EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LOUIS VUITTON'S DATE CODES
Posted onLouis Vuitton's legacy
Louis Vuitton’s monogrammed handbags are, in their own right, a fashion investment and an icon for many reasons including their indestructible durability, limited production, and the famous fact that their bags never go on sale.
Louis Vuitton Date Codes
Unlike brands like Chanel, a Louis Vuitton purse does not come with an authenticity card, nor a serial number. From the early 1980s, up until March 2021, Louis Vuitton used date codes that are embossed or printed on a leather tab that’s sewn into the interior linings of some of their bags, small leather goods, and most accessories. Not meant for verifying authenticity, these date codes simply help you identify the date and location in which the bag was made.
A Louis Vuitton handbag with its date code embossed on a leather tab attached to the interior lining of the bag.
With the exception of older models made before the 1980s, date codes can be found on all Louis Vuitton handbags and other accessories like sunglasses. Though even some authentic Louis Vuitton handbags may not have date codes, this is the case for older bags whose date codes have faded, or for bags that have had their linings cleaned or changed.
New Louis Vuitton Microchips
As of March 1st 2021, Louis Vuitton got rid of date codes, and in their place introduced microchips that are aimed to limit counterfeits in the market and help with repairs. The non-visible microchips are embedded into their items, encrypted with basic information that cannot be modified or copied, such as the item’s name and the materials used. This information is only accessible to LVMH, as the chips can only be scanned at Louis Vuitton boutiques. If you’re worried about the potential of risking your privacy, don’t fret! These chips do not hold any personal information of the customer.
How to read a Louis Vuitton Date Code
If you are, however, purchasing a Louis Vuitton handbag from before March 2021, here’s what you need to know about their date codes. Most of Louis Vuitton’s date codes are made up of letters and numbers – the letters indicate the country of manufacturing, while the numbers indicate the month or year of manufacturing.
Louis Vuitton's date codes may sometimes be directly embossed near the top edge of the bag or near the seam of an interior pocket.
Below, take a look at our table for a breakdown on the format of the date codes that correspond with different years.
|
Manufacturing periods |
Date codes |
Examples |
|
March 2021 to present |
No date code. (Microchip) |
|
|
2007 to March 2021 |
Two letters followed by four numbers. The first two letters represent the factory location. The first and third numbers represent the week of the year, and the second and forth numbers represent the year. |
“AR2126” would indicate a factory location in France, and a manufacturing date of the 22nd week of 2016. |
|
1990 to 2006 |
Two letters followed by four numbers. The first two letters represent the factory location. The first and third numbers represent the month, and the second and forth numbers represent the year. |
|
|
Early to late 1980s |
Three or four numbers followed by two letters. The first two numbers represent the year while the next number(s) represent the month. The last two letters represent the factory location. |
|
|
Early 1980s |
Three or four numbers with the first two numbers representing the year and last number(s) representing the month. |
|
|
Before early 1980s |
No date code. |
“SD1013” would indicate a factory location in France and a manufacturing date of November, 2003.
"8912 SL" would indicate a manufacturing date of December, 1989, and factory location in France.
"814" would indicate a manufacturing date of April, 1981.
To help you further identify the origins of your Louis Vuitton bag, check out this table below for Louis Vuitton’s factory location codes.
|
Factory location |
Code |
|
France |
A0, A1, A2, AA, AAS (Special Order), AH, AN, AR, AS, BA, BJ, BU, DR, DU, DR, DT, CO, CT, CX, ET, FL, LA, LW, MB, MI, NO, RA, RI, SA, SD, SF, SL, SN, SP, SR, TA, TJ, TH, TN, TR, TS, VI, VX |
|
Germany |
LP, OL |
|
Italy |
BC, BO, CE, FN, FO, MA, NZ, OB, PL, RC, RE, SA, TD |
|
Spain |
BC, CA, LO, LB, LM, LW, GI, UB |
|
Switzerland |
DI, FA |
|
United States |
FC, FH, LA, OS, SD, FL, TX |
