How old is my Firestone tire?
Type the dot date code from the Firestone label to see when it was built. Firestone units are built by Bridgestone, so the serials follow that company's format.
Example
- DOTDOT: meets U.S. safety standards
- 10BPlant: 10B = Bridgestone Americas Tire Operation, LLC/Wilson, Wilson, North Carolina, United States
- ABCDEFManufacturer's code
- 47Week: 47 (November)
- 19Year: 19 = 2019
Built Week 47 of 2019 (around November)
6 years, 11 months old
In replacement window. Inside the usual 6 to 10 year lifespan, so replacement could come any time. Worth budgeting for it.
How this was read
- "DOT" means the tire meets U.S. federal safety standards. The tire identification number follows it.
- The first three symbols, 10B, are the plant code. NHTSA lists it as Bridgestone Americas Tire Operation, LLC/Wilson, Wilson, North Carolina, United States.
- The plant list names the company that runs the factory. It may build tires sold under other brands.
- The next 6 symbols are the manufacturer's own code for size and type. They are not part of the date.
- The last four digits, 4719, are the date code.
- The first two, 47, are the week. The last two, 19, are the year: 2019.
- Week 47 of 2019 runs from Sunday, November 24, 2019 to Saturday, November 30, 2019.
Format: DOT date code, week and year. Sources: 49 CFR 574.5, tire identification requirements (eCFR), NHTSA: Tires (how to find the tire age), Federal Register, 2015 rule on three-symbol plant codes, NHTSA vPIC tire plant code list.
Reading a Firestone serial number
Firestone is a Bridgestone brand and follows Bridgestone’s advice: inspect yearly after five years and replace at ten years from the date code.
The date code is a week and year, like 2219 for week 22 of 2019. Read it on every tire, including the spare, since tires on one car often differ.
About Firestone
- Bridgestone closed its purchase of Firestone Tire & Rubber on March 18, 1988, for $2.6 billion.
- The deal included Firestone’s North American store chain and plants in Russellville, Ark., Bloomington, Ill., Des Moines, Iowa, Wilson, N.C., Aiken, S.C., and LaVergne, Tenn.
- Firestone and Bridgestone tires from the same U.S. plant carry the same plant code, so the code shows the factory, not the brand.
Sources: Bridgestone Tire Comes Full Circle 25 Years After Buying Firestone in 1988, NHTSA vPIC: Get Equipment Plant Codes (tires, 2026)
DOT date code, week and year
Used july 2000 to today. Example: DOTU2LLLMLR5107
The date code is the last group of the DOT number on the sidewall. The first two digits are the week and the last two are the year, so 5107 means week 51 of 2007.
Worked example: DOT 10B ABCDEF 4719 was built Week 47 of 2019 (around November), so it is 6 years, 11 months old as of October 2026.
Sources: 49 CFR 574.5, tire identification requirements (eCFR), NHTSA: Tires (how to find the tire age), Federal Register, 2015 rule on three-symbol plant codes, NHTSA vPIC tire plant code list
Pre-2000 DOT date code, week and year digit
Used before July 2000. Example: DOTMJL9ABC218
Tires made before 2000 end the DOT number with three digits: the week, then the last digit of the year. Many 1990s tires add a small triangle after the code.
Worked example: DOT MJ L9 ABC 218 fits Week 21 of 1988 (around May) or Week 21 of 1998 (around May). The page above explains how to tell which.
The full lookup tables are on the Bridgestone page, since Firestone uses the same code.
Sources: Federal Register, 1999 rule moving to a four-digit date code, Vintage Tyres: reading tyre age codes, 49 CFR 574.5, tire identification requirements (eCFR)
Factories that make Firestone tires
The two or three symbols right after "DOT" name the factory. These are the plant codes NHTSA lists for Bridgestone, which makes Firestone tires. A code from this list on a Firestone tire is a good sign it is genuine.
