area code 213 is an area code for california. it was one of the first area codes ever created in 1947. it initially covered the entire southern portion of california, but after it was split multiple times, it now covers downtown los angeles and its surrounding areas, which are overlaid by multiple other area codes. the current 213 area was also split by 323 in 1998, but the 323 area combined with the 213 area to form an overlay plan in 2017.