Area code 218
Area code 218 serves Minnesota, including Duluth, Brainerd and Bemidji (Central time). It has been in service since January 1, 1947.
Numbers starting with 218 drew 642 reports to the FTC from Aug 14, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026 and 371 complaints to the FCC since November 2023. The number on your screen can be faked, so a 218 number proves nothing about where a call came from.
- Location
- Minnesota
- Time zone
- Central
- In service since
- January 1, 1947
- Overlay
- None: the only code for its area
- Local calls
- Dial 10 digitsArea code needed, even next door
- Exchanges in use
- 708 of 792held by 81 carriers
- Projected to run out
- 1Q 2038NANPA forecast 2026.2
Complaints about 218 numbers
FTC reports, Aug 14, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026
642
FCC complaints since November 2023
371
Different 218 numbers reported
907
FCC complaints naming a 218 number, by month
November 2023 to October 2026. Source: FCC Consumer Complaints Data.
Show as a table
| Month | Complaints |
|---|---|
| November 2023 | 14 |
| December 2023 | 13 |
| January 2024 | 11 |
| February 2024 | 4 |
| March 2024 | 5 |
| April 2024 | 7 |
| May 2024 | 13 |
| June 2024 | 8 |
| July 2024 | 8 |
| August 2024 | 16 |
| September 2024 | 13 |
| October 2024 | 41 |
| November 2024 | 12 |
| December 2024 | 11 |
| January 2025 | 20 |
| February 2025 | 13 |
| March 2025 | 4 |
| April 2025 | 3 |
| May 2025 | 5 |
| June 2025 | 13 |
| July 2025 | 8 |
| August 2025 | 11 |
| September 2025 | 15 |
| October 2025 | 0 |
| November 2025 | 0 |
| December 2025 | 6 |
| January 2026 | 9 |
| February 2026 | 7 |
| March 2026 | 12 |
| April 2026 | 7 |
| May 2026 | 3 |
| June 2026 | 12 |
| July 2026 | 3 |
| August 2026 | 13 |
| September 2026 | 15 |
| October 2026 | 10 |
What people said 218 calls were about
Subjects picked in FTC reports, August 14, 2026 to November 11, 2026. 317 of 642 reports were robocalls.
Show as a table
| Subject | Reports |
|---|---|
| Other | 332 |
| Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) | 81 |
| Dropped call or no message | 43 |
| Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends | 41 |
| Computer and technical support | 29 |
| Medical and prescriptions | 12 |
Most reported 218 numbers
Numbers with at least five reports from three or more places in the last twelve months. Many of them are likely spoofed.
Places served by 218
- Duluth79
- Brainerd28
- Bemidji21
- Moorhead21
- Virginia17
- Fergus Falls14
- Hibbing14
- Detroit Lakes13
- Grand Rapids13
- Wadena13
- Park Rapids10
- Thief River Falls10
- Coleraine9
- Crookston9
- East Grand Forks9
- Cloquet7
- International Falls7
- Staples7
- Breckenridge6
- Grand Marais6
- Mahnomen6
- Moose Lake6
- Roseau6
- Aitkin5
Show all 238 rate centers
Barnum, Battle Lake, Baudette, Bennettville, Carlton, Cass Lake, Chisholm, Ely, Silver Bay, Buhl, Cook, Crosby, Hallock, Hawley, Henning, Nisswa, Perham, Ranier, Sabin, Two Harbors, Warren, Waubun, Ada, Alborn, Aurora, Babbitt, Barnesville, Bear River, Biwabik, Blackduck, Brimson, Deerwood, Embarrass, Fosston, Hill City, Hoyt Lakes, Kettle River, Lengby, Little Fork, Mcgregor, Nashwauk, Palo, Sebeka, Stephen, Sturgeon Lake, Tofte, Tower, Walker, Alvarado, Argyle, Big Falls, Breezy Point, Comstock, Ericsburg, Floodwood, Gateway, Humboldt, Isabella, Kabetogama, Karlstad, Keewatin, Kennedy, Kimberly, Marble, Meadowlands, Mentor, Nevis, Orr, Osage, Oslo, Palisade, Pelican Rapids, Pequot Lakes, Pine River, Twin Valley, Warba, Warroad, White Earth, Wright, Angle Inlet, Ash River, Ashby, Audubon, Backus, Badger, Bagley, Becida, Beltrami, Bena, Bertha, Bigfork, Borup, Boy River, Brooks, Brookston, Bygland, Callaway, Campbell, Clarissa, Clearbrook, Climax, Cormorant, Cotton, Crane