The quick answer: a Louis Vuitton date code is a 2-letter, 2-letter+4-digit, or 2-letter+6-digit stamp that tells you where and approximately when the bag was made. It is not a serial number — two bags made in the same factory in the same month will have identical date codes. The format changed multiple times between the 1980s and present day. Knowing which format corresponds to which era is the starting point for reading them correctly.
Where to find the date code
The date code location varies by bag style and era:
- Most handbags and shoulder bags: heat-stamped on a small leather tab sewn into the interior seam — usually along one of the interior side seams, or under the interior pocket flap.
- Speedy: on a tab inside the bag, near one of the side seams at the bottom.
- Neverfull: on a leather tab sewn into the interior pocket.
- Pochette Accessoires: on a flat tab inside the zip compartment.
- Keepall: inside the bag, usually near the end seam.
- Wallets and small leather goods: stamped directly into the interior leather, often on the back wall of the main compartment.
On older pieces (pre-1980s), the date code may be absent entirely — Louis Vuitton did not consistently stamp date codes until the early 1980s. The absence of a date code on a genuine vintage piece is not evidence of a fake; for post-1990 pieces, the absence is a red flag.
Date code formats by era
Pre-1980s — no date code
Pieces made before the early 1980s typically have no date code. Authentication of pre-1980 pieces relies on hardware, canvas pattern, and construction rather than a code stamp.
Early 1980s — 3 or 4 digits only
Early date codes were numeric only: 3 or 4 digits indicating month and year. Example: 821 = month 8, year 1 (1981). These are uncommon and mostly on very early production pieces.
Mid-1980s — 2 letters + 3 digits
Format: XX### — two factory letters followed by three digits (month + year). Example: VI851 = Vuitton Issoudun factory, August (month 8) 1981 (year 51). The year digit was single — ambiguous for collectors working across decades.
Late 1980s to 1990 — 2 letters + 4 digits
Format: XX#### — two factory letters + 4 digits. The digits read as: month/year interleaved. Example: VI8907 = factory VI, month 89 + year 07... This transitional format is occasionally inconsistently applied.
1990–2006 — 2 letters + 6 digits (old interleaving)
Format: XX###### — two factory letters + 6 digits in this pattern: positions 1 and 3 = month; positions 2 and 4 = year; positions 5–6 = week.
Example: SD1009
– SD = San Dimas, California (USA factory)
– Digits: 1, 0, 0, 9 → month = 10 (positions 1+3), year = 09 = 2009 (positions 2+4)
– So: October 2009, San Dimas factory
This interleaved format is counterintuitive but consistent for pieces made between approximately 1990 and 2006.
2007–present — 2 letters + 6 digits (new format)
Post-2007, Louis Vuitton changed to a cleaner format: 2 factory letters + 2-digit week + 4-digit year.
Example: TH4021
– TH = Sarras, France (Thierry factory code)
– 40 = week 40
– 21 = 2021
– So: week 40 of 2021, Sarras, France
This format is easier to read and has been consistent since approximately 2007.
Factory codes — what the letters mean
The two letters identify the manufacturing facility. Louis Vuitton produces in France, USA, Spain, Germany, and Italy — all genuine production countries. Common factory codes include:
- A0, A1, A2, AA, AAS, AH, AN, AR, AS: France (various facilities)
- DU, ET, MB, MI, NO, SD, SF, SL, SN, SP, SR, TH, VI: France
- FL, LW, OS, SD: United States (California)
- CA, LO, LB, LM, LW: Spain
- BC, BO, CE, FO, MA, OB, PL, RC, RE, SA, TD: France
- LP, OL: Germany
- BC, CE, FN: Italy (newer production, some categories)
A full factory code list is maintained by the collector community — individual codes are well-documented online. The key point: any code corresponding to a factory outside France, USA, Spain, Germany, or Italy on a modern piece is a red flag.
What a date code tells you — and what it doesn't
What it tells you: the approximate production period (week/month + year) and the factory. This is useful for confirming that a bag described as “from the late 1990s” actually has a date code consistent with that era. It also confirms the production country.
What it doesn't tell you: whether the bag is genuine. Date codes are among the most frequently replicated elements on counterfeit Louis Vuitton. A correct-format date code does not confirm authenticity. Authentication requires assessing the full piece: canvas quality, heat stamp font and depth, stitching colour and count, hardware weight, zipper pull markings, and lining quality.
The date code is a starting point, not a conclusion.
Reading a date code in practice — worked examples
Example 1: AR0997
– AR = Asnières, France
– Format: post-2007 (2 letters + 2-digit week + 4-digit year)
– Week 09, year 1997... but wait — this doesn't fit the post-2007 format. AR0997 with the old format: digits 0, 9, 9, 7 → month = 09 (positions 1+3 = 0+9), year = 97 = 1997 (positions 2+4 = 9+7). So: September 1997, Asnières France. Pre-2007 interleaved format.
Example 2: VI1021
– VI = Vuitton Issoudun, France
– Post-2007 format: week 10, year 2021
– So: week 10 of 2021, Issoudun, France
Example 3: SD1009
– SD = San Dimas, California
– Pre-2007 format: digits 1, 0, 0, 9 → month = 10, year = 2009
– So: October 2009, San Dimas, USA
When there is no date code
Genuinely no date code: normal on pre-1980 pieces. On any piece from the 1990s onward, the absence of a date code warrants a careful look — the tab may be hidden in an unusual location (sometimes sewn behind a pocket rather than in the main seam), or it may have been removed. A missing tab on a seam suggests the tab has been cut out — a possible sign of tampering.
Browse pre-owned Louis Vuitton bags at FashionCliq — all pieces include date code documentation and era verification. Or explore by style: Louis Vuitton handbags, shoulder bags, tote bags including the Neverfull.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I read a Louis Vuitton date code?
A: The format depends on the era. Post-2007 pieces use: 2 factory letters + 2-digit week + 4-digit year (e.g. TH4021 = week 40, 2021, Sarras France). Pre-2007 pieces (1990–2006) use an interleaved format: 2 factory letters + 6 digits where positions 1+3 = month and positions 2+4 = year (e.g. SD1009 = October 2009, San Dimas USA). Earlier pieces from the mid-1980s use shorter codes.
Q: Where is the date code on a Louis Vuitton Speedy?
A: On the Speedy, the date code is heat-stamped on a small leather tab sewn into one of the interior side seams at the bottom of the bag. Open the bag fully and check both side seams near the base — the tab is usually tucked close to the seam and may require flattening the bag slightly to see clearly.
Q: Does a Louis Vuitton date code prove authenticity?
A: No. A date code tells you the production factory and approximate date, but counterfeit bags routinely include replica date codes in the correct format for the era. Authentication requires assessing the full piece: canvas texture and weight, heat stamp font and depth, stitching (5 stitches per cm on Monogram canvas), hardware markings, and zipper pull engraving. The date code is one data point among many.
Q: Which countries does Louis Vuitton make bags in?
A: Genuine Louis Vuitton bags are produced in France, USA, Spain, Germany, and Italy. The interior heat stamp reads "Louis Vuitton Paris" followed by "Made in [country]". A genuine piece will always be made in one of these five countries. Any other country of manufacture on a modern piece indicates a fake.