What this tool does not know
This page only uses information you enter or check yourself. It cannot confirm accident history, title status, liens, taxes, insurance requirements, financing approval, mechanical condition, or local DMV rules. Verify important details with official documents and qualified professionals before buying.
How DOT Tire Date Codes Work
Modern tire DOT date codes usually end with four digits. The first two digits represent the manufacture week and the last two represent the manufacture year. For example, 2321 means week 23 of 2021.
The code may be on only one sidewall, so you may need to look at both sides of the tire. Check all four tires and the spare if one is included.
How To Use This Decoder
Enter the last four digits of the DOT date code. You can also paste a longer DOT string and the tool will use the last four digits. The current date defaults to today in your browser, but you can change it.
The decoder validates that the week is between 01 and 53 and treats the year as 20YY for modern tires.
What The Result Means
The result shows the manufacture week and year, approximate age, and an age-based status. Under five years is generally newer, five to six years deserves careful inspection, six or more years is a caution point, and ten or more years is a strong replacement warning.
Age does not prove a tire is safe or unsafe. Condition, tread depth, repairs, cracking, bulges, heat exposure, and matching tire type also matter.
Why Old Tires Are Risky Even With Tread
Rubber changes over time. A tire may have visible tread but still be hardened, cracked, or weakened from age, heat, sunlight, storage, or underinflation.
Older tires can also give you negotiation information. If a car needs a full set soon, include that cost when comparing price and making an offer.
Practical Buyer Tips
Check each tire date, look for uneven wear, inspect sidewalls, and ask whether tires were replaced after damage or just aged out. If tire age is a concern, price replacement before buying.