urban centre. The code also covers surrounding communities such as Kingston, Belleville, Cornwall, Pembroke, and the counties of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Renfrew, Prescott and Russell, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, and Frontenac (excluding the southern part).
Dialing Formats and Overlay
In 2006, area code 343 was introduced as an overlay for the same geographic region, meaning that both 613 and 343 serve the identical territory. Consequently, ten-digit dialing (area code + seven-digit local number) is mandatory for all local calls within the region, even for calls to numbers sharing the same area code. For example, a local call from Ottawa to a nearby town would be dialed as 613-555-0123 or 343-555-0123. For international callers, the format is +1 613 555 0123 (or +1 343...), where the leading '+' and country code 1 replace the international access prefix (e.g., 011 from the US).
Local vs. International Caller Instructions
For callers within Canada or the United States, dialing a 613 number requires the full ten-digit number (area code + local number). For example, to call a business in Ottawa from Toronto, dial 613-555-0123. For callers outside the NANP, the international format is essential: dial your country's exit code, then 1, then 613, then the seven-digit subscriber number. For instance, from the UK, dial 00 1 613 555 0123.
Numbering and Service Characteristics
As a geographic code, 613 numbers are allocated to local exchange carriers (ILECs, CLECs) and are used for both landline and VoIP services that are tied to a physical address within the region. However, number portability allows subscribers to retain their 613 number when moving to a different service provider, even if the service is VoIP-based and the user relocates outside the traditional geographic area. This can lead to non-local usage, but the code remains officially designated as a geographic NPA. Emergency services (911) are routed based on the registered address associated with the number, not the area code itself.
For businesses, having a 613 number establishes a local presence in the national capital region, which is particularly valuable for government-related industries, lobbying firms, and associations. When dialing from abroad, callers should be aware that rates may vary depending on their carrier, but the call is treated as a standard fixed-line call to Canada.