How old is my Michelin tire?
Type the dot date code from the Michelin label to see when it was built.
Example
- DOTDOT: meets U.S. safety standards
- 1M3Plant: 1M3 = Michelin North America, Inc., Greenville, South Carolina, United States
- ABCDEFManufacturer's code
- 22Week: 22 (June)
- 19Year: 19 = 2019
Built Week 22 of 2019 (around May)
7 years, 5 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, 1M3, are the plant code. NHTSA lists it as Michelin North America, Inc., Greenville, South 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, 2219, are the date code.
- The first two, 22, are the week. The last two, 19, are the year: 2019.
- Week 22 of 2019 runs from Sunday, June 2, 2019 to Saturday, June 8, 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 Michelin serial number
Michelin recommends a yearly check by a tire professional once a tire is five years old, and replacing any tire ten years after it was made.
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 Michelin
- Michelin moved its U.S. headquarters from New York to Greenville, South Carolina, in 1985.
- Michelin started building plants in South Carolina in the mid-1970s, in Greenville, Anderson, Laurens and Spartanburg.
- NHTSA lists U.S. Michelin plant codes including 1M3 and 14M (Greenville, S.C.), 1B6 (Spartanburg, S.C.), 1B9 (Lexington, S.C.), 1AP (Ardmore, Okla.), 1BE (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and 1B7 (Dothan, Ala.).
- On tires made before 2015 the same plants used two-character codes without the leading 1, such as M3 for Greenville.
Sources: "M" is for Michelin | South Carolina Public Radio, 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 1M3 ABCDEF 2219 was built Week 22 of 2019 (around May), so it is 7 years, 5 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.
| Code ends | Possible years |
|---|---|
| 218 with a triangle | 1998 |
| 218 with no triangle | 1988 or 1998 |
| xx0 with no triangle | 1980, 1990, or early 2000 |
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 Michelin tires
The two or three symbols right after "DOT" name the factory. These are the plant codes NHTSA lists for Michelin. A code from this list on a Michelin tire is a good sign it is genuine.
| Code | Location | Operator | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A1 (A1) | 86-Potiers, France | Pneumatics Michelin | Listed |
| 1HA (HA) | Aranda de Duero, Spain | Michelin Espana Portugal S.A. | Listed |
| 1AP (AP) | Ardmore, Oklahoma, United States | Michelin North America,Inc | Listed |
| 1FT (FT) | Bad Kreuznach, Germany | Michelin Reifenwerke, A.G. & Co. K.G.A.A | Listed |
| 1HJ (HJ) | Ballymena, Northern Ireland | Michelin Tyre PLC | Listed |
| 1FL (FL) | Blanzy, France | Manufacture Francaise Des Pneumatiques Michelin | Listed |
| 1B3 (B3) | Bridgewater, Canada | Michelin North America (Canada), Inc. | Listed |
| 1B4 (B4) | Budapest, Hungary | Michelin Hungarian Tyre Manufacture Ltd. | Listed |
| 1B8 (B8) | Campo Grande, Brazil | Sociedade Michelin de Participacoes, Industria E Comercio LTDA - Unidade Campo Grande | Listed |
| 1Y5 (Y5) | China | Shanghai Michelin Tire Co., Ltd. | Listed |
| 1FK (FK) | Cholet, France | Manufacture Francaise Des Pneumatics Michelin | Listed |
| 1FH (FH) | Clemont Ferrand, France | Manufacture Francaise Des Pneumatics Michelin | Listed |
| 1FF (FF) | Clermont Ferrand, France | Manufacutre Francaise Des Pneumatiques (Michelin) | Listed |
| 1FM (FM) | Clermont Ferrand, France | Manufacture Francaise Des Pneumatiques Michelin | Listed |
| 1FN (FN) | Clermont Ferrand, France | Manufacture Francaise Des Pneumatiques Michelin | Listed |
| 1L0 (L0) | Clermont Ferrand, France | Manufacture Francaise Des Pneumatiques Michelin | Listed |
