Area code 581
Area code 581 holds 778 in-service central-office prefixes in the CNAC register, covering roughly 7,780,000 telephone numbers. They are split between 22 carriers and 232 rate centres. The largest is Quebec. Recorded assignments run from June 26, 2008 to May 16, 2024. That ranks it 11 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 581 at a glance
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Main rate centres
- Quebec, Chicoutimi, Alma, Rimouski, Riviere-du-Loup
- Local time
- — Eastern Time (ET), UTC−5; UTC−4 in daylight saving time — also: Atlantic Time
- In service since
- September 19, 2008
- Split or overlaid from
- 418
- Number format
- 581-NXX-XXXX · +1 581 NXX XXXX
Sources: CNAC, NANPA (September 25, 2026), Statistics Canada.
In numbers
- In-service prefixes
- 778
- Telephone numbers covered
- 7,780,000
- Carriers
- 22
- Rate centres
- 232
- Provinces and territories
- 1
- First assignment
- June 26, 2008
- Most recent assignment
- May 16, 2024
Who holds these numbers
Videotron Ltd. holds the largest share at 153 prefixes, 19.7% of the total, ahead of 21 other carriers.
| Carrier | Prefixes | Share | First assigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Videotron Ltd. | 153 | 19.7 % | 2008 |
| TELUS Quebec | 142 | 18.3 % | 2008 |
| Telecommunications Xittel Inc | 111 | 14.3 % | 2008 |
| Iristel Inc. | 92 | 11.8 % | 2010 |
| Bell Canada | 73 | 9.4 % | 2010 |
| TELUS Mobility | 40 | 5.1 % | 2008 |
| Bell Mobility | 32 | 4.1 % | 2010 |
| Distributel | 29 | 3.7 % | 2011 |
| ISP Telecom Inc. | 20 | 2.6 % | 2013 |
| Fibernetics Corporation | 19 | 2.4 % | 2012 |
| Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Wireless) | 14 | 1.8 % | 2009 |
| Fido Solutions Inc. | 12 | 1.5 % | 2008 |
| Comwave Networks | 10 | 1.3 % | 2013 |
| IVIC Telecom s.e.n.c | 10 | 1.3 % | 2008 |
| Bell Aliant, a division of Bell Canada | 8 | 1.0 % | 2014 |
| Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Cable) | 3 | 0.4 % | 2017 |
| SSi Micro Ltd. | 3 | 0.4 % | 2020 |
| Sogetel Inc. | 2 | 0.3 % | 2014 |
| Telebec Ltee. | 2 | 0.3 % | 2018 |
| Cooptel | 1 | 0.1 % | 2016 |
| IXICA Communications Inc. | 1 | 0.1 % | 2022 |
| Zayo Canada Inc. | 1 | 0.1 % | 2014 |
Where these numbers land
Prefixes in 581 serve 232 rate centres. A rate centre is the billing area a prefix is attached to, not where the handset is.
| Rate centre | Province | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quebec | QC | 103 | 13 |
| Chicoutimi | QC | 24 | 11 |
| Alma | QC | 16 | 10 |
| Rimouski | QC | 15 | 6 |
| Riviere-du-Loup | QC | 13 | 8 |
| Thetford Mines | QC | 13 | 9 |
| Levis | QC | 11 | 8 |
| Chibougamau | QC | 9 | 6 |
| Saint-Georges-de-Beauce | QC | 9 | 4 |
| Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce | QC | 9 | 4 |
| Baie-Comeau (Hauterive) | QC | 8 | 5 |
| Bonaventure | QC | 7 | 3 |
| Donnacona | QC | 7 | 4 |
| Loretteville | QC | 7 | 6 |
| Matane | QC | 7 | 5 |
| Montmagny | QC | 7 | 5 |
| Saint-Henri-de-Levis | QC | 7 | 4 |
| Sainte-Anne-des-Monts | QC | 7 | 3 |
| St-Felicien | QC | 7 | 6 |
| Chandler | QC | 6 | 3 |
| Gaspe | QC | 6 | 4 |
| Jonquiere | QC | 6 | 5 |
| La Malbaie | QC | 6 | 5 |
| Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce | QC | 6 | 3 |
| Sept-Iles | QC | 6 | 4 |
| Disraeli | QC | 5 | 4 |
| Grande-Vallee | QC | 5 | 4 |
| La Baie (Chicoutimi Co.) | QC | 5 | 5 |
| Lac-Etchemin | QC | 5 | 4 |
| Leeds | QC | 5 | 4 |
| New Richmond | QC | 5 | 4 |
| Roberval | QC | 5 | 5 |
| Saint-Marc-des-Carrieres | QC | 5 | 4 |
| St-Tite-des-Caps | QC | 5 | 4 |
| Valcartier | QC | 5 | 5 |