| Code | Location | Operator | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1YD (YD) | 1St Cherdakinsky, Russia | Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing C.I.S. LLC/Russia | Listed |
| 1EK (EK) | Amagi, Japan | Bridgestone Tire Japan Co. Ltd. Amagi | Listed |
| 132 (32) | Amphur Panthong, Thailand | Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing Thailand Chonburi | Listed |
| 19C (9C) | Bari, Italy | Bridgestone Italia S.P.A./Bari | Listed |
| 1VP (VP) | Bari, Italy | Bridgestone Italia S.P.A./Bari | Listed |
| 1A8 (A8) | Bekasi, Indonesia | P.T. Bridgestone Tire Indonesia/Bekasi | Listed |
| 18C (8C) | Bethune, France | Bridgestone France S.A.S./Bethune | Listed |
| 1WA (WA) | Bethune, France | Bridgestone France S.A.S./Bethune | Listed |
| 15C (5C) | Bilbao, Spain | Bridgestone Hispania S.A./Bilbao | Listed |
| 1VT (VT) | Bilbao, Spain | Bridgestone Hispania S.A./Bilbao | Listed |
| 1L5 (L5) | Brisa, Turkey | Brisa Bridgestone Sabanci/Brisa | Listed |
| 18T (8T) | Brits, South Africa | Bridgestone South Africa Holdings (Pty) Ltd/Brits | Listed |
| 1E9 (E9) | Brits, South Africa | Bridgestone South Africa (Pty) Ltd/Brits | Listed |
| 1W5 (W5) | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Bridgestone/Firestone Argentina S.A.I.C./B. Aries | Listed |
| 16C (6C) | Burgos, Spain | Bridgestone Hispania, S.A./Burgos | Listed |
| 1WF (WF) | Burgos, Spain | Bridgestone Hispania, S.A./Burgos | Listed |
| 025 | Castel Romano, Italy | Bridgestone T.C.E. | Listed |
| 1RB (RB) | Cinega de Flores, Mexico | Bridgestone Neumaticos de Monterrey, S.A. de C.V./ Monterrey | Listed |
| 1V6 (V6) | Cuernavaca, Mexico | Bridgestone de Mexico, S.A.de C.V./Cuernavaca | Listed |
| 1YE (YE) | Des Moines, IA, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC/Des Moines | Listed |
| 18B (8B) | Des Moines, Iowa, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC/Des Moines | Listed |
| 1VE (VE) | Des Moines, Iowa, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC/Des Moines | Listed |
| 17X (7X) | Graniteville, SC, United States | Bridgestone/Americas Tire Operations, LLC Aiken | Listed |
| 18X (8X) | Graniteville, SC, United States | Bridgestone/Americas Tire Operations, LLC/Aiken | Listed |
| 19X (9X) | Graniteville, SC, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. LLC/Alken | Listed |
| 11T (1T) | Hai Phong, Vietnam | Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing Vietnam LLC/Hai Phong | Listed |
| 1EL (EL) | Hikone, Japan | Bridgestonetire Japan Co., Ltd./Hikone | Listed |
| 1H4 (H4) | Hofu, Japan | Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd./Hofu | Listed |
| 1C8 (C8) | Hsinchu, Taiwan | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations | Listed |
| 198 (98) | Huizhou, China | Bridgestone (Huizhou) Tire Co., Ltd/Huizhou | Listed |
| 1TM (TM) | Huizhou, China | Bridgestone Huizhou | Listed |
| 1VN (VN) | Joliete, Canada | Bridgestone Canada Inc./Joliette | Listed |
| 19B (9B) | Joliette, Canada | Bridgestone/Firestone Canada Inc./Joliette | Listed |
| 12R (2R) | Karawang, Indonesia | P.T. Bridgestone Tire Indonesia/ Karawang | Listed |
| 1EH (EH) | Kurume, Japan | Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd./Kurume | Listed |
| 1D2 (D2) | Lavergne, Tennessee, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tireoperations, LLC/Lavergne | Listed |
| 1W1 (W1) | Lavergne, Tennessee, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC/Lavergne | Listed |
| 1Y7 (Y7) | Lavergne, Tennessee, United States | Bridgestone American Tire, LLC. | Listed |
