Louis Vuitton date codes: how to read them and date your bag

On most Louis Vuitton bags made between the early 1980s and 2021, a small embossed inscription shows where and when the piece was made: the date code. On a vintage bag, it is often the first thing people look at. Here is how to find it, how to read it depending on the era, and what it can, or cannot, tell you.

What is a Louis Vuitton date code?

The date code is a series of digits, sometimes preceded or followed by two letters. The digits give the period of manufacture; the letters identify the workshop. It is not a serial number: two bags made in the same workshop in the same week carry the same code. So it cannot identify a specific bag, nor tell you which model it is.

Where to find the date code on a bag

It is usually embossed on a small leather tab sewn inside, or directly on an inner seam. A few pointers for the most common models:

• Speedy: on a leather tab sewn into the seam of the inside pocket.
• Alma: on a leather tab inside, near the pocket or along a seam.
• Keepall: inside, often near the top edge, or on a tab.

On an Alcantara lining, the code may be placed in a corner or at the bottom of a pocket, and it sometimes fades over time. Bring a torch: on a thirty-year-old bag, the embossing is often faint.

How to read a date code by era

Louis Vuitton has changed the format several times. Before reading the digits, you need to know which period the bag belongs to.

Step-by-step example: AR0969

Let's take the code AR0969, found on an Alma PM from our selection. It has two letters and four digits, so it dates from the 1990 to 2006 period.

1. The letters: AR refers to a workshop in France.
2. The month: read the 1st and 3rd digits, 0 and 6. The bag was made in June.
3. The year: read the 2nd and 4th digits, 9 and 9. The bag dates from 1999.

Result: an Alma made in France in June 1999. The same method applies to other bags from this period. SP0995 reads September 1995, TH0956 May 1996, A20914 January 1994 and SR0060 June 2000. For a bag made from 2007 onwards, the logic is the same, but the result is a week rather than a month.

The main factory codes

The two letters indicate the country of manufacture. Here are the most common codes:

• France: A0, A1, A2, AA, AN, AR, AS, BA, BJ, CT, DU, ET, MB, MI, NO, RA, RI, SF, SL, SN, SP, SR, TH, TJ, TN, TR, TS, VI, VX
• Spain: CA, GI, LB, LM, LO, UB
• Italy: BO, CE, FO, MA, NZ, OB, PL, RC, RE, TD
• United States: FC, FH, LA, OS, TX
• Germany: LP, OL
• Switzerland: DI, FA

Some codes, such as SD, FL or SA, have been used in several countries over the years. The country indicated by the code should normally match the bag's manufacturing stamp, for example “Made in France”.

Does a date code prove a bag is authentic?

No. Counterfeiters copy date code formats, and a well-formed code guarantees nothing. Conversely, an authentic bag may have a faded or even missing code: this is the case for many pieces made before the 1980s and for some special series.

The date code is still a good consistency check. Be wary if:

• the format does not match the bag's supposed era;
• the date is earlier than the model's launch, or later than its discontinuation;
• the workshop's country does not match the “Made in” stamp;
• the code is in an unusual place for that model.

Serious authentication examines the whole bag: the canvas, the leather, the stitching, the stamps, the hardware. That is what we do for every piece before it goes online. We include the date code in the description, and an Entrupy certificate of authenticity can be added to your order.

Find a dated, authenticated vintage Louis Vuitton

Every bag in our Louis Vuitton collection is listed with its date code, year of manufacture and grade, based on our condition grading. Looking for a specific model or year? Our personal shopping service will find it for you.