| Beauceville | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Black Lake | QC | 4 | 4 |
| Boischatel | QC | 4 | 4 |
| Carleton | QC | 4 | 2 |
| East Broughton | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Frampton | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Maria | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Metabetchouan | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Natashquan | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Notre-Dame-des-Laurentides | QC | 4 | 4 |
| Saint-Bernard-de-Dorchester | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Saint-Patrice-de-Beaurivage | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Saint-Simon-de-Rimouski | QC | 4 | 2 |
| St-Methode-de-Frontenac | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre | QC | 4 | 4 |
| Ste-Brigitte-de-Laval | QC | 4 | 4 |
| Ste-Catherine | QC | 4 | 4 |
| Stoneham | QC | 4 | 4 |
| Stratford | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Vallee-Jonction | QC | 4 | 3 |
| Amqui | QC | 3 | 3 |
| Baie-Comeau | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Chambord | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Charny | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Desbiens | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Dolbeau | QC | 3 | 3 |
| Forestville | QC | 3 | 3 |
| Garthby | QC | 3 | 3 |
| Grande-Riviere | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Havre-Saint-Pierre | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Hebertville | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Hebertville-Station | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Inverness | QC | 3 | 2 |
| La Guadeloupe | QC | 3 | 3 |
| Lac Bouchette | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Lac-aux-Sables | QC | 3 | 3 |
| Laterriere | QC | 3 | 3 |
| Matapedia | QC | 3 | 3 |
| Mont-Louis | QC | 3 | 3 |
| New Carlisle | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Normandin | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Port-Cartier | QC | 3 | 3 |
| Riviere-au-Renard | QC | 3 | 2 |
| Saint-Adelphe | QC | 3 | 3 |
How the allocation was built up
| Period | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|
| 2005–2009 | 52 | 7 |
| 2010–2014 | 310 | 17 |
| 2015–2019 | 318 | 16 |
| 2020–2024 | 98 | 10 |
Overlay area codes
581 shares its rate centres with 418, 367. 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 581 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
- 25
- Different numbers
- 23
- Different people
- 24
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 581 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 581: questions and answers
Where is area code 581?
581 serves Quebec. Its 778 in-service prefixes belong to 232 rate centres, mainly Quebec, Chicoutimi, Alma and Rimouski.
What time zone is area code 581 in?
It depends on the exchange: 209 rate centres are on Eastern Time (ET), UTC−5; UTC−4 in daylight saving time; 2 rate centres are on Atlantic Time (AT), UTC−4; UTC−3 in daylight saving time.
When did area code 581 start?
581 has been in service since September 19, 2008; it was created from 418. It shares its territory with 367 and 418, so a new number there can get any of these codes.
Which carriers hold 581 numbers?
The CNAC register lists 22 carriers with prefixes in 581; the largest are Videotron Ltd. (19.7%), TELUS Quebec (18.3%) and Telecommunications Xittel Inc (14.3%). 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 581 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
Showing 267 of 778 prefixes, largest rate centres first.
