Read the date code, get the tire's exact age and replacement verdict
Paste just the final digits — from a full code like DOT M5H3 451X 2419, use 2419. Only see a short code? The complete DOT string is on the tire's inner sidewall.
| Source | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Michelin, Continental, most tire makers | Replace within 10 years of the date of manufacture, regardless of tread or appearance; annual inspection by a tire professional after 5 years |
| Discount Tire and other retailers | Replace at 6 years of age as the conservative mark, particularly in hot climates where heat accelerates aging |
| NHTSA | No federal expiration date; follow the tire manufacturer's guidance and replace sooner based on tread, damage, or exposure |
| Used-car and used-tire buyers | Treat any tire within 2 years of the 10-year limit as near end of life — a discount doesn't outlast a blowout |
Heat is the accelerant: tires in Arizona and Texas age on a faster clock than the same tire in Minnesota. Sun-driven spares and trailer tires that sit loaded all summer are the classic silent failures.
| DOT Code | Week & Year | Built (approx.) | Age in Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3206 | Week 32, 2006 | Aug 6, 2006 | 20 years — replace |
| 2410 | Week 24, 2010 | Jun 11, 2010 | 16 years — replace |
| 3615 | Week 36, 2015 | Sep 3, 2015 | 10 yrs 11 mo — replace |
| 2419 | Week 24, 2019 | Jun 11, 2019 | 7 yrs 2 mo — plan replacement |
| 1921 | Week 19, 2021 | May 7, 2021 | 5 yrs 3 mo — inspect annually |
| 3622 | Week 36, 2022 | Sep 3, 2022 | 3 yrs 11 mo — normal service |
| 0525 | Week 5, 2025 | Jan 29, 2025 | 1 yr 7 mo — normal service |
| 1326 | Week 13, 2026 | Mar 26, 2026 | 5 mo — fresh |
A 4-digit date code started in 2000. Three digits means the 1990s: 161 with the small triangle stamp is week 16 of 1991 (the decade is the triangle, the last digit the year within it).
Since 2000, every tire sold in the US carries a DOT serial ending in four digits that encode the week and year it was built. That code is the only honest answer to "how old are my tires" — mileage and tread depth tell you nothing about the rubber's calendar age, and calendar age is what fails.
Weeks 1-2 digits of the code = week of the year; last 2 digits = year since 2000. The approximate build date is January 1 of that year plus (week − 1) × 7 days — the exact day within the week isn't stamped, so the decoder reports the start of the build week. Age is the difference between your check date and that build date, in years and months. The verdict bands: under 5 years, normal service; 5 to 6, inspect annually; 6 to 10, plan replacement — you're past the conservative mark; 10-plus, replace now regardless of tread.
Crouch at the sidewall, find "DOT", and read the last four characters of the code — 11 or 12 characters total including plant and size codes. Type them in. The tool also accepts a custom check date if you're pricing a used car you inspected last month or working a maintenance log. Check all four tires plus the spare: they rarely share a birthday, and the oldest one sets the clock.
You're shopping a used car in August 2026 and the tires read 2419. Week 24 of 2019 begins June 11, 2019, so the tires were 7 years 2 months old — well past the 6-year conservative mark (June 2025) but inside the 10-year window (replace by June 2029). The right move: budget one set of tires into the purchase within the next year or two, and check the spare before you drive home, since a 20-year-old code like 3206 (week 32 of 2006) is a decoration, not a spare.
Find the letters DOT on the sidewall and read the last four digits of the string that follows — those four are the date code. The first two digits are the week and the last two are the year: 2419 means the 24th week of 2019, which lands in mid-June 2019. The full DOT string is stamped on only one sidewall, so if you see a short code, check the tire's inner side.
Subtract the manufacture year from the current year and adjust for the week. A tire stamped 2419 (week 24 of 2019) was about 7 years 2 months old as of late August 2026. The decoder above does this for any code, including your spare.
No law sets one, and tread depth alone doesn't decide it. Major manufacturers including Michelin and Continental advise replacing tires no later than 10 years from date of manufacture, with an annual inspection by a tire specialist once a tire passes 5 years — even if the tread looks fine. Many retailers, including Discount Tire, recommend replacement at 6 years as the conservative mark, especially in hot climates.
No — replace it. Rubber compounds harden and internal steel and nylon belts degrade with age and heat cycles, and older tires fail at higher rates in studies of tire-related crashes. The 10-year limit applies from the date of manufacture regardless of tread depth or miles driven, and it includes the spare, which often ages out first because it's rarely replaced.
The tire was made in the 1990s. Before 2000, the date code used three digits: two for the week and one for the year of that decade, with a small triangle stamped after it to mark the 1990s. Any 3-digit code means a tire at least 26 years old today — a showpiece, not a road tire.
Tires are made in batches and installed in pairs, so a few weeks or months of spread across an axle set is normal and harmless. What matters is the oldest tire: age out the set on the oldest code's clock, and expect a shop to recommend replacing all four once two need replacing on an AWD vehicle.