What is a tire plant code?

The plant code is the 2 or 3-character alphanumeric string immediately following the 'DOT' stamp on your tire. It acts as an ID badge that traces the tire back to the specific global factory where it was built.

Why are plant codes 3 letters now?

In 2015, the government realized they were running out of unique 2-character combinations for new tire factories opening around the world. They transitioned to a 3-character system to ensure every factory has a unique identifier.

Can I tell if my tires are made in the USA by the DOT code?

Yes. By looking up the plant code, you can see the exact country of origin. Just because a tire is an American brand (like Goodyear) doesn't mean it wasn't manufactured at a Goodyear plant in Mexico or China.

Are tires made in China safe?

If a Chinese-manufactured tire has a valid DOT stamp and plant code, it means the manufacturer has certified that the tire meets the same strict federal safety standards required of American or European tires.

Where is the plant code on the tire?

It is always the first group of characters immediately to the right of the 'DOT' letters on the lower sidewall of the tire.

Tire Plant Code Lookup

Enter the characters immediately following your DOT stamp to pinpoint the factory that built your tire.

Quick Answer

If the letters immediately following "DOT" on your tire are "B9", entering this into the lookup tool reveals your tire was manufactured at the Michelin North America plant located in Dothan, Alabama, USA. This helps you verify if your tires were domestic or imported.

The first 2 characters of the DOT code identify the tire manufacturing plant. Enter the plant code from your DOT number to look up the manufacturer and location.

Code	Brand	Location	Country
B4	Michelin	Greenville, SC	USA
B7	Michelin	Lexington, SC	USA
D2	Michelin	Dothan, AL	USA
D7	Michelin	Spartanburg, SC	USA
D8	Michelin	Norwood, OH	USA
EY	Michelin	Clermont-Ferrand	France
MA	Michelin	Homburg	Germany
1B	Goodyear	Akron, OH	USA
1C	Goodyear	Danville, VA	USA
1D	Goodyear	Gadsden, AL	USA
1J	Goodyear	Topeka, KS	USA
1V	Goodyear	Lawton, OK	USA
H2	Bridgestone	LaVergne, TN	USA
H5	Bridgestone	Aiken, SC	USA
H6	Bridgestone	Warren County, TN	USA
H7	Bridgestone	Bloomington, IL	USA
WE	Bridgestone	Shimonoseki	Japan
WA	Bridgestone	Tochigi	Japan
4F	Cooper Tire	Findlay, OH	USA
4B	Cooper Tire	Texarkana, TX	USA
Y6	Continental	Mount Vernon, IL	USA
MB	Continental	Hanover	Germany
M8	Continental	Korbach	Germany
M5	Continental	Sarreguemines	France
2H	Toyo	Bartow County, GA	USA
MT	Toyo	Itami City	Japan
L2	Hankook	Clarksville, TN	USA
WH	Hankook	Daejeon	South Korea
WF	Hankook	Jiaxing	China
WR	Yokohama	West Point, MS	USA
WK	Yokohama	Mishima City	Japan
WM	Sumitomo	Pottstown, PA	USA
WB	Sumitomo / Falken	Gyoda, Saitama	Japan
MX	Pirelli	Rome, GA	USA
MZ	Pirelli	Slatina	Romania
MC	Pirelli	Milan	Italy
3E	BFGoodrich / Michelin	Tuscaloosa, AL	USA
V5	General Tire / Continental	Mount Vernon, IL	USA
V7	General Tire / Continental	Charlotte, NC	USA

Showing 39 of 39 known plant codes. Full database available at NHTSA tire data.

Common Imported Tire Plant Codes

Plant Code	Manufacturer	City	Country
1C	Michelin	Okamoto	Japan
1T	Hankook	Geumsan	South Korea
2C	Pirelli	Subang Jaya	Malaysia
7G	Kenda	Yuanlin	Taiwan
8B	Continental	Korbach	Germany
A3	Bridgestone	Cuernavaca	Mexico

Plant Code System

DOT [Plant Code] ... — Plant codes are assigned by NHTSA to every global factory

Pre-2015 codes = 2 characters; post-2015 codes = 3 characters (NHTSA expansion)
American brand ≠ American made — verify country of origin using the plant code
Valid DOT code on any foreign tire = meets same federal safety standards as domestic tires
Recall verification requires plant code + date batch from the full DOT string

Frequently Asked Questions

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