How old is too old for a tire? Check it at 6 years and replace it at 10 years, even if the tread still looks good, because rubber ages through heat and oxidation whether the tire is driven or not. Servik's check_tire_age tool reads the DOT date code on the sidewall and tells you where your tire stands.
A tire with deep tread can still be too old. Rubber ages through oxidation and heat whether the tire is driven or sitting in a garage — including spares that have never touched the road. Manufacturers say to inspect a tire at 6 years and replace it at 10 years, even if it looks serviceable. Give the tool the full DOT code from the sidewall or just the four-digit date code, and your ZIP code if you want nearby shops when inspection or replacement is advised. Run it from /tools or ask in /chat. It returns the manufacture week and year, the tire's age, and the guidance band — inspect or replace — plus ranked shops with phone numbers when the tire is 6 or more years old.
Look for "DOT" followed by letters and numbers on the tire's sidewall. The last four digits are the date code: the first two are the week of the year, the last two are the year. For example, 3515 means week 35 of 2015. The code may be on the inward-facing sidewall, so you may need to look under the car or turn the wheel.
Enter the full DOT code, for example "DOT XXXX XXXX 2221", or just the date code, for example "2221". Add your ZIP code to get nearby shops when the tire is 6 or more years old. Pre-2000 three-digit codes return an unknown year, never a guessed decade, and an invalid code is an error asking for the full DOT code.
We ran check_tire_age with the date code 3515. It decoded to manufacture week 35 of 2015 — a manufacture date of 2015-08-30 — and an age of 11.2 years, with the band "replace". Its guidance: replace this tire, because it is at or past the 10-year manufacturer maximum (Michelin, Bridgestone). Do not rely on tread alone at this age, and have the shop check the other tires' DOT codes too — tires on the same vehicle are often similar in age.
The guidance is inspect at 6 years and replace at 10 years — manufacturer guidance, never law. There is no federal tire-age law in the US, and NHTSA has never enacted a regulation requiring replacement by age. Age is one factor: tread depth, damage, repairs, and storage matter too. A tire can be too old with perfect tread, and a young tire can be worn out.
If the band is replace, use /get-quotes to compare local tire shops, or ask in /chat for ranked shops near your ZIP code. Tell the shop your tire size and the DOT codes of all four tires. Stock is not verified — call the shop to confirm your size is in stock before you go. Servik publishes no tire price: the tire itself is priced by the shop's quote.
check_tire_age gives no tire price — Servik publishes no tire price, and the tire itself is priced by the shop's quote. What it does give is the replace decision, and the related cost to know is the inspection: a Virginia state safety inspection costs $12–$30 where regulated, and worn tires are a common failure item. An old tire that fails inspection costs you the replacement, not the inspection.
Call a tire shop when the tool's band is replace — at 10 years or more — or when a tire 6 or more years old shows cracking, bulging, or uneven wear. Check the spare too: the 10-year guidance includes spares, even if they look serviceable. If you cannot find the DOT code, a shop can read it for you.
Check it at 6 years and replace it at 10 years, even if the tread still looks good. Rubber ages through heat and oxidation whether the tire is driven or not, and the 10-year point is manufacturer guidance from makers like Michelin and Bridgestone.
No — not by manufacturer guidance. The worked example above, DOT 3515 at 11.2 years, carries the band "replace" because it is past the 10-year maximum from Michelin and Bridgestone. Aging through oxidation and heat happens even when a tire is unused, and tread depth cannot tell you how the rubber has aged.
No federal tire-age law exists in the US, and NHTSA has never enacted a regulation requiring replacement by age. The 6-year inspect and 10-year replace points are industry and manufacturer guidance, not law — but they are the guidance tire makers themselves publish.
It is the last four digits of the DOT code on the sidewall — week first, then year, so 3515 is week 35 of 2015. It is often on the inward-facing sidewall, so you may need to crouch under the car or turn the wheel to see it. Check all four tires, not just one.
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