| 16U (6U) | Clermont-Ferrand, France | Manufacture Francaise Des Pneumatiques MICHELIN | Listed |
| 1HD (HD) | Cuneo, Italy | Societa Per Azoni, Michelin Italiana | Listed |
| 122 (22) | Davidovo Village, Russia | LLC Michelin Russian Tyre Manufacturing Co. | Listed |
| 1K4 (K4) | De Queretarosantiago, Mexico | Industrias Michelin, S.A. de C.V. | Listed |
| 1B7 (B7) | Dothan, Alabama, United States | Michelin North America, Inc. | Listed |
| 1F1 (F1) | Dundee, Scotland | Michelin Tyre PLC | Listed |
| 1N4 (N4) | Floresti, Romania | Michelin Romania SA | Listed |
| 14M (4M) | Greenville, South Carolina, United States | Michelin North America, Inc. | Listed |
| 1M3 (M3) | Greenville, South Carolina, United States | Michelin North America, Inc. | Listed |
| 06R | Guarulhos, Brazil | Sociedade Michelin Participacoes, Industria e Comercio Ltda - Unidade Guarulhos | Listed |
| 1FU (FU) | Hallstadt, Germany | Michelin Reifenwerke, A.G. & Co. K.G.A.A | Listed |
| 1FV (FV) | Homburg-Saar, Germany | Michelin Reifenwerke, A.G. & Co. K.G.A.A | Listed |
| 13R (3R) | Itatiaia, Brazil | Sociedade Michelin de Participacoes Industria A E Comercio LTDA - Undidade Itatiaia | Listed |
| 1FW (FW) | Karlsruhe, Germany | Michelin Reifenwerke, A.G. & Co. K.G.A.A | Listed |
| 1FJ (FJ) | La Brede, France | Manufacture Francaise Des Pneumatics Michelin | Listed |
| 1HB (HB) | Lasarte-Oria, Spain | Michelin Espana Portugal S.A. | Listed |
| 15E (5E) | Le Puy En Velay, France | Manfacture Francaise Des Pneumatiques Michelin | Listed |
| 03L | Leon, Mexico | Industrias Michelin S.A. de C.V. | Listed |
| 1B9 (B9) | Lexington, South Carolina, United States | Michelin North America, Inc. | Listed |
| 06P | Manaus, Brazil | Sociedade Michelin de Participacoes, Industria e Comercio, Ltda. - Unidade Manaus | Listed |
| 1HE (HE) | Marengo (Alessandria), Italy | Societa Per Azioni, S.P.A. (Michelin Italiana) | Listed |
| 1HN (HN) | New Glasgow, Canada | Michelin North America (Canada), Inc. | Listed |
| 13L (3L) | Nongkae, Thailand | Michelin Siam Co., Ltd. | Listed |
| 261 (6I) | Nyiregyhaza, Hungary | Michelin Hungaria Tyre Manufacture Ltd. | Listed |
| 1B5 (B5) | Olsztvn, Poland | Michelin Polska S.A. | Listed |
| 1ED (ED) | Ota, Japan | Nihon Michelin Tire Co., Ltd. | Listed |
| 1W8 (W8) | Prapradaeng, Thailand | Michelin Siam Co., Ltd. | Listed |
| 1HP (HP) | Saigon, Vietnam | Manfacture Saigonnaise Des Pneumatiques Michelin | Listed |
| 17V (7V) | Shenyang, China | Michelin Shenyang Tire Co., Ltd | Listed |
| 1V8 (V8) | Sipcot Industrialgummidipoondi Taluk Tiruvallur, India | Michelin India PVT. Ltd. | Listed |
| 1B6 (B6) | Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States | Michelin North America, Inc. | Listed |
| 10C (0C) | Sri Racha, Thailand | Michelin Siam Co., Ltd. | Listed |
| 1HM (HM) | Stoke-On-Trent, England | Michelin Tyre PLC | Listed |
| 1BE (BE) | Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States | Michelin North America, Inc | Listed |
| 1H1 (H1) | Valladolid, Spain | Michelin Espana Portugal S.A. | Listed |
| 1HC (HC) | Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain | Michelin Espana Portugal S.A. | Listed |
| 1M5 (M5) | Waterville, Canada | Michelin North America (Canada), Inc. | Listed |
| 1BF (BF) | Woodburn, Indiana, United States | Michelin North America, Inc | Listed |
| 1K0 (K0) | Yang San- Kun, South Korea | Michelin Korea Tire Company, Ltd. | Listed |
| 1FX (FX) | Leeuw-St. Pierre, Belgium | S.A. Belge Du Pneumatique Michelin | Closed |
| 1HH (HH) | Torino, Italy | Societa Per Azioni Michelin Italian | Closed |
Old two-symbol codes are in brackets. Source: NHTSA vPIC tire plant codes, checked October 2026.