Quebec, QC
581-201 · 581-300 · 581-305 · 581-307 · 581-308 · 581-309 · 581-313 · 581-316 · 581-317 · 581-318
Chicoutimi, QC
581-221 · 581-222 · 581-234 · 581-235 · 581-248 · 581-306 · 581-406 · 581-433 · 581-447 · 581-475
Alma, QC
581-200 · 581-202 · 581-203 · 581-204 · 581-205 · 581-216 · 581-230 · 581-265 · 581-431 · 581-476
Rimouski, QC
581-246 · 581-314 · 581-402 · 581-408 · 581-456 · 581-472 · 581-506 · 581-525 · 581-562 · 581-624
Riviere-du-Loup, QC
581-214 · 581-252 · 581-337 · 581-437 · 581-466 · 581-535 · 581-609 · 581-673 · 581-729 · 581-743
Thetford Mines, QC
581-254 · 581-268 · 581-333 · 581-399 · 581-440 · 581-530 · 581-603 · 581-678 · 581-680 · 581-724
Levis, QC
581-250 · 581-477 · 581-500 · 581-501 · 581-502 · 581-534 · 581-604 · 581-629 · 581-655 · 581-868
Chibougamau, QC
581-430 · 581-445 · 581-464 · 581-479 · 581-481 · 581-579 · 581-627 · 581-876 · 581-974
Saint-Georges-de-Beauce, QC
581-372 · 581-452 · 581-649 · 581-653 · 581-722 · 581-744 · 581-761 · 581-825 · 581-831
Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, QC
581-224 · 581-375 · 581-410 · 581-424 · 581-432 · 581-451 · 581-550 · 581-553 · 581-746
Baie-Comeau (Hauterive), QC
581-507 · 581-642 · 581-726 · 581-823 · 581-829 · 581-862 · 581-929 · 581-987
Bonaventure, QC
581-364 · 581-441 · 581-461 · 581-470 · 581-512 · 581-630 · 581-827
Donnacona, QC
581-343 · 581-419 · 581-474 · 581-669 · 581-740 · 581-821 · 581-833
Loretteville, QC
581-251 · 581-450 · 581-616 · 581-662 · 581-836 · 581-866 · 581-961
Matane, QC
581-232 · 581-261 · 581-334 · 581-465 · 581-504 · 581-631 · 581-834
Montmagny, QC
581-262 · 581-552 · 581-632 · 581-671 · 581-725 · 581-807 · 581-855
Saint-Henri-de-Levis, QC
581-350 · 581-551 · 581-554 · 581-633 · 581-749 · 581-762 · 581-806
Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, QC
581-338 · 581-439 · 581-468 · 581-469 · 581-480 · 581-489 · 581-915
St-Felicien, QC
581-218 · 581-438 · 581-473 · 581-583 · 581-721 · 581-800 · 581-803
Chandler, QC
581-361 · 581-471 · 581-661 · 581-879 · 581-893 · 581-913
Gaspe, QC
581-348 · 581-360 · 581-822 · 581-832 · 581-880 · 581-887
Jonquiere, QC
581-249 · 581-383 · 581-434 · 581-544 · 581-564 · 581-684
La Malbaie, QC
581-241 · 581-606 · 581-670 · 581-727 · 581-753 · 581-850
Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, QC
581-226 · 581-374 · 581-428 · 581-694 · 581-747 · 581-858
Sept-Iles, QC
581-303 · 581-339 · 581-505 · 581-685 · 581-826 · 581-830
Disraeli, QC
581-209 · 581-454 · 581-556 · 581-714 · 581-763
Grande-Vallee, QC
581-495 · 581-575 · 581-638 · 581-877 · 581-883
La Baie (Chicoutimi Co.), QC
581-389 · 581-435 · 581-545 · 581-565 · 581-682
Lac-Etchemin, QC
581-215 · 581-573 · 581-765 · 581-820 · 581-932
Leeds, QC
581-271 · 581-377 · 581-413 · 581-768 · 581-940
New Richmond, QC
581-346 · 581-355 · 581-514 · 581-886 · 581-949
Roberval, QC
581-217 · 581-442 · 581-536 · 581-585 · 581-674
Saint-Marc-des-Carrieres, QC
581-277 · 581-325 · 581-675 · 581-792 · 581-956
St-Tite-des-Caps, QC
581-614 · 581-804 · 581-808 · 581-907 · 581-966
Valcartier, QC
581-207 · 581-219 · 581-376 · 581-897 · 581-971
Beauceville, QC
581-420 · 581-510 · 581-813 · 581-852
Black Lake, QC
581-210 · 581-266 · 581-679 · 581-840
Boischatel, QC
581-538 · 581-615 · 581-901 · 581-960
Carleton, QC
581-362 · 581-499 · 581-509 · 581-948
East Broughton, QC
581-331 · 581-414 · 581-766 · 581-944
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.