How do I tell the age of a tyre?

Finding your tyre's age

Every tyre has its date of manufacture stamped on the sidewall, so you can easily check how old it is.

Reading the DOT code

Look for the DOT code on the tyre sidewall. The last four digits tell you the week and year of manufacture:

• 2523 means the tyre was made in week 25 of 2023
• 0921 means the tyre was made in week 9 of 2021

The DOT code is usually found on one side of the tyre near the rim. You may need to check both sides, as it is sometimes only printed on the inward-facing side.

Three-digit codes

If you can only see three digits, the tyre was manufactured before the year 2000 and should definitely be replaced regardless of its tread depth.

Why age matters

Rubber degrades over time. Most manufacturers recommend replacing tyres after 5 to 6 years, with an absolute maximum of 10 years from manufacture.