(FRANKFORT, Ky.)-The Kentucky Public Service Commission has approved a new area code overlay for the Louisville metro region, marking the first expansion to the historic 502 area code since its creation nearly 80 years ago.
The commission selected an all-services distributed overlay plan to address the looming shortage of available phone numbers in the 502 region. Under this arrangement, a new area code will cover the identical geographic territory currently served by 502, but existing customers can keep their current phone numbers unchanged.
The North American Numbering Plan Administrator requested the relief plan last October after projecting that 502 will run out of available numbers by the third quarter of 2027. The 502 area code holds special significance as one of the original codes established in 1947 to serve all of Kentucky before the state was later divided into multiple regions.
Once the new overlay takes effect, residents and businesses throughout the 502 area will need to dial all 10 digits for local calls. The North American Numbering Plan Administrator is expected to announce the specific new area code number within the next week.
The implementation will follow a careful timeline designed to give customers ample time to adjust. Permissive 10-digit dialing begins December 7, 2026, allowing callers to use either seven or 10 digits for local calls. Mandatory 10-digit dialing starts June 7, 2027, after which all local calls must include the area code. Beginning in July 2027, phone companies will start assigning numbers using the new area code for new customers and services.
This addition will bring Kentucky’s total area codes to six, joining the existing 270, 364, 502, 606, and 859 codes that currently serve different regions across the Commonwealth. The telecommunications industry standard calls for a 13-month implementation period, which allows the new system to be fully operational six months before the projected number shortage.