# Area code 538 — Non-geographic Services

> The 538 area code is reserved for special services (Non-Geographic Services). Numbers in it are used for personal communications services in the 5YY non-geographic pool. Dialed as a full ten-digit number (1-538-NXX-XXXX). Being non-geographic, a 1-538 number is tied to no city or state. Scope: NANP. In service: October 28, 2025.

- Page: https://getareacode.com/538/
- This document: https://getareacode.com/538.md
- Site index for agents: https://getareacode.com/llms.txt
- Data last updated: August 2026

## Key facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Area code | 538 |
| Kind | Special-use, non-geographic (Non-geographic Services) |
| Purpose | Personal communications services |
| Scope | NANP |
| Assignee | NANPA on behalf of the FCC |
| In service | October 28, 2025 |
| Place in the numbering plan | 17th 5YY non-geographic area code |
| Relieves or replaces | 532 |
| How it is dialed | Dialed as a full ten-digit number (1-538-NXX-XXXX). Being non-geographic, a 1-538 number is tied to no city or state. |

## What area code 538 is used for

Numbers in 538 are used for personal communications services such as one-number follow-me forwarding. The called party (the subscriber) pays for the call while the calling party is billed at standard long-distance rates. All 5YY codes share the same purpose and pool of central-office assignments.

## History of area code 538

Area code 538 was placed into service on October 28, 2025 as the seventeenth 5YY non-geographic NPA, relieving 532. NANPA assigned it in July 2025, and it was activated within months as demand for non-geographic numbers continued.

## Frequently asked questions about area code 538

### What is area code 538 used for?

538 is a special-use area code in the North American Numbering Plan. The 538 area code is reserved for special services (Non-Geographic Services). Numbers in it are used for personal communications services in the 5YY non-geographic pool.

### How is 538 dialed?

Numbers in 538 are dialed as a full ten-digit number (1-538-NXX-XXXX). It is a non-geographic area code, so 1-538 numbers are not tied to any city or state.

### Who assigns 538 numbers?

NANPA on behalf of the FCC

### What did 538 relieve or replace?

Area code 538 was activated to relieve 532 as that pool of numbers neared exhaustion.

### When did area code 538 go into service?

Area code 538 was placed into service on October 28, 2025. It was the 17th 5YY non-geographic area code.

## Related special-use codes

- [500](https://getareacode.com/code/500/) — Non-geographic Services: Personal communications services (one-number follow-me / PCS)
- [521](https://getareacode.com/521/) — Non-geographic Services: Personal communications services
- [522](https://getareacode.com/522/) — Non-geographic Services: Personal communications services
- [523](https://getareacode.com/523/) — Non-geographic Services: Personal communications services
- [524](https://getareacode.com/524/) — Non-geographic Services: Personal communications services
- [525](https://getareacode.com/525/) — Non-geographic Services: Personal communications services
- [526](https://getareacode.com/526/) — Non-geographic Services: Personal communications services
- [527](https://getareacode.com/527/) — Non-geographic Services: Personal communications services

## Sources

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_communications_service_(NANP)
- https://www.nanpa.com/numbering/5xx-nxx-codes
- Method in full: https://getareacode.com/methodology/
- Licence: the aggregated data on this site is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — attribution required.