Area code 581 is a telephone area code located in the Canadian province of Quebec. It primarily serves the eastern portion of the province, including the major urban center of Quebec City.
The 581 area code is not a traditional standalone code; it is part of a complex overlay plan with area codes 418 and 367, meaning all three codes cover the exact same geographic territory. If you have received a call from 581 or need to place a call to eastern Quebec, you must use 10-digit dialing (Area Code + 7-digit number).
This article provides the location, key cities, time zone information, and history of the 581 area code within the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).
Location and Geographic Coverage of Area Code 581
The 581 area code covers a large, diverse geographical region stretching across eastern Quebec, Canada.
Primary Location
- Country: Canada
- Province: Quebec
- Time Zone: Eastern Time Zone (ET) / Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
Major Cities and Regions Covered
The 581 area code shares coverage with the original 418 area code, serving the following key cities and regions:
- Quebec City (Québec City)
- Saguenay
- Lévis
- Rimouski
- Trois-Rivières
- Sept-Îles
- Thetford Mines
- Baie-Comeau
Unique Geographic Note
Area code 581, along with 418 and 367, also serves the tiny unincorporated community of Estcourt Station, Maine, in the United States. This community, which sits directly on the Canada–U.S. border, uses the Quebec area codes as part of its telephone numbering due to its geographical and historical ties to the Canadian network.
The 581 Overlay History
Area code 581 was introduced to address the exhaustion of available phone numbers in the original 418 area code, a process common throughout the NANP.
History Timeline
- 1947: Area code 418 was one of the original area codes assigned to eastern Quebec.
- 2008: Area code 581 was introduced as an overlay for 418. This required all residents in the region to begin using 10-digit dialing (Area Code + 7-digit number) for all local calls.
- 2018: Area code 367 was added as a second overlay to the region, further increasing the pool of available numbers for the same geographic area.
This means that numbers in Quebec City and eastern Quebec can currently begin with 418, 581, or 367.
How to Dial a 581 Area Code Number
Because the 581 area code is part of an overlay system, all calls within the region—even local calls—require the full 10-digit number.
Calling from the U.S. or Canada (10-Digit Dialing)
The dialing format for all calls, whether to a landline or mobile phone, is:
- 1: The North American long-distance code (required for all NANP numbers).
- 581: The Area Code.
- XXX-XXXX: The seven-digit local telephone number.
Time Zone Information
The 581 area code operates within the Eastern Time Zone (ET).
- Standard Time: Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC-5)
- Daylight Saving Time: Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC-4)
If you are calling the 581 area code from the U.S. West Coast (Pacific Time), you must remember that eastern Quebec is three hours ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is area code 581 a toll-free number?
No. Area code 581 is a standard geographic area code, and calls to it are charged as local or long-distance calls based on the caller’s phone plan. Toll-free numbers in the NANP begin with prefixes like 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, or 888.
Do I have to dial the ‘1’ before the 581 number?
Yes. Even when making a local call within the 581 region, you must dial the full 10 digits (581-XXX-XXXX). If you are calling from outside of Quebec but within the U.S. or Canada, you must include the ‘1’ long-distance prefix, making it 1-581-XXX-XXXX.
Are calls from area code 581 often scams?
The 581 area code is a legitimate Canadian code and is not uniquely associated with a high volume of scams compared to other metropolitan areas. However, scammers frequently spoof local numbers from any area code. If you receive an unexpected call from a 581 number, be cautious and avoid providing personal or financial information to unverified callers.
