Where Is The Date On A Tire? | Find The DOT Code

The tire’s date is stamped at the end of the DOT code on the sidewall, usually as four digits that show the week and year it was made.

If you’re staring at a tire and wondering where the date went, you’re not missing some neat little calendar stamp. The date is part of a longer sidewall marking called the DOT code. On most passenger tires, the last four digits of that code tell you when the tire was made.

That tiny stamp matters when you’re buying tires, checking an older spare, or judging a low-mileage tire that may still be old.

Where Is The Date On A Tire? Start With The Sidewall

The date sits on the tire sidewall, tucked into the DOT Tire Identification Number. Look for the letters “DOT” first. Then scan to the end of that string. The last block, if the tire was made in 2000 or later, is a four-digit date code.

On many tires, the full DOT string appears on only one sidewall. The other side may show a partial code or no date block at all. So if you can’t find the four digits on the outside face, turn the steering wheel, roll the car a bit, or check the inward-facing side of the tire.

• Find the word DOT on the sidewall.
• Read the full string from left to right.
• Read the last four digits.
• If you only see part of the DOT code, check the other sidewall.

What The Four Digits Mean

The first two digits show the production week. The last two show the year. So a tire ending in 2424 was made in the 24th week of 2024. A tire ending in 5119 came from the 51st week of 2019.

A flashlight and a quick wipe usually help. Dirt and molded lettering can hide the code, so clean the sidewall before reading it.

Why The Date Can Be Hard To Spot

Tire sidewalls are busy. Size, load rating, speed rating, treadwear grade, pressure limits, and brand markings all compete for space. On many mounted tires, the date faces inward too, so the code can be there but out of sight.

How To Find The Tire Date In Minutes

Use this simple routine if the code is giving you trouble:

1. Park on level ground and turn the wheel to expose more sidewall on the front tire.
2. Look for “DOT” in raised lettering.
3. Follow the string to the last group of numbers.
4. Clean the sidewall if the numbers are dusty or faded.
5. Check the inner sidewall if the last digits are missing outside.
6. Write the code down before moving to the next tire.

NHTSA says the last four digits of the DOT Tire Identification Number show the week and year the tire was made, and it also notes that the full code may not appear on both sides. That’s why checking both sidewalls can save a lot of head scratching. You can see that in NHTSA’s tire buyers’ FAQ.

Date On A Tire Location On Newer And Older Tires

Most tires on the road today use the modern four-digit format: two digits for the week and two for the year.

Older tires can be trickier. Tires made before 2000 often used a three-digit date code. That older format is less clear, and if you run into it on a passenger vehicle tire, the bigger takeaway is not to keep decoding forever. Treat it as an old tire that needs a close check before any road use.

Michelin notes that the date code appears at the end of the DOT field and that the first two numbers show the week while the last two show the year. Its sidewall marking page is a handy visual check if you want to compare what you see on your own tire with an official diagram from Michelin’s tire marking page.

Sidewall Marking	What It Tells You	Why It Matters
DOT	Marks the Tire Identification Number section	Shows you where to start looking for the date
Last 4 digits	Week and year of manufacture	Lets you judge tire age at a glance
Tire size	Width, aspect ratio, and wheel diameter	Helps match replacement tires to the vehicle
Load index	How much weight the tire can carry	Keeps the tire suited to the vehicle’s load needs
Speed rating	Certified speed category	Helps you avoid a mismatch with factory specs
UTQG grades	Treadwear, traction, and temperature grades	Gives a rough comparison point across many tires
Max pressure text	Pressure tied to max load on the tire	Prevents confusion with the car’s recommended pressure
Rotation arrow	Direction of travel on directional tires	Helps with proper mounting and inspection

What If The Tire Has No Visible Four-Digit Date?

There are a few common reasons:

• You’re looking at the sidewall with the partial DOT code.
• The tire is old enough to use the older three-digit format.
• Dirt or wear is masking the final block.
• The tire is mounted in a way that hides the full DOT string from view.

If the full code faces inward and you can’t read it safely, a tire shop can check it during a rotation or inspection. That’s often the easiest path on rear tires with tight wheel wells.

Common Mistakes When Reading The Date Code

A lot of people read the wrong numbers. The date is not the whole DOT string. It is only the last four digits.

Also, don’t assume all four tires share the same age. Cars often get two tires replaced at one time, and spares get ignored for years. Read each tire one by one.

Code Ending	Reading	Plain-English Meaning
0823	Week 08, 2023	Made in late February 2023
2424	Week 24, 2024	Made in mid June 2024
5119	Week 51, 2019	Made near the end of 2019
0100	Week 01, 2000	Made in the first week of 2000

When The Tire Date Matters Most

The date matters most when you’re buying tires, checking a used car, or inspecting a spare that has been sleeping in the trunk for ages. Tread depth tells one part of the story. Age tells another. A tire can still have tread left and still be old.

That is why smart buyers check the DOT date before paying. If a “new” tire has been sitting in storage for a long stretch, you may want a fresher one from the same model line if the shop has it.

Good Times To Check All Four Tires

• Before a road trip
• When buying a used car
• After a flat, blowout, or curb hit
• When tread looks fine but the tire seems old
• When your spare has never been checked

A Fast Way To Read The Sidewall With Confidence

Start with DOT. Ignore the rest for a second. Jump straight to the last four digits. Read week, then year. Check all four tires, then check the spare. That one routine clears up most of the confusion around tire age.

If you only take one thing from the sidewall, make it this: the tire date is not a separate sticker or stamp somewhere else on the rubber. It is built into the DOT code, and the full date may be on the side you can’t see right away. Once you know that, finding it gets a lot easier.