Journal
Louis Vuitton Date Codes Explained: How to Read Them, and What Changed in 2021
If you are looking at a pre-owned Louis Vuitton bag, you will probably be told to find the date code. It is useful, but it is often misunderstood. Here is what it is, how to read it, and what it can and cannot tell you.
What a date code is
A Louis Vuitton date code is a short code stamped on a small leather tab or inside seam. It is not a serial number: many bags share the same code. It tells you roughly where and when the item was made. Bags from before the 1980s usually have no code at all, which is normal for their age.
How to read it, by era
| Era | Format | How to read the digits |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3 to 4 digits | Formats varied; read with an era reference |
| 1990 to 2006 | 2 letters + 4 digits | 1st and 3rd digits = month, 2nd and 4th = year |
| 2007 to early 2021 | 2 letters + 4 digits | 1st and 3rd digits = week, 2nd and 4th = year |
The two letters indicate the workshop (country) of manufacture. Two examples: SP0995 reads as month 09 and year 95, so September 1995. SD1132 reads as week 13 of the year 2012.
Where to find it
- Inside the main compartment, along a seam or on a small leather tab (common on the Speedy, Neverfull and Alma).
- Under an interior flap or inside a pocket (for example on wallets and the Pochette Métis).
- On the inner edge of the lining on small leather goods.
What changed in 2021: the microchip
Around March 2021, Louis Vuitton started phasing out stamped date codes on most leather goods and placing a small microchip inside the item instead. There is no public app to read it with a phone; it is scanned with Louis Vuitton's own equipment. So a recent bag without a date code is normal, not suspicious.
A date code is a clue, not a certificate
Counterfeiters copy real date codes. A code that matches the right era and format is a good sign; a code that does not fit the model's production years is a strong warning. But neither a date code nor a chip proves authenticity on its own. Look at the whole bag: canvas pattern alignment, stitching, heat stamp, hardware, and where the bag comes from.
Before buying any pre-owned piece, ask the seller for clear photos of the date code, the heat stamp, the hardware and the stitching, in daylight. We are happy to send these for any item you ask us about on WhatsApp.