Tyre Expiry in the UAE: How to Read the DOT Date Code

How to read the DOT date code

Look on the sidewall for the letters DOT followed by a string of letters and numbers. The date is the final four digits, often inside a small oval. The first two digits are the week of manufacture (01 to 53) and the last two are the year. A tyre marked 4521 was made in the 45th week of 2021; one marked 0824 was made in the 8th week of 2024.

The full DOT code is sometimes printed only on one side of the tyre, so if you cannot find the date, check the other sidewall. Tyres made before 2000 used a three-digit date code, so a tyre with only three digits is very old and should be replaced.

1. Find DOT on the sidewall.
2. Read the last four digits of the code.
3. First two digits: week. Last two digits: year.
4. Repeat for every tyre, including the spare.

Further reading: Michelin Middle East: how long do tyres last?

Is there an official tyre expiry date?

No tyre has a printed expiry date. Rubber ages through chemical changes over time, whether the tyre is used or not, and the rate depends on heat, sunlight, load and how it was stored. Manufacturers therefore give age guidance rather than a fixed date.

Michelin advises having tyres checked by a professional at least once a year after five years of use, and recommends replacing tyres that are still in service ten years after their date of manufacture, including the spare. Continental also recommends replacing tyres older than ten years. These are upper limits, not targets: a tyre can need replacing much sooner if it is worn, cracked or damaged.

Further reading: Michelin Middle East: how long do tyres last?

Age guidance reported in the UAE

UAE tyre retailers report that local standards limit how old a new, unused tyre can be when it is sold, and that tyres beyond that age should not be sold as new. The exact rules and how they apply to tyres already fitted are not something we could confirm from an official source, so treat the retailer articles linked below as reported guidance rather than definitive law, and ask your supplier which standard they follow.

UAE police have repeatedly urged drivers to check the manufacturing date as part of their tyre checks, especially before summer and long journeys. In practice, the safest approach is simple: buy recently produced tyres, check the date before fitting, and have tyres inspected more closely once they reach about five years old.

Further reading: PitStopArabia: tyre expiry in the UAE (retailer guidance); Dial A Tire: why unused old tyres are illegal in the UAE (retailer guidance)

Why heat matters in the UAE

Heat speeds up the ageing of rubber. A car parked outdoors through a UAE summer sees much higher tyre temperatures than one kept in a covered car park, and the sidewalls take the most direct sun. Signs of ageing include fine cracks in the sidewall or between tread blocks, a hard or shiny surface, and changes in the tyre's shape.

Low-mileage cars are most at risk of being caught out. A tyre on a car that only does short city trips may still have plenty of tread after six or seven years, but the rubber may have aged significantly. Use the DOT date and a visual check together, not tread depth alone.

How to slow tyre ageing

You cannot stop rubber from ageing, but you can avoid speeding it up. Most of the habits that protect tyres in the UAE are cheap or free:

• Park in shade or a covered car park when you can, especially for long periods.
• Keep pressures at the figure on the vehicle label; under-inflated tyres flex and run hotter. See correct tyre pressure for UAE heat.
• Avoid regularly carrying more weight than the car is rated for.
• If a car will stand for weeks, move it occasionally or use a cover so the same section of tyre is not pressed and baked in one position.
• Store spare or seasonal tyres cool, dry and away from direct sunlight and fuel or chemicals.
• Inspect the tyres at least once a month so cracking is spotted early.

Check the date before new tyres are fitted

When you order tyres, ask for the DOT week and year of the tyres you will receive and write it on the quote. When the tyres arrive, check the code on each tyre before fitting. A new tyre that has been stored correctly for a short time is fine; a tyre that has been sitting in a hot warehouse for years is not what you paid for.

800 Motor confirms the tyre model and production date with the quote, and the fitter can show you the code on each tyre before fitting at your home, office or a partner centre. If you are ready to replace old tyres, see tyre replacement or compare brands such as Bridgestone in your size.

Age, wear and the worn-tyre fine

Age and wear are different problems, but both are checked. Khaleej Times reports that driving with worn-out or unfit tyres in the UAE carries a Dh500 fine and four black points, and that the vehicle can be impounded for a week. The legal minimum tread depth commonly cited in the UAE is 1.6 mm, which is the height of the wear indicators moulded into the tread grooves.

If your tyres are close to the wear bars, cracked, bulging or old enough that you are unsure, have them inspected. Our guide to when to replace tyres in the UAE explains each warning sign in detail.

Further reading: Khaleej Times: Dh500 fine, black points and impoundment for worn tyres