How Long Do Car Tires Last in Storage? Maker Age Limits (2026)

Stored tires keep aging, so the date molded on the sidewall counts for more than the years they sat in a garage. Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental, Yokohama and Toyo each give 10 years from manufacture, while Goodyear and two vehicle makers say 6. This guide lines up each maker’s number, shows how to read the DOT date code, and lists the storage conditions makers specify. Tire age is a safety issue, so have a tire professional inspect any tire that is several years old before it goes back on a car.

How Long Do Car Tires Last in Storage? The Big Picture

There is no single answer, because no maker gives storage time its own allowance. NHTSA says tire aging happens when the rubber and other components change over time due to service, storage and environmental conditions, and that some vehicle and tire makers recommend replacing tires that are six to 10 years old regardless of treadwear. The table shows what each maker states in its own pages and manuals.

Maker	Stated limit	Counted from	Inspection step
Michelin	Replace 10 years after manufacture, spares included, whatever the tread or look	Date of manufacture	Yearly check by a trained tire professional after 5 years of service
Bridgestone	Take tires out of service after 10 years, spare included; the 10 years is not a measure of actual service life	Date of production	Regular inspection after 5 years of service
Continental	Remove tires, spares included, made more than 10 years ago	Date stamp on the tire	Have stored tires checked by a tire professional before mounting
Goodyear (also Cooper brand tires)	Replace any tire in service 6 years or more; if the in-service date is unknown, replace any tire made more than 6 years ago	In service (mounted and inflated), otherwise the DOT date	Regular inspection by a tire professional
Yokohama	Replace tires with a DOT date 10 or more years old when the vehicle maker gives no instruction	DOT production date	Yearly check after 5 years in use, spare included
Toyo	Replace tires in service 10 years or more from manufacture, spares included	Date of manufacture	Monthly check of every tire, spare included
Hyundai (2025 owner’s manual)	Replace tires after six years regardless of remaining tread	Not stated	None given
Mazda (2025 CX-5 owner’s manual)	Replace tires generally at 6 years or older, and replace the spare with the road tires	Tire age, shown by the 4-digit date code	None given

Read the table as two families of numbers, not one range. The 10-year group counts from the manufacture date, so an unused tire in a garage keeps moving toward the line. Goodyear’s 6 years counts from the day a tire is mounted and inflated on a rim, and falls back on the DOT date only when the in-service date is unknown. Continental, Yokohama and Toyo each say to follow the vehicle maker’s number when it differs, and Goodyear says no replacement period should exceed 6 years whatever a vehicle maker advises.

The “6 to 10 years in storage” rule also needs a correction. Continental and Toyo each say they know of no technical data that supports a specific age limit, and Goodyear says no widely accepted research shows that calendar age alone harms a tire. The ages are precautions set by the makers, and a tire can need replacing sooner from damage or poor storage.

Where Your Tire Stands in October 2026

DOT year	6-year mark	10-year mark	Standing in October 2026
2014	2020	2024	Past both lines
2016	2022	2026	Past the 6-year line; reaches 10 years during 2026, depending on the week
2018	2024	2028	Past the 6-year line; 10-year line still ahead
2020	2026	2030	Reaches the 6-year line during 2026, depending on the week
2022	2028	2032	Under both lines
2024	2030	2034	Under both lines

These marks are plain arithmetic from the makers’ numbers, and the week in the DOT code sets the exact date. A tire past a maker’s line is due for replacement under that maker’s guidance even if it looks new. For tread and mileage, see our guide on how often car tires should be replaced.

How to Read the DOT Date Code on a Tire

The DOT Tire Identification Number is molded into the sidewall, and its last four digits give the week and year of manufacture. NHTSA’s example is a code ending in 0308, a tire made in the third week of 2008. The full number can be on one sidewall only, and Bridgestone says the other side may carry a partial code, so check both sides.

