Tire Age Calculator
Tire made month and replace date from DOT.
What it does
Rubber ages unseen. Tires harden with heat, sun, and time even when tread looks deep, which is why makers bound service life around six to ten years. The sidewall DOT code dates every tire to the week so age checks take seconds.
The tool above turns week plus year into a made month and a replace by month. DOT 1519 means week 15 of 2019, near Apr 2019 made with Apr 2025 replace. DOT 4022 means Oct 2022 with Oct 2028 replace. Both use the last four TIN digits, checking both sidewalls because the stamp may sit one side only.
Age is one leg of three. Tread depth, damage, and pressure decide daily fitness: penny test for wear, eyes for cuts and bulges, gauge monthly for pressure. Spares age on the shelf, so date them too and never promote a worn spare.
This page dates tires only. It does not grade tread, repair damage, or clear any tire for service. When in doubt, a tire professional decides.
How to use
- Find the DOT TIN on the sidewall.
- Read the last four digits as WWYY.
- Enter the week and the full year.
- Read the made month first.
- Read the replace by month.
- Inspect tread, cracks, and pressure too.
Formula
- week
- DOT week 1-53 from the TIN.
- year
- Full DOT year, such as 2019.
- replace
- Made month plus 6 years.
DOT week plus full year from the sidewall TIN. At week outside 1-53 there is no date. Six years is the planning horizon used here; makers and heat shift real life.
Worked example
Example: DOT 1519
Defaults: DOT week 15 of 2019. Last four of the TIN give week plus year. Check both sidewalls.
- Inputs: DOT week 15 of 2019 (DOT 1519).
- Month: week 15 lands in Apr.
- Made: Apr 2019 made.
- Replace: plus 6 years is Apr 2025 replace.
- A 4022 case gives Oct 2022 with Oct 2028 replace. Tool shows the same.
Reference table
| DOT | Made | Replace |
|---|---|---|
| DOT 1519 | Apr 2019 made | Apr 2025 replace |
| DOT 4022 | Oct 2022 made | Oct 2028 replace |
| DOT 0124 | Jan 2024 made | Jan 2030 replace |
| DOT 2521 | Jun 2021 made | Jun 2027 replace |
| DOT 5220 | Dec 2020 made | Dec 2026 replace |
Limits
- Date only. Tread and damage excluded.
- Month approximate. Week to month mapping.
- Six year horizon planning. Makers vary.
- TIN reading errors possible. Check both sides.
Common mistakes
- Reading three digit pre-2000 codes as four digit.
- Checking one sidewall only.
- Running aged tires on tread looks alone.
- Fitting worn spares as replacements.
- Ignoring heat and sun aging in storage.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
DOT week 40 of 2022?
Week 40 lands in Oct. Oct 2022 made with Oct 2028 replace, DOT 4022.
DOT week 1 of 2024?
Week 1 lands in Jan. Jan 2024 made with Jan 2030 replace, DOT 0124.
Questions
How do I read the DOT date?
Last four of the TIN: first two week, last two year. Here DOT 1519.
How is the made date figured?
Week maps to month by twelfths. Here Apr 2019 made.
When do I replace?
Made plus 6 years. Here Apr 2025 replace, sooner with damage or wear.
Is 10 years ever fine?
Some makers say 6 to 10 years regardless of tread. Heat, sun, and storage age rubber unseen.
Do spares age?
Yes. Spares age on the shelf. Never fit a worn spare except in emergencies.
Does good tread mean safe?
No. Cracks, bulges, vibration, and pressure loss condemn tires at any age.