The Journal

How to Read a Louis Vuitton Date Code: Every Era Explained

October 2, 2026|NewToYouLuxuries

If you've ever turned a Louis Vuitton bag inside out looking for a small stamped code, you've been hunting for its date code. It's one of the first things we look at when a new piece arrives at NewToYouLuxuries, because it tells you roughly where and when the item was made.

This guide explains how to find a date code, how to read it for every era, and, just as importantly, what a date code can't tell you.

What is a date code?

A Louis Vuitton date code is a short combination of letters and numbers stamped into the item. Despite how it's often described, it isn't a serial number: many items made in the same factory in the same week share the same code. It records two things: the factory (from the mid-1980s onwards) and the date of production.

Louis Vuitton began adding date codes in the early 1980s. Genuine vintage pieces made before then usually have no date code at all.

Where to find it

The location depends on the style. The most common places are:

a small leather tab sewn into an interior seam or inside a pocket
directly on the interior leather or lining, near the top edge
under or beside the D-ring on smaller bags
inside the zip or coin compartment of wallets and small leather goods

Codes can be very small and are often faint on older or well-used pieces. A torch and a little patience help. Faded or partly worn codes are normal on vintage items.

How to read it, era by era

Before the early 1980s: no code

Vintage Louis Vuitton from before the 1980s generally doesn't have a date code. Its age and authenticity are judged from its construction, materials, heat stamp and hardware instead.

Early 1980s: three or four numbers

The first codes were numbers only. The first two digits are the year and the remaining digit or digits are the month.

Example: 844 = April 1984

Mid-to-late 1980s: numbers then letters

From the mid-1980s, two letters were added after the numbers to show the factory. The numbers are read the same way: year first, then month.

Example: 874 TH = April 1987, made in France
Example: 882 VI = February 1988, made in France

1990 to 2006: letters then four numbers (month and year)

In 1990 the letters moved to the front. The four digits now interleave the month and the year: the first and third digits are the month, and the second and fourth digits are the year.

Example: SP0065 → month 0_6_ = June, year _0_5 = 2005. So June 2005, made in France.
Example: TH1001 → month 1_0_ = October, year _0_1 = 2001.

Because this is a month, the first and third digits together should never make a number above 12.

2007 to early 2021: letters then four numbers (week and year)

From 2007 the format looks identical, but the first and third digits now give the week of the year (01 to 53) instead of the month. The second and fourth are still the year.

Example: SD2119 → week 2_1_ = week 21, year _1_9 = 2019.
Example: SR3179 → week 37 of 2019, made in France.

This is why it's worth knowing the era of the style you're looking at: the same-looking code is read differently before and after 2007.

Factory letters

The two letters identify the workshop. Louis Vuitton has produced in France, Spain, Italy, the USA, Germany and Switzerland, and some letter combinations have been used in more than one country over the years, so the letters only make sense alongside the “made in” heat stamp. Common examples include:

France: AR, AS, BA, CT, MB, MI, SD, SL, SP, SR, TH, VI
Spain: CA, LO, LB, GI
Italy: BO, CE, RC, SA
USA: FC, FH, SD (later years), OS, TX
Germany: LP

The key check is consistency: the country shown by the factory letters should match the “made in…” stamp on the item.

2021 onwards: microchips

Around March 2021, Louis Vuitton began phasing out stamped date codes and replaced them with a small embedded microchip, usually sewn into the lining or a seam. The chip is for the brand's own use and can't be read with a public app.

So if a recent bag has no date code, that's completely normal and isn't a sign that it's fake. Equally, a claimed 2022 bag with a date code stamped inside is worth questioning.

What a date code doesn't prove

Counterfeiters copy date codes, sometimes very accurately. A correct-looking code tells you that someone got the format right, not that the bag is genuine. When we authenticate a piece, the date code is one check among many:

Does the code's format match the era of the style? A style launched in 2015 shouldn't carry a 1990s-format code.
Do the factory letters match the “made in” stamp?
Is the stamp itself crisp, evenly spaced and pressed in the same way as the rest of the item?
Do the canvas, vachetta leather, stitching, heat stamp and hardware all match what Louis Vuitton made at that time?

For more on the full picture, read our Guide to Buying Pre-Loved Designer Bags.

FAQs

Is a Louis Vuitton date code a serial number?

No. It records the factory and date of production, and many items can share the same code. Louis Vuitton doesn't use individual serial numbers on its bags.

My bag has no date code. Is it fake?

Not necessarily. Pieces from before the early 1980s and from 2021 onwards typically have no date code, and codes on older bags can wear away or sit in hard-to-find places.

Can I check a date code with Louis Vuitton?

Louis Vuitton doesn't offer a public date code or microchip checker. For peace of mind, buy from a seller who authenticates every item and offers a refund if anything is ever found not to be genuine.