Area code 263
Area code 263 holds 62 in-service central-office prefixes in the CNAC register, covering roughly 620,000 telephone numbers. They are split between 5 carriers and 6 rate centres. The largest is Montreal. Recorded assignments run from May 9, 2022 to January 22, 2026. That ranks it 49 of 55 Canadian area codes by prefix count.
Background reading: Caller ID spoofing, STIR/SHAKEN, and how to actually block calls in Canada · Canadian area codes, overlays, and what a 416 number actually tells you · One-ring scams and the Caribbean area codes that look Canadian
Area code 263 at a glance
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Main rate centres
- Montreal, Lachine, Pointe-Claire, Roxboro, Ste-Genevieve
- Local time
- — Eastern Time (ET), UTC−5; UTC−4 in daylight saving time
- In service since
- October 22, 2022
- Split or overlaid from
- 514
- Number format
- 263-NXX-XXXX · +1 263 NXX XXXX
Sources: CNAC, NANPA (September 25, 2026), Statistics Canada.
In numbers
- In-service prefixes
- 62
- Telephone numbers covered
- 620,000
- Carriers
- 5
- Rate centres
- 6
- Provinces and territories
- 1
- First assignment
- May 9, 2022
- Most recent assignment
- January 22, 2026
Who holds these numbers
Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Wireless) holds the largest share at 31 prefixes, 50.0% of the total, ahead of 4 other carriers.
| Carrier | Prefixes | Share | First assigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Wireless) | 31 | 50.0 % | 2023 |
| IXICA Communications Inc. | 13 | 21.0 % | 2022 |
| Videotron Ltd. | 11 | 17.7 % | 2024 |
| TELUS Mobility | 4 | 6.5 % | 2023 |
| Fido Solutions Inc. | 3 | 4.8 % | 2023 |
Where these numbers land
Prefixes in 263 serve 6 rate centres. A rate centre is the billing area a prefix is attached to, not where the handset is.
| Rate centre | Province | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal | QC | 53 | 5 |
| Lachine | QC | 2 | 1 |
| Pointe-Claire | QC | 2 | 1 |
| Roxboro | QC | 2 | 1 |
| Ste-Genevieve | QC | 2 | 1 |
| Ile-Perrot | QC | 1 | 1 |
How the allocation was built up
| Period | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|
| 2020–2024 | 43 | 5 |
| 2025–2029 | 19 | 2 |
Overlay area codes
263 shares its rate centres with 438, 514. Overlay codes cover the same ground, which is why ten-digit dialling is required: two neighbours on one street can hold different area codes.
What people check and report about 263 numbers
Searches typed into this site's lookup form since July 28, 2026, plus the verdicts and moderated reports visitors left. A search usually follows a missed call.
- Checks
- 20
- Different numbers
- 19
- Different people
- 18
Phone and text fraud in Quebec
In 2024 the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received 2,629 fraud reports from Quebec where the first contact was a phone call (2,120) or a text (509); 1,080 came from victims, who reported $10.1 million lost. The most common types were bank investigator, phishing, service.
January to September 2025: 1,567 reports (-22% on the same months of 2024) and $7.9 million reported lost (+4%).
Source: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre open data (Open Government Licence – Canada), current to September 29, 2025. These are province-wide figures, not specific to one area code, and only a fraction of fraud is ever reported. Dataset
Had a call from a 263 number?
No clear pattern in reports on these numbers yet. If a call worried you:
- Call back on a number you trust
If a caller says they are your bank, the Canada Revenue Agency, a courier or your phone company, hang up and call the organization on the number from its website or your statement, never the number that called you. Caller ID can be faked.
- Report the fraud
Report the call or text to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or at 1-888-495-8501. If you lost money or gave out personal details, tell your bank first, then your local police.
- Register on the National Do Not Call List
Registering a landline or mobile on the National DNCL is free. Registered charities, political parties, newspapers and companies you already do business with may still call.
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726
Forward a scam or spam text to 7726 (SPAM on the keypad). It's free, and your carrier uses it to block the sender. Don't tap links or reply.
Area code 263: questions and answers
Where is area code 263?
263 serves Quebec. Its 62 in-service prefixes belong to 6 rate centres, mainly Montreal, Lachine, Pointe-Claire and Roxboro.
What time zone is area code 263 in?
Every placed rate centre in 263 is on Eastern Time (ET, UTC−5), with daylight saving time (UTC−4) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
When did area code 263 start?
263 has been in service since October 22, 2022; it was created from 514. It shares its territory with 438 and 514, so a new number there can get any of these codes.
Which carriers hold 263 numbers?
The CNAC register lists 5 carriers with prefixes in 263; the largest are Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Wireless) (50%), IXICA Communications Inc. (21%) and Videotron Ltd. (17.7%). Numbers can be ported, so the original carrier may not be the current one.
Is phone fraud rising in Quebec?
In the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's open data, call and text fraud reports from Quebec went from 2,016 in January–September 2024 to 1,567 in the same months of 2025 (-22%). Reported losses went from $7.6 million to $7.9 million.
How do I report a scam call from a 263 number?
Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501). If you lost money, call your bank first, then your local police. Unwanted telemarketing goes to the National Do Not Call List, and spam texts can be forwarded to 7726.
Allocated prefixes
All 62 in-service prefixes, grouped by rate centre.
Montreal, QC
263-222 · 263-255 · 263-266 · 263-288 · 263-333 · 263-355 · 263-362 · 263-363 · 263-366 · 263-376 · 263-378 · 263-379 · 263-380 · 263-381 · 263-382 · 263-383 · 263-384 · 263-385 · 263-386 · 263-387 · 263-388 · 263-444 · 263-550 · 263-552 · 263-556 · 263-558 · 263-566 · 263-588 · 263-660 · 263-662 · 263-666 · 263-668 · 263-688 · 263-766 · 263-770 · 263-778 · 263-788 · 263-866 · 263-877 · 263-880 · 263-881 · 263-882 · 263-883 · 263-885 · 263-886 · 263-887 · 263-889 · 263-899 · 263-966 · 263-990 · 263-993 · 263-998 · 263-999
Lachine, QC
263-300 · 263-400
Pointe-Claire, QC
263-500 · 263-888
Roxboro, QC
263-600 · 263-777
Ste-Genevieve, QC
263-700 · 263-800
Ile-Perrot, QC
263-200
Allocation source: Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNAC), the registry that records which carrier a central-office code was originally issued to. An allocation says who was issued the prefix, not who serves the number today: numbers can be ported between carriers, and caller ID can be spoofed outright.