How Old Can Tires Be and Still Be Safe? Learn About Tire Age Laws

How to Tell the Age of Your Tire in the First Place

It's important to note that older tires may deceptively appear as usable. For this reason, a technician should examine your tires during your annual vehicle inspection for Missouri. However, you can easily check the age of your tires, yourself. Every tire's sidewall has a series of numbers; newer ones may display the code on the outward-facing sidewall while more dated versions may show it on the inner sidewall. Look for a series starting with "DOT." The last four numbers of the ID communicate the week and year that the tire was constructed. As mentioned above, no tire should be more than ten years old, and some manufacturers recommend replacing the tires after six years of use. However, if you or your mechanic identify signs of dry rot or cracking, switch out the tire regardless of the age.

You Can Prolong Tire Life with Proper Storage

The more elements with which the tire comes in direct contact, the more rapidly its quality will diminish. Store unused tires in a cool space with low humidity in air-tight bags. Position them vertically on the shelf to limit the amount of pressure on the structure. This will slow the aging process but will not eliminate entirely. Therefore you should still listen to the manufacturer's guidelines for the maximum tire age.