311 (telephone number)
311 is a special telephone number supported in many communities in the United States and Canada. The number provides access to non-emergency municipal services. The number format follows the N11 code for a group of short, special-purpose local numbers as designated in the North American Numbering Plan.
| 3-1-1 | |
| Background | |
|---|---|
| N11 code | 311 |
| Service type | Non-emergency municipal services hotline |
| Introduced | 1997 |
| Regulatory authority | Federal Communications Commission |
| Service details | |
| Purpose | Provides access to local government information, services, and non-emergency police assistance |
| Managed by | Municipal and county governments |
| Availability | Available in many cities and counties |
| Area restrictions | Implementation varies by locality |
| Access method | Dial 3-1-1 within participating jurisdictions; some areas require a local area code |
| Call cost | Usually free; standard call rates may apply in some regions |
| Status | Active |
| Implementation | |
| First deployment | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Nationwide coverage | Adopted by hundreds of municipalities since the late 1990s |
| Technical standard | North American Numbering Plan |
| Related services | |
| 211, 411, 511, 911 | |
| North American Numbering Plan • N11 code • Telecommunications in the United States | |
The telephone number 3-1-1 creates a central hub for local subscribers to access a variety of city services. It is intended, in part, to divert routine inquiries and non-urgent community concerns from the 9-1-1 number which is reserved for emergency service. A promotional website for 3-1-1 in Akron described the distinction as follows: "Burning building? Call 911. Burning question? Call 311."
Many cities also accept comments through online interfaces. An Open 311 application programming interface is also available for these services.