Lake, Cromwell, Crosslake, Dalton, Deer Creek, Deer River, Denham, Dent, Donaldson, Eagle Bend, East Abercrombie, East Drayton, East Fairmount, Elbow Lake, Emily, Erhard, Erskine, Evansville, Federal Dam, Felton, Fertile, Fisher, Flom, Frazee, Gary, Gatzke, Glyndon, Gonvick, Goodridge, Greaney, Greenbush, Grygla, Gully, Hackensack, Halma, Halstad, Hitterdal, Holt, Hovland, Ideal Corners, Inger Wirt, Jacobson, Kelliher, Lake Bronson, Lake Park, Lancaster, Laporte, Leader, Leonard, Lincoln, Longville, Maine, Malung, Maple Bay, Marcell, Mcintosh, Menahga, Middle River, Miltona, Minerva, Mission, Motley, New York Mills, Newfolden, Nickerson, Nielsville, Nimrod, Nokay Lake, Northome, Oklee, Ottertail, Outing, Parkers Prairie, Perley, Pillager, Plummer, Ponemah, Puposky, Red Lake, Red Lake Falls, Remer, Rollag, Roosevelt, Rothsay, Saint Hilaire, Saint Vincent, Shelly, Shevlin, Solway, Squaw Lake, Strandquist, Strathcona, Tintah, Turtle River, Ulen, Underwood, Urbank, Vergas, Verndale, Viking, Vining, Wannaska, Washington Forest, Wawina, Wendell, Whipholt, Williams, Winger, Wolf Lake, Wolverton, Woman Lake.
Phone companies holding 218 exchanges
Exchanges held, top 8 of 81 carriers
NANPA central office code assignments, file of November 11, 2026.
Show as a table
| Carrier (legal name) | Exchanges |
|---|---|
| Qwest Corporation | 85 |
| Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless - MN | 84 |
| Onvoy, LLC - MN | 61 |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC - IL | 49 |
| Citizens Telecom CO MN-Frontier Citizens Com-MN | 46 |
| Aerial Communications, Inc. | 29 |
| Garden Valley Tel. CO. | 24 |
| Level 3 Communications, LLC - MN | 23 |
When today's 218 exchanges were assigned
Exchanges still assigned, by year of assignment. Exchanges returned since are not counted.
Show as a table
| Year | Exchanges |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 15 |
| 2002 | 24 |
| 2003 | 30 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 16 |
| 2008 | 39 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 14 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 23 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 | 4 |
Check a 218 number
A check shows the carrier and rate center of the number's exchange and every FTC and FCC report about that exact number. Why the number on screen can be fake.
Other area codes in Minnesota
NANPA area code database and central office code file of November 11, 2026; FCC complaints November 1, 2023 to November 11, 2026; FTC reports August 14, 2026 to November 11, 2026. How the data is used.
Official sources (7)ShowHide
- NPA Reports (NPA database, area code definitions, exhaust projections), North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) (NPA database file dated 11/11/2026; exhaust forecast 2026-2). Checked November 11, 2026.
- Central Office Code Assignment Records (all states, utilized codes), North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) (File updated 11/11/2026). Checked November 11, 2026.
- Thousands-Block Reports: NPA rate center report, all states, North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). Checked November 11, 2026.
- CO Codes/Thousands-Blocks, North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). Checked November 11, 2026.
- CGB - Consumer Complaints Data, Federal Communications Commission (Updated daily; licence: Public Domain U.S. Government). Checked November 11, 2026.
- Do Not Call (DNC) Reported Calls Data, Federal Trade Commission (Updated each weekday). Checked November 11, 2026.
- Caller ID Spoofing, Federal Communications Commission (Last updated November 13, 2024). Checked November 11, 2026.