Code ends in	Week	Year	Example given by
0308	3	2008	NHTSA
2406	24	2006	Bridgestone
1915	19	2015	Yokohama
3520	35	2020	Michelin
0921	9	2021	Goodyear
1525	15	2025	Bridgestone

Older tires use a three-digit code. Bridgestone’s manual says a code ending in 329 was likely made in the 32nd week of 1999 but possibly in 1989, and its consumer page says a tire with a three-digit code was made before 2000 and should be replaced due to age. Bridgestone’s manual also shows a revised identification-number layout in use by April 13, 2025, with the date still at the end as four digits.

Buying “New” Tires? Check the Age Before You Pay

Ask to see the DOT code on the exact tires before paying. Continental’s storage guide says a properly stored, unused car tire up to 5 years old can be sold as new where local rules allow, so a tire sold as new can already be several years old. A 5-year-old tire has used half of a 10-year line and most of the 6-year figure that Hyundai and Mazda give, before it touches a road. For secondhand sets, Goodyear says never to buy or install used tires of any age, because their history is largely unknown.

What is the Ideal Storage Environment for Car Tires?

Makers agree on the broad conditions. The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) bulletin that Goodyear sends to dealers, plus Continental, Pirelli and Yokohama, point to the same checklist.

• Indoors, cool, dry and shaded. The RMA bulletin asks for a clean, dry, well-ventilated area with a minimum of circulating air and mild temperatures. Continental calls a basement or climate-controlled space ideal and says garages, sheds and attics go through swings in temperature and humidity.
• Off the floor. The RMA bulletin says to raise tires on a pallet or rack with a flat, smooth surface. Pirelli says to lift them off the ground on wood or similar material.
• Away from ozone sources. The RMA bulletin names electric motors, battery chargers, generators and welding equipment. Continental adds compressors, furnaces, switches, sump pumps and central vacuum cleaners, and Pirelli says ozone greatly accelerates aging.
• Away from fuel, oil and solvents, and out of direct sunlight. Goodyear, Continental and the RMA bulletin name petroleum products, and the RMA bulletin also rules out extreme heat or cold.

If tires have to stay outdoors, the RMA bulletin asks for them to be raised off the ground under an opaque, waterproof cover with vent openings, to avoid a “heat box” or “steam bath” effect, and away from black asphalt and reflective sand or snow. Continental says tires should never be stored in open air, even under a cover, so indoor storage is the only choice neither source disputes.

Continental advises an airtight plastic bag for each tire, with the air removed, to reduce evaporation of oils from the rubber, and says totes are not airtight, so bag first and tote second. Pirelli says the bags should be opaque and tough, with the tire completely dry inside. Continental also says tires need no dressing or gloss product before storage and that such products can hinder rather than help, so skip oils and shine sprays.

Storing Tires vs. Storing Wheels and Tires

Positioning depends on whether the tire is on a wheel, and the three makers below do not fully agree.

Setup	RMA bulletin	Continental	Pirelli
Tires only	Stack flat, sidewall to sidewall, without over-stacking, or rack them sidewall to sidewall	Stand upright (best); stack low if you must; never hang	Stand upright side by side; do not stack them
Tires on wheels	Not covered separately	Stacking is preferable; hanging on racks or hooks is also fine	Hang from hooks through the rims (preferred) or lay flat with rim spacers; do not stand inflated tires upright

For pressure, Pirelli says to keep the vehicle maker’s recommended figure in tires on rims, and the RMA bulletin says the same for a stored vehicle, so a deflated tire is not the advice. For a pressure problem on tires already in use, see why a car’s tires keep losing air.

If the whole car is in storage

The RMA bulletin says to store the vehicle with all weight off the tires, or fully unloaded if that is not possible, on a firm, level, clean surface, with recommended pressure in every tire including the spare. It says to move the vehicle at least every three months to prevent ozone cracking in the sidewall flex area and flat spots, and that a temporary flat spot usually disappears after about 25 miles. Our guide on a car sitting on a flat tire covers the short-term case.

When Should You NOT Use Stored Tires?

