How To Tell What Year Tires Were Made | Read The DOT Code

The year is in the last two digits of the DOT code on the tire sidewall, paired with the two digits right before it for the week.

If you want to know how old a tire is, you don’t need a shop tool or a decoding app. You just need the DOT code stamped into the sidewall. The last four digits tell you when the tire was built: the first two digits are the production week, and the last two digits are the year.

That tiny code matters more than many drivers think. Tread depth can still look decent while the rubber has already spent years dealing with heat, sun, cold starts, curb hits, and long periods of sitting still. So if you’re checking used tires, buying a stored spare, or trying to figure out whether an old set still belongs on the car, the build date is one of the first things to read.

How To Tell What Year Tires Were Made On A Sidewall

Start by finding the letters “DOT” on the tire. That marking is followed by a longer Tire Identification Number, often called the TIN. On tires made after 1999, the last four digits of that code show the build date. A tire ending in 2623 was made in the 26th week of 2023.

Where To Find The Code

Look near the rim edge, not near the center tread. The full date portion is often molded inside a small oval or recessed patch at the end of the DOT string. On some tires, the full TIN appears on only one sidewall, so you may need to check the inner side too. That’s why the date can seem “missing” when it’s really just facing the car.

Use a flashlight if the letters are dusty or faded. Wiping the sidewall with a rag can make the last four digits stand out fast. You’re hunting for the final block, not every code on the tire.

What The Four Digits Mean

The first two digits are the week of the year, from 01 through 52, and in some years 53. The last two digits are the year. So a code ending in 0119 means the first week of 2019. A code ending in 4722 means the 47th week of 2022.

That’s the whole trick. Once you know the week and year pattern, you can read the age of almost any modern passenger tire in seconds.

Read The Date Code Without Guessing

Here’s the clean way to do it:

• Find the DOT letters on the sidewall.
• Read to the end of that DOT string.
• Take the last four digits only.
• Use the first pair for the week.
• Use the second pair for the year.
• Match that year to the tire’s age today.

Say the code ends in 3521. That tire came out of the mold in week 35 of 2021. If it ends in 0824, it was made in week 8 of 2024. After you do this once or twice, it becomes a ten-second check.

Tire Date Code Examples That Make It Easy

The chart below turns the last four digits into plain language. If you’re staring at the sidewall in a driveway, this is the format you want in your head.

Last 4 Digits	What It Means	Plain Reading
0118	Week 01, 2018	Built in early January 2018
2619	Week 26, 2019	Built around late June 2019
3520	Week 35, 2020	Built near late summer 2020
1021	Week 10, 2021	Built in early March 2021
4721	Week 47, 2021	Built near late November 2021
0522	Week 05, 2022	Built in early February 2022
3023	Week 30, 2023	Built in late July 2023
0824	Week 08, 2024	Built in late February 2024

The code tells you the production week and year, not the sale date or the first day it hit the road. A tire can sit in storage before it reaches a car, so the build date is the first check, not the only one.

Both NHTSA’s tire buyers’ FAQ and the Tire Industry Association’s page on reading a tire sidewall spell out the same rule: the last four digits of the DOT code give the week and year of manufacture.

What If The Tire Has Only Three Digits

A three-digit date code points to a tire built before 2000. Those older codes used the first two digits for the week and the last digit for the year within a decade. That makes them harder to pin to one calendar year, since a code ending in 7 could refer to 1987 or 1997.

In plain terms, if you find a three-digit date code on a passenger tire, you’re not dealing with a tire that belongs in normal day-to-day road use. Even if the tread looks fresh, the age alone should stop the sale or the install.

Why Shoppers Get Tripped Up

The most common mistake is reading another number on the sidewall and thinking it is the year. Tire size, load index, speed rating, UTQG grade, and brand markings can crowd the sidewall with numbers. The date is only the last part of the DOT code.

Read The Last Four Digits Only

The next mistake is stopping at one side of the tire. If you can’t spot the four-digit block, roll the car a bit or check the inner sidewall. On many tires, that solves it. Once you find the full DOT string, ignore the rest and read only the final four digits.

When The Year Matters More Than The Tread

People often shop used tires by tread first. That makes sense, but age still matters. Rubber hardens as time passes, and older tires can crack in the sidewall, between tread blocks, or deep in the inner structure where you won’t spot it at a glance.

That’s why the date code should be checked along with wear, repairs, punctures, flat spots, and uneven tread. If a tire looks clean but the production year is far back, slow down and judge the whole tire, not just the groove depth.

What To Check	Why It Matters	What To Do
Date code	Shows the week and year of build	Read the last four DOT digits
Sidewall cracks	Can point to age or dry rot	Skip the tire if cracks are visible
Tread wear pattern	Can hint at alignment or inflation issues	Check for one-sided or cupped wear
Past repairs	Poor repairs can weaken the tire	Inspect the inside if possible
Stored spare tire	Low miles do not erase age	Read the date even if tread looks new

A spare tire deserves the same date check. Many spares spend years untouched in the trunk, which makes them easy to trust by sight. But low use and old age can sit together on the same tire.

A Few Smart Checks Before You Buy

If you’re buying a single replacement tire, read the DOT date before you pay. If you’re buying a set, check every tire, not just one. Build dates that are close together are common, but they are not always identical. Mixed dates can show that the set was pieced together.

Also compare the production year with the tire’s condition. A newer tire with bruises, plugs, or uneven wear may be a worse pick than an older tire stored well and barely used. The date code gives you a baseline. The rest of the sidewall and tread tell the rest of the story.

Fast Visual Order

• Read the DOT date code.
• Scan the sidewall for cracking or bulges.
• Check tread depth across the full width.
• Look for plugs, patches, and odd wear.
• Make sure the size and load rating fit the vehicle.

Once you know how the last four digits work, telling a tire’s year becomes simple. You find the DOT code, read the final two digits for the year, and use the two before them for the week. That one habit can save you from buying old stock blindly or trusting a tire that looks fine from five feet away.