How Old Are My Tires? Reading DOT Date Codes

Why Understanding DOT Date Codes are Important

Tires don't come with an expiration date printed in big letters, but they do have one. It's just hidden in a code most people never learn to read. Good news: once you know what to look for, it takes about ten seconds.

Why Tire Age Actually Matters

Tires are made of rubber, and rubber breaks down over time even if the tread looks fine. Heat, sunlight, and just plain age cause the compounds to harden and crack, which means less grip and a higher chance of a blowout. A tire can have plenty of tread left and still be unsafe if it's old enough. That's why checking the age matters just as much as checking the tread depth, especially if you bought a used vehicle or a set of tires that sat in a warehouse for a while before landing on your car.

Finding the Code

Look at the sidewall of your tire. You're searching for a series of letters and numbers that starts with "DOT" (that stands for Department of Transportation, since every tire sold in the U.S. has to meet their standards). The full string can look long and confusing, but you only need the last part. The code ends in four digits, and sometimes those four digits are inside an oval or just sit at the very end on their own. That's the part you care about.

Reading the Numbers

Those last four digits break down into two pairs: The first two digits are the week of the year the tire was made. The last two digits are the year. So if you see 2419, that tire was made in the 24th week of 2019, which lands in June. A code reading 0522 means the 5th week of 2022, so early February. That's it. No decoding rings, no math beyond basic addition.

A Quick Note on Older Tires

If you're looking at a tire and the code only has three digits at the end instead of four, you're looking at something made before 2000. The old format didn't specify the decade, so a tire like that is old enough that the date code is the least of your worries. It should be replaced regardless.

How Old Is Too Old?

Tread wear isn't the only thing that retires a tire. Most manufacturers recommend replacing tires once they hit somewhere around 6 to 10 years old, even if they still have tread. Check your specific tire manufacturer's guidance for their recommended range, since it can vary. If your tires are approaching that window, or you're not sure how old the set on your vehicle actually is, it's worth checking the DOT code before your next road trip.

The Bottom Line

Flip to the sidewall, find the DOT code, and look at the last four numbers. Once you know the week and year your tires were built, you'll know exactly where they stand, and whether it's time to start shopping for a new set.

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