Age cannot be judged by eye. NHTSA says you cannot detect tire aging simply by looking at your tires, and Bridgestone warns that an aged tire can have plenty of tread yet a weaker structure. Treat the following as reasons to replace a stored tire rather than mount it:

• The DOT date is past the number that applies to you: your vehicle maker’s if it gives one, otherwise the tire maker’s from the table above.
• A bulge, bubble or blister on the sidewall, which Michelin says indicates internal cord damage.
• Cuts deep enough to expose the cords, or any sidewall puncture, which Michelin says cannot be repaired.
• Cracks, splits or odd discoloration on the sidewall, or cracking that opens when the rubber is flexed.
• Stiff, brittle or “dry rot” rubber, per Bridgestone’s checklist.
• Tread worn to the wear bars at 2/32 inch, or damage from running the tire flat.

For a tire that passes those checks, the RMA bulletin says a professional tire dealer should do a visual and tactile inspection before stored tires go into service, then inflate to the pressure on the vehicle placard. Michelin and Bridgestone both say to have tires checked every year once they pass 5 years of service.

Spares follow the same clock. Ford says to inspect the spare for wear, damage or aging even if it has not been used, and NHTSA recommends that a full-size spare not be used to replace worn tires except in emergencies. See whether electric cars have spare tires and our simple car maintenance checklist for the monthly checks.

A three-step check before mounting stored tires

1. Read the DOT date on both sidewalls and compare it with your owner’s manual number, or the tire maker’s number in the table if the manual gives none.
2. If the tire is past the number, replace it; if it is 5 or more years old, have a tire professional inspect it.
3. Inflate to the placard pressure and recheck it after the first drive, since cold weather lowers tire pressure.

Keep reading

• How Long Should Tires Last on a Car?
• How Old Can a Car Be to Drive for Uber? 15-16 Years (2026)
• How Long Do Car Batteries Last? It’s Years, Not Miles

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I store my tires outside?

Indoors is the safer choice. Continental says tires should never be stored in the open air, even under a cover. The RMA bulletin also recommends indoor storage, and if tires must be outdoors it asks for them raised off the ground under an opaque, waterproof cover with vent openings.

What’s the best way to stack tires?

Makers differ. The RMA bulletin stacks unmounted tires flat without over-stacking, Continental says standing them upright is best, and Pirelli stands them side by side and says not to stack them. Continental also says never to hang unmounted tires.

Should I put air in my tires when storing them?

For tires on wheels, Pirelli says to keep the pressure the vehicle maker specifies on the door jamb or in the manual. For a whole vehicle in storage, Pirelli says you can raise it up to the maximum marked on the sidewall, then return it to the recommended pressure before driving.

Does it matter if tires are clean when storing them?

Yes. Continental says to wash tires with detergent, water and a brush and let them dry completely before bagging them, and Pirelli says to avoid petroleum-based cleaners such as gasoline, oil or solvents.

How can I tell how old my tires are?

Look for the DOT Tire Identification Number on the sidewall. NHTSA says its last four digits give the week and year the tire was made, so 0308 means the third week of 2008. The number may appear on only one side, so check both sidewalls.

What is dry rot and how does it affect stored tires?

Bridgestone’s age checklist lists sidewall cracks, splits and odd discoloration, plus stiffness, brittleness or dry rot. Michelin says cracking that opens when the rubber is flexed should prompt immediate replacement. A tire with no visible cracks can still be past its age limit.

Is it bad to buy a tire that’s been sitting in a warehouse for years?

It can be. Continental says a properly stored, unused car tire up to 5 years old can be sold as new where local rules allow, so check the DOT date before paying. Michelin’s 10-year figure counts from manufacture even for unused tires.

Do spare tires expire if they were never used?

Yes, by the makers’ own wording. Michelin says a never-driven compact spare still ages from its DOT date, and Bridgestone says a spare over 10 years old may look new but should be replaced.

Conclusion

A tire’s age is set by the date on its sidewall, and storage only changes how fast it ages. Use your vehicle maker’s number if it gives one, otherwise the tire maker’s, keep tires cool, dark, dry, off the floor and away from ozone sources, and have a professional inspect any older tire before it goes back on a vehicle.

What this guide does not cover: individual tire models, resale values for used tires, and tire laws in other countries. Figures come from NHTSA, the tire makers named above, Ford, the RMA bulletin and the Hyundai and Mazda owner’s manuals, as published in October 2026.