Area code 438 — Quebec
Island of Montreal (overlay of 514). Overlay assignment, in service since 2006.
At a glance
- Country
- Canada
- Province / territory
- Quebec
- Service area
- Island of Montreal (overlay of 514)
- Time zone
- Eastern Time (EST/EDT, UTC-5/-4) · current offset -04:00
- Type
- Overlay
- In service since
- 2006
- Country code
- +1 (NANP)
Map
Cities served by 438
Related & overlay area codes
Area code 438 shares geography with 2 other codes serving the same region. A call placed inside this overlay must dial all 10 digits regardless of which code your own line uses.
Carriers operating in 438
The following national and regional telecommunications carriers hold central office (CO) code assignments within numbering plan area 438. Number portability means a phone number originally issued by one carrier may now ride on another carrier's network.
About area code 438
Area code 438 is a Canadian numbering plan area covering Island of Montreal (overlay of 514). It was placed into service in 2006 as a overlay code, and today operates under the Eastern Time (EST/EDT, UTC-5/-4) time zone.
Numbers in the 438 NPA are issued in central office (CO) blocks of 10,000 to local exchange carriers, who then assign them to subscribers. Because Canada uses a competitive carrier model under CRTC oversight, multiple carriers — both incumbent and competitive — hold blocks within 438. The current carrier of record for any specific number can be looked up via the Canadian Local Number Portability Consortium, but the originally issued carrier is no longer a reliable signal of who actually serves that line.
If you receive a call from a number beginning with 438, the caller is either physically located in or has historically been associated with Island of Montreal (overlay of 514). The same applies to overlay codes 514, 263: any of these area codes can correspond to a phone in the same geography, and many households carry numbers from two or three different overlays simultaneously across landlines and mobile devices.
To call a number in 438 from outside Canada and the United States, dial your country's international access prefix, then +1 438 followed by the 7-digit local number. Within the NANP, simply dial 1 followed by all 10 digits — or just the 10 digits if you are also located in an overlay region where 7-digit local dialling is no longer permitted.
Frequently asked questions
Where is area code 438?
Area code 438 serves Island of Montreal (overlay of 514) in Quebec, Canada.
What time zone is 438?
Numbers in 438 are in the Eastern Time (EST/EDT, UTC-5/-4) time zone.
Is 438 a toll-free or mobile-only code?
No. Canadian area codes are geographic — they apply to both landline and mobile numbers in Island of Montreal (overlay of 514). Toll-free codes in the NANP (800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888) are a separate category.
Why do I see calls from 438 if I do not know anyone there?
Two reasons. First, mobile portability: someone who moved away from Quebec can keep their 438 number anywhere in the world. Second, scam callers frequently spoof Canadian area codes to appear local. If you do not recognise the number, it is generally safe to let it go to voicemail.