Paste the last four digits of a DOT code, or the full code from the sidewall. See the manufacture week, year, and age, plus the plant when NHTSA has it. The decode runs in your browser.
Made in week 1 of 2003
Dec 30, 2002 to Jan 5, 2003 (approx.)
23 years 9 months
Past most manufacturer limits regardless of tread
General guidance, not a safety inspection. Follow the tire and vehicle maker's recommendation.
Segments
Week ranges use ISO weeks, Monday through Sunday, and are approximate. Tire makers count weeks on their own calendars. The regulation describes a Sunday-to-Saturday week. Plant names come from the free NHTSA vPIC list. 49 CFR 574.5
Plant data from NHTSA, updated October 13, 2026.
See how old a tire from each year is, and what that age means before you buy a used set.
The last four digits of the DOT code are the date. The first two are the week and the last two are the year. 2319 means week 23 of 2019. The letters before that are the plant and size codes. DOT itself is not part of the number.
Under 3 years there is usually no age concern. From 3 to 6 years, inspect for cracks and have the tire checked yearly after 5. Many manufacturers recommend replacement from 6 to 10 years, and most advise against using a tire past 10 years regardless of tread. This is general guidance, not a safety inspection. Follow the tire and vehicle maker's recommendation.
Tires made before 2000 used three digits: two for the week and one for the year. 239 can mean week 23 of 1989 or 1999. A triangle after the code marks the 1990s. A tire from before 2000 is past common replacement guidelines.
It is molded into the sidewall, usually after the letters DOT. The full code, including the date, is often on only one side. The other side may show DOT and the beginning of the code without the date. Check both sidewalls.
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