ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Parts of Eastern Missouri will be getting a new area code for new phone numbers that could go into effect as early as this summer. The new area code 557 will overlay the 314 area code and serve areas such as St. Louis, Overland, Bridgeton, Florissant, Webster Groves, Creve Coeur, Kirkwood and Sappington.

The Missouri Public Service Commission has been working with the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) and the telecommunications industry to introduce the new code. The additional code will be introduced with new phone numbers only. Existing 314 area codes in phone numbers will not change. 

The plan to implement a new area code in eastern Missouri dates back to the fall of 2000. However, the plans were shelved the next year to test the effectiveness of telephone numbering conservation efforts.

“Telephone number conservation efforts were successful and as a result, implementation of an overlay relief plan for the 314 area code remained on hold for over 20 years,” Public Service Commission Chairman Ryan Silvey said in a press release.

NANPA expects the 314 area code to expire by the third quarter of 2022. Phone calls in the existing 314 area will require using a 10-digit phone number instead of the standard seven-digit number. 

The addition of the area code will not affect dialing emergency calls such as 911 or 988, the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline. 

Residents in the new area code will need to dial 10 digits to complete a local call and dial the number one and the next 10 digits for a long distance call. The changes will occur as early as August 12, 2022.