If a call or text lands on your phone from a 985 number, it's coming from southeastern Louisiana — everywhere outside the inner ring of New Orleans. The 985 area code covers Bayou Country, the North Shore, and the River Parishes, anchored by cities like Houma, Hammond, Slidell, and Covington.
If a call or text lands on your phone from a 985 number, it's coming from southeastern Louisiana — everywhere outside the inner ring of New Orleans. The 985 area code covers Bayou Country, the North Shore, and the River Parishes, anchored by cities like Houma, Hammond, Slidell, and Covington, and it's just as ready for a full UCaaS business phone system as any major-metro code. This guide covers where 985 is located, which cities and parishes fall inside it, its time zone, how it came to exist, and how to get a 985 number of your own.
| State | Louisiana |
| Region | Southeastern Louisiana, excluding inner New Orleans |
| Major cities | Houma, Thibodaux, Morgan City, Hammond, Slidell, Covington, Mandeville, LaPlace, Bogalusa |
| Time zone | Central Time (CT) |
| In service since | February 12, 2001 |
| Split from | Area code 504 |
| Overlay? | No — 985 is a split, the sole code for its region |
| Notable history | Brief 2001–2007 inclusion of lower Plaquemines Parish, reverted to 504 after Hurricane Katrina |
985 covers southeastern Louisiana outside the inner New Orleans metro, spanning three distinct sub-regions. Bayou Country to the southwest includes Houma, Thibodaux, and Morgan City — the heart of Louisiana's commercial fishing, shrimping, and offshore oil-service industries. The North Shore, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans, includes Slidell, Covington, Mandeville, and Hammond. The River Parishes, upriver from New Orleans along the Mississippi, include LaPlace, Luling, Norco, and Destrehan. Further out, 985 also reaches Bogalusa, Franklinton, Amite, and Ponchatoula.
985 does not cover the city of New Orleans itself — that's area code 504. It also doesn't reach 225 area (Baton Rouge), Lafayette (337), or Shreveport (318/457). If you're calling someone in downtown New Orleans, a 985 number is the wrong match; it's specific to the surrounding parishes, not the city center.
Every 985 number runs on Central Time (CT), consistent with the rest of Louisiana. A business answering calls on a 985 line keeps the same hours as the rest of the state and the broader Gulf Coast, without any time-zone conversion.
Area code 985 went into service on February 12, 2001, carved out of area code 504 as an area code split — the process of dividing a region geographically, rather than overlaying a second code on the same territory. At the time, 504 covered all of southeastern Louisiana, and rapid growth made a split necessary to keep numbers available.
985 has a notable footnote in its history tied to Hurricane Katrina. The area code briefly extended to communities in lower Plaquemines Parish — Pointe à la Hache, Port Sulphur, Buras, and Boothville — south of New Orleans. After Katrina destroyed much of the local switching infrastructure in 2005, the nearest working facilities were in New Orleans, so those communities reverted to area code 504. Permissive dialing with 504 began in July 2007, and the switch became mandatory in July 2008.
No. Unlike newer area codes added through an overlay — where a second code layers over the same territory and residents keep their original numbers — 985 was created through a split. The region it covers was carved out of 504 and assigned its own distinct area code. There's no second area code sharing 985's territory today; every number in the region carries the 985 prefix.
To reach a 985 number from anywhere in the US or Canada, dial 1, then 985, then the 7-digit local number (1-985-XXX-XXXX). As with most of Louisiana, including the area code on every call — even local ones — is the safest habit, since dialing requirements can vary by carrier and have shifted over time following boundary changes like the one after Hurricane Katrina. Providers like Ajoxi issue a 985 number already configured for correct dialing.
| Area Code | Region |
|---|---|
| 985 | Southeastern Louisiana (Bayou Country, North Shore, River Parishes) |
| 504 | New Orleans |
| 225 | Baton Rouge |
| 337 | Lafayette |
| 318 / 457 | Shreveport |
| 228 | Gulfport, Mississippi |
| 601 / 769 | Central/Southern Mississippi |
A 985 number alone doesn't tell you much about who's calling — most calls and texts from this area code are ordinary Louisiana businesses, healthcare providers, and residents, including plenty of cell phone numbers issued in the region. That said, scammers routinely spoof local-looking numbers, including 985, to appear more trustworthy to Louisiana residents and out-of-state contacts alike. If an unexpected 985 call or text asks for payment, banking details, or account verification, treat it like any unfamiliar number: don't share sensitive information on the spot, hang up and call the organization back on a verified number, and report persistent spam texts to your carrier by forwarding them to the FCC's designated short code, 7726.
Businesses expanding into southeastern Louisiana — or anyone who wants a Houma, Hammond, or Slidell presence without a physical office there — can activate a 985 local phone number through Ajoxi in minutes, with no hardware required.
Browse the full directory of Louisiana area codes we support, or compare plans to find the right fit. New accounts get a 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
985 has covered southeastern Louisiana's Bayou Country, North Shore, and River Parishes since 2001, splitting off from 504 without ever needing an overlay. Whether you're trying to place a call, spot a scam, or set up a Houma, Hammond, or Slidell presence for your business, 985 pairs easily with a full UCaaS platform and remains the sole code for the region outside New Orleans itself.
The 985 area code covers southeastern Louisiana outside the inner ring of New Orleans, including Houma, Hammond, Slidell, Covington, Mandeville, and Thibodaux.
985 covers Louisiana's Bayou Country, North Shore, and River Parishes regions, including Houma, Thibodaux, Morgan City, Hammond, Slidell, Covington, Mandeville, LaPlace, and Bogalusa. It excludes New Orleans itself, which uses area code 504.
985 numbers operate on Central Time (CT), the same time zone used across the rest of Louisiana.
No. 985 is a split, not an overlay. It was carved out of area code 504 in 2001 and is the sole area code for its region today.
Yes. A virtual local number from a provider like Ajoxi lets you receive and place calls with a 985 number from anywhere, forwarding to any device you choose.
Not inherently. Most calls from 985 numbers are legitimate Louisiana businesses and residents, but scammers do spoof local-looking numbers, so treat unexpected calls asking for payment or personal information with caution.
Yes. 985 is assigned to both landlines and cell phones in its region — there's no separate area code for mobile numbers in the US numbering system.
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