| 1E3 (E3) | Lavergne, TN, United States | Bridgestone American Tire Operations, LLC/Lavergne | Listed |
| 14W (4W) | Madhya Pradesh, India | Bridgestone Acc India Ltd./Madhya Pradesh | Listed |
| 1W9 (W9) | Maharashtra, India | Bridgestone India Private Limited/Pune | Listed |
| 1EN (EN) | Nasu, Japan | Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd./Nasu | Listed |
| 11V (1V) | Nong Khae, Thailand | Thai Bridgestone Co., Ltd. (Nong Khae Plant) Nong Khae | Listed |
| 12M (2M) | Normal, Illinois, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC/Bloomington | Listed |
| 1HY (HY) | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | Bridgestone/Firestone North American | Listed |
| 1E5 (E5) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Firestone South Africa (Pty) Ltd. | Listed |
| 276 (7G) | Poznan, Poland | Bridgestone/Firestone Poland Sp.Z.O.O. | Listed |
| 13Y (3Y) | Poznan, Poland | Bridgestone Poznan Sp.Z.O.O.(Poland)Poznan | Listed |
| 1F7 (F7) | Puente San Miguel, Spain | Firestone Hispania S.A. Puente San Miguel | Listed |
| 1A7 (A7) | Rangsit, Thailand | Thai Bridgestone Co., Ltd.(Rangsit Plant) Rangsit | Listed |
| 1WB (WB) | San Jose, Costa Rica | Bridgestone de Costa Rica/San Jose | Listed |
| 16T (6T) | Santo Andre-Est., Brazil | Bridgestone/Firestone do Brazil Industrial E Comercio LTDA. | Listed |
| 15T (5T) | Santo Andre, Brazil | Bridgestone do Brasil Industria E Comercio LTDA/Sao | Listed |
| 1E2 (E2) | Santo Andre, Brazil | Bridgestone do Brazil Industrial E Comercio LTDA. | Listed |
| 1DH (DH) | Shenyang, China | Bridgestone (Shenyang) Tire Co Ltd/Shenyang | Listed |
| 11D (1D) | Shimonoseki, Japan | Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd./Shimonoseki | Listed |
| 1JY (JY) | Stargard Szczecinski, Poland | Bridgestone Stargard Sp. Z.O.O./Stargard | Listed |
| 1VR (VR) | TatabÁNya, Hungary | Bridgestone Tatabanya Manufacturing Ltd./Tatabanya | Listed |
| 11U (1U) | Tianjin, China | Bridgestone (Tianjin) Tire Co., Ltd./Tianjin | Listed |
| 1EP (EP) | Tochigi, Japan | Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd./Tochigi | Listed |
| 1EM (EM) | Tokyo, Japan | Bridgestone Tire Japan Co.,/Tokyo | Listed |
| 10E (0E) | Torrelavega, Spain | Bridgestone/Firestone Hispania | Listed |
| 1EJ (EJ) | Tosu, Japan | Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd./Tosu | Listed |
| 1F2 (F2) | Valencia, Venezuela | Bridgestone Firestone Venezolana, C..A./Valencia | Listed |
| 12C (2C) | Warren, Tennessee, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC/Warren | Listed |
| 14D (4D) | Warren, Tennessee, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operation, LLC/Warren | Listed |
| 15D (5D) | Warren, Tennessee, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC/Warren | Listed |
| 1Y2 (Y2) | Wilson, NC, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC/Wilson | Listed |
| 10B (0B) | Wilson, North Carolina, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operation, LLC/Wilson | Listed |
| 1W2 (W2) | Wilson, North Carolina, United States | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC/Wilson | Listed |
| 131 (31) | Wuxi, China | Bridgestone (Wuxi) Tire Co. Ltd./Wuxi | Listed |
| 196 (96) | Bahia, Brazil | Bridgestone do Brasil Industria E Comercio LTDA./Bahia | Closed |
| 1XY (XY) | Joliette, Canada | Bridgestone Canada Inc./Joliette | Closed |
| 11C (1C) | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC. | Closed |
| 1F6 (F6) | Torrelavega, Spain | Torrelavega Firestone Hispania S.A. | Closed |
Old two-symbol codes are in brackets. Source: NHTSA vPIC tire plant codes, checked October 2026.