The build date sits in the last four digits of the DOT code, with the week first and the year last, such as 0924.
Most tires hide the answer in plain sight. You do not need an app, a VIN lookup, or the sales slip from the shop. The manufacture date is stamped into the DOT code on the sidewall, and once you know which digits matter, the whole thing reads in seconds.
That date matters when you are buying a used car, checking a spare, or matching a replacement tire. Tires can look fine and still be years apart. One glance at the date code clears that up.
How To Find Manufacturer Date On Tires On A Mounted Wheel
Start by parking on level ground and turning the steering wheel so the tire sidewall faces you. Look for the letters DOT stamped into the rubber near the rim. That marks the Tire Identification Number, often called the DOT code.
On many tires, the full code is printed on only one sidewall. The outer side may show a shorter version that leaves off the date. If you see DOT followed by letters and numbers but no four-digit date at the end, check the inner sidewall. That can mean crouching behind the tire with a flashlight, rolling the car a few inches, or reading the back side of the spare in the trunk well.
What You Are Looking For
The part that gives you the manufacture date is the last four digits of the DOT code on tires made since 2000. The first two digits show the week of the year. The last two show the year. A tire ending in 0924 was made in the ninth week of 2024. A tire ending in 4721 was made in the forty-seventh week of 2021.
Read it in four moves:
- Find the letters DOT.
- Read the characters that follow.
- Go to the last four digits.
- Split them into two pairs: week first, year last.
If one tire shows a different date from the others, that does not always mean trouble. It may mean one tire was replaced after a puncture or road hit. Still, mismatched ages can change how a vehicle feels on the road, so it is worth spotting before you buy or rotate a set.
Finding The Tire Manufacture Date From The DOT Code
The DOT code also includes the plant code and other production details. For age checks, the date stamp is the only part you need to decode.
The table below breaks down the sidewall code so the letters around the date do not throw you off. Read it left to right.
If the tire is mounted with the date facing inward, use a flashlight and read it from the back side. On rear tires, it can help to roll the car half a turn. On a loose tire, scan both sidewalls before you decide the code is missing. A phone photo can help when the stamp sits behind the suspension and lets you zoom in later.
If you want to double-check the markings, NHTSA’s tire safety information shows what appears on U.S. road tires. For a brand-side read of the date stamp, Goodyear’s tire date code page spells out the week-year format and notes that the full code may sit on only one sidewall. Wipe the rubber first. Dirt and old tire dressing can blur the last four digits enough to make 8s look like 3s.
| DOT Marking Part | What It Tells You | What To Do With It |
|---|---|---|
| DOT | Marks the tire identification code | Start reading here |
| Plant code | Shows the factory where the tire was built | Not needed for date checks |
| Size code | Links to the tire size grouping in the ID code | Useful for recalls, not for age |
| Maker build code | Tracks construction details chosen by the tire maker | Usually ignore this when dating a tire |
| Last four digits | Week and year of manufacture | This is the date stamp |
| Full DOT code | Includes the date at the end | Use this sidewall when you can see it |
| Partial DOT code | Leaves off the date section on one sidewall | Check the other side of the tire |
| Three-digit date code | Points to a pre-2000 tire | Treat it as old and inspect the tire closely |
How The Date Code Reads In Real Life
Once you know the week-year pattern, the date reads almost at a glance. A tire ending in 0924 came from the ninth week of 2024. One ending in 4721 came from the forty-seventh week of 2021. A code ending in 0119 points to the first week of 2019. After a few reads, your eye goes straight to the last four digits.
Older Tires Need Extra Care
If the tire ends with only three digits, it was built before 2000. The first two digits show the week, and the last digit shows the year in that decade. A code like 529 could point to 1979, 1989, or 1999.
That kind of code is a red flag on a road vehicle. Deep tread does not cancel out age, sun, heat, or storage wear. If you spot a three-digit date code, book a tire shop inspection.
Mistakes That Trip People Up
People often grab the first four digits they see. Tire size, load index, speed rating, and UTQG grades can sit close to the DOT code, and none of them tells you the build date.
- Reading the tire size as the date: Numbers like 225/65R17 are size markings, not age markings.
- Stopping at a partial DOT code: If the outer sidewall lacks the date, the full code is on the other side.
- Checking only one tire: A used car may have one new tire and three old ones.
- Forgetting the spare: A spare can sit untouched for years and still age out.
- Trusting tread alone: Good tread depth does not cancel out age, cracks, flat spots, or hardening rubber.
A tire can be unused and still have been made months earlier. That is normal in many shops. What matters is knowing the date and checking the tire’s condition.
When The Date Should Make You Inspect Closer
The manufacture date is not a drop-dead timer on its own, but it is a strong clue. Tire makers and vehicle makers often give age notes in their manuals, and those notes can differ by brand and vehicle. Check your owner’s manual, then compare it with the tire maker’s age advice for your exact model.
| What You Find | What It Often Means | What To Check Next |
|---|---|---|
| All four tires share a close date | The set was likely installed together | Inspect wear across the set |
| One tire is much newer | One tire was likely replaced later | Check the tire on the same axle |
| The spare is years older | It may have aged in storage | Check pressure, cracks, tread |
| Only a three-digit date appears | The tire was built before 2000 | Have it checked before road use |
| An old date plus sidewall cracks | Age and storage may have hardened rubber | Stop using it until it is checked |
| No date on the outer sidewall | You are likely seeing a partial code | Read the inner sidewall |
If a tire is several years old, look past the date and inspect the whole thing. Watch for sidewall cracks, bulges, uneven wear, puncture repairs near the shoulder, dry rubber, and long storage. A date code tells you when the tire was built. It does not tell you how it was treated.
The Spare Tire Counts Too
Do not skip the spare. Many drivers never read its date until they need it on the roadside. Read the spare’s DOT code during your next pressure check and write the date down with the rest of your tire records.
A Two-Minute Garage Habit
Turn the date check into a simple habit:
- Read and photograph the DOT code on each tire.
- Store those photos in a phone album named with the car’s plate or model.
- Note any tire that does not match the others by year or week.
- Recheck the sidewalls each time you rotate tires or prep for a long drive.
That habit pays off when you buy a used car, price a single replacement, or catch an old spare before it strands you. Once you know where the DOT code sits, reading the date becomes routine.
References & Sources
- NHTSA.“Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness.”Shows tire sidewall safety details and basic tire information used to verify where DOT markings appear.
- Goodyear.“Tire Date Code: Reading a Tire’s Manufacture Date.”Shows how the last four digits of the DOT code map to the week and year a tire was made and notes that one sidewall may show only a partial code.