Area code 626 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan for most of the San Gabriel Valley in the U.S. state of California. The numbering plan area also comprises nearby areas in the northeastern portion of Los Angeles County, California, including Arcadia, Monrovia, El Monte, most of Pasadena and West Covina. The numbering plan area was split from that of area code 818 on June 14, 1997.
Prior to October 2021, area code 626 had telephone numbers assigned for the central office code 988. In 2020, 988 was designated nationwide as a dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which created a conflict for exchanges that permit seven-digit dialing. This area code was therefore scheduled to transition to ten-digit dialing by October 24, 2021.[1]