Free Tool
Louis Vuitton Date Code Checker
Enter the date code found inside your Louis Vuitton bag to decode where and when it was made.
Enter your date code
The code is usually found on a small leather tab sewn into the lining, inside a pocket, or stamped directly on the interior fabric. Common formats: FL3089, SP1005, 834. Spaces are ignored.
A date code alone does not prove authenticity.
High-quality counterfeits copy correct date codes — including matching factory letters and week numbers. Always evaluate leather quality, hardware, stitching, and monogram alignment alongside the code. Get a professional authentication →
Date Code Formats by Era
Louis Vuitton changed how date codes work several times over the decades.
| Era | Format |
|---|---|
| Before 1982 | No code |
| 1982–Mid 1980s | 3–4 digits |
| Mid–Late 1980s | XX + 3–4 digits |
| 1990–2006 | XX + 4 digits |
| 2007–Early 2021 | XX + 4 digits |
| 2021–present | No visible code |
Factory Codes by Country
The two-letter prefix identifies the country and factory of manufacture.
| Country | Codes |
|---|---|
| France | SP, FL, AR, DU, CT, MB, MI, NO, RI, SD*, TH, TR, VI, LM, LA |
| Spain | CA, LO, UB, LB, GI, BC |
| Italy | FO, MA, RC, RE |
| USA | SD*, TX, OS, FC, FH |
| Switzerland | FA, DI |
| Germany | LP |
* SD was used by both French and American factories. Check the "Made in…" label to confirm.
No code on your bag? Check the chip instead.
Louis Vuitton phased out visible date codes in 2021 and replaced them with an embedded NFC chip. If your bag was bought new in 2021 or later, no visible code is normal and nothing is missing. The chip is readable with any NFC-capable phone: scanning it opens a product page on louisvuitton.com naming the model, colourway, and production country.
How to scan and verify the LV chip, on iPhone and Android →Is a date code check the same as an authenticity check?
No, and the difference is worth being precise about. This decoder tells you whether a code is formatted correctly for the era it claims and which factory it points to. That is one signal. The format is public, counterfeiters copy it, and a code can decode cleanly inside a fake bag.
What the code does rule out, hard: a format that never existed, a factory letter that contradicts the "Made in" label, and a production date earlier than the model itself. Those are real contradictions and worth acting on. What it cannot judge is everything physical, meaning canvas grain, vachetta patina, hardware weight, stitch density, heat stamp depth, and lining construction. A full authenticity check covers those.
Get a full authentication →Frequently asked questions
- What is a Louis Vuitton date code?
- A Louis Vuitton date code is a short series of letters and numbers stamped inside LV bags and accessories. It records the factory that made the piece and roughly when, not a unique per-bag serial number. The format changed several times: a code from the 1980s looks nothing like one from 2015.
- How do I read a Louis Vuitton date code?
- For codes made between 2007 and 2021, read two letters (the factory) followed by four digits, where the 1st and 3rd digits give the week and the 2nd and 4th give the year. FL3089 is factory FL in France, week 38 of 2009. Codes from 1990 to 2006 use the same shape but encode month instead of week. Enter your code above and the decoder applies the right rule for its era.
- Where is the date code on a Louis Vuitton bag?
- Usually on a small leather tab sewn into the lining, inside an interior pocket, or stamped directly onto the interior canvas. Placement varies by model: on a Speedy it is typically on a tab near the zipper end, on a Neverfull inside the interior pocket. On some pieces it is tucked into a seam and only visible when the lining is pulled taut.
- Is a Louis Vuitton date code check the same as an authenticity check?
- No. Decoding the code tells you whether it is formatted correctly for its claimed era and which factory it points to. That is one signal among many. The format is public, so counterfeiters copy it, and a code can decode cleanly inside a fake bag. A full authenticity check also evaluates canvas grain, vachetta patina, hardware weight, stitching, heat stamp depth, and lining construction.
- My Louis Vuitton has no date code. Is it fake?
- Probably not. Two groups of genuine bags carry no code: pieces made before 1982, when LV did not use codes at all, and pieces made from 2021 onward, when LV replaced the stamped code with an embedded NFC chip. A modern bag with no visible code is expected. For those, scan the chip with an NFC-capable phone instead: it opens a product page on louisvuitton.com naming the model, colourway, and production country.
- Is this Louis Vuitton date code checker free?
- Yes. The decoder is free, runs entirely in your browser, and needs no account or email address. Nothing you type is uploaded. If you want a person to examine the bag itself rather than just the code, our paid authentication service is separate.