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Enter a Dior date code to check its consistency. When the reading is conclusive, the tool gives a probable month and year, with a country of manufacture where documented.
The guide below explains the supported formats and how to read the digits. It includes a production-letter reference, worked examples and answers to common questions.
info A consistent code does not prove the item’s authenticity.
Reading guide arrow_downwardDate Code Reader
A Dior date code is a production stamp used to estimate a manufacturing date and, for some letter pairs, a country. Several items can share the same code. The style number, which may appear on a Dior authenticity card, is a separate reference.
Professional guides place the introduction of Dior date codes around 1997. Earlier pieces, including the first Lady Dior bags, can be authentic without a code. This checker covers two common leather-goods formats; other variants exist.
Documented letter pairs are associated with a production site. Some pairs indicate a probable country of manufacture, which can be compared with the item’s “Made in” stamp.
The documented associations used here are MA, BO and RU for Italy, MC for Spain, and ID for France. BM and CA are also documented on Dior items, with no country assigned here. For a pair absent from this reference, the checker displays “Inconclusive result”.
Factory-code tables for other brands do not apply to Dior.
For the two supported formats, professional guides describe an interlaced reading of the final block. The 1st and 3rd digits give the month (01–12). The 2nd and 4th give the last two digits of the year.
In the block 1019, positions 1 and 3 give 11, or November. Positions 2 and 4 give 09, or 2009. The reading is November 2009.
This convention gives a production month. A month of 00 or above 12 does not support a date reading.
In the NN-LL-NNNN format, two digits precede the letters, such as 06 in 06-MA-1019. Several guides describe them as a control number. Their precise role remains poorly documented; they are not used in the date calculation shown here.
On many bags, the code is stamped on the back of an interior leather tab. The front often carries the Dior signature and country of manufacture. Depending on the model, the code may be on a separate tab in the lining or a pocket. On small leather goods, it may be stamped on the trim of a card slot.
The checker displays “Consistent code” with a probable month and year, plus a country where documented. When it cannot support that reading, it displays “Inconclusive result”.
The check uses the rules described in this guide. It does not query a database of genuine or counterfeit items. A code can be copied onto a counterfeit item.
Our Dior assessment service examines the item itself.
This reference lists documented letter pairs and their associated countries where known.
The associations come from professional guides and published observations of items. They are not an official Dior table.
| Code | Country |
|---|---|
| BM | Country not assigned |
| BO | Italy |
| CA | Country not assigned |
| ID | France |
| MA | Italy |
| MC | Spain |
| RU | Italy |
This reference is not exhaustive. BM and CA are documented, with no country assigned here. An unlisted pair does not prove that an item is counterfeit.
The dates below are approximate reference points from professional guides. The layout alone does not date an item; some formats appear across more than one period.
No standardized visible date codeDate codes are generally reported to have appeared around 1997. Earlier pieces, including the first Lady Dior bags, can be authentic without a code.
LL-NNNN — two letters followed by four digitsThis format combines two letters and four digits, such as MA-0959 (May 1999 under the interlaced reading). It is also documented on pieces described as more recent.
NN-LL-NNNN — two digits, two letters, four digitsTwo digits precede the letters, as in 06-MA-1019 (Italy, November 2009 under the reading used here). They are not included in the date calculation.
Stamped codes on bagsLegitApp’s May 2025 guide still describes visible date codes on Dior bags. The sources reviewed do not establish a general replacement of these codes with chips.
These examples illustrate the interlaced reading for the two supported formats. The dates and countries shown are estimates from that reading.
Italy, November 2009: format with a prefix
Letters MA → Italy. The final block 1019 is read interlaced: positions 1 and 3 give 11 (November), positions 2 and 4 give 09 (2009). The two leading digits (06) are not part of the date.
Estimated reading: Italy, November 2009.
Next steps
Compare the date with the period when the model was available. The “Made in Italy” stamp and the item’s construction also form part of an assessment.
Spain, December 2008: a prefix of 50
MC is associated with Spain. In the block 1028, positions 1 and 3 give 12 (December), and positions 2 and 4 give 08 (2008). The prefix 50 is not used in the calculation.
Estimated reading: Spain, December 2008.
Next steps
The country on the stamp can be compared with the MC–Spain association. The date can be checked against references for the model.
Italy, May 1999: short format
This code has two letters and four digits, with no numeric prefix. MA is associated with Italy. In the block 0959, positions 1 and 3 give 05 (May), and positions 2 and 4 give 99 (1999).
Estimated reading: Italy, May 1999.
Next steps
The stamp style, lining and hardware can be compared with Dior references from the late 1990s.
It is a production stamp used to estimate a date and, for some letter pairs, a country of manufacture. Several items can share the same code. The style number, which may appear on a Dior authenticity card, is a separate reference.
For NN-LL-NNNN and LL-NNNN, the 1st and 3rd digits of the final block give the month (01–12). The 2nd and 4th give the last two digits of the year. The letters are checked against documented country associations. A numeric prefix, where present, is not used in the calculation.
In the reference used here, MA, BO and RU are associated with Italy, MC with Spain, and ID with France. BM and CA are documented, with no country assigned. For other pairs, the checker displays “Inconclusive result” with no date or country.
No. A code can follow the reading rules and still appear on a counterfeit item. An expert assessment examines the item’s physical details, including its materials, stitching and stamps.
It is often on the back of an interior leather tab. Depending on the model, it may be on a tab in the lining or a pocket. On wallets and cardholders, it may be stamped on the trim of a card slot.
No. Guides place their introduction around 1997. Earlier pieces, including the first Lady Dior bags, can be authentic without a code. The introduction date remains approximate.
Several guides call them a control number. Their precise role remains poorly documented. In the NN-LL-NNNN format, they are not used in the date calculation shown here.
The checker displays “Inconclusive result” with no estimated date if the month reads 00, exceeds 12, or the date is later than the current month. This can arise from a transcription error, an unsupported variant or an inconsistency in the code. The result alone does not prove that an item is counterfeit.
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Very Véritable provides expert assessment of luxury items for resale professionals.
This checker uses conventions published by specialists and documented examples. The date it gives remains an estimate. An assessment requires examination of the item itself.
Read about our approach, see how an assessment works and learn what our certificate of conformity or non-conformity covers.
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