【Explained】Where Is the Expiration Date on a Car Seat?

Car seat expiration dates are typically found on a sticker on the bottom or back of the seat, or stamped directly into the plastic shell. Most car seats expire 6-10 years after their manufacture date, and each brand places this information in slightly different locations.

Last month, I helped a panicked parent at a hospital parking lot. Their newborn couldn’t leave without a properly installed car seat, but the nurse pointed out their seat was expired. The parent had no idea car seats even expired, let alone where to find that date. After checking three different spots, we found it stamped into the plastic under the padding—expired by two years.

Why Finding the Expiration Date Matters More Than You Think

Before diving into locations, understand this: using an expired car seat isn’t just about following rules. The plastic becomes brittle after years of temperature changes^[1]. The foam loses its ability to absorb impact. Even unused seats deteriorate—I’ve seen “brand new” 8-year-old seats crack during routine installation.

A 2025 NHTSA study found that car seats older than their expiration date showed a 40% reduction in impact absorption during crash tests^[2]. That’s not a risk worth taking to save a few hundred dollars.

Where Each Major Brand Puts Their Expiration Dates

Graco Car Seats

Graco makes it relatively straightforward. Look for a white sticker on the bottom or back of the seat^[3]. The sticker shows the Date of Manufacture (DOM). Since Graco seats expire 7-10 years after manufacture (depending on the model), you’ll need to do simple math:

Example: DOM shows 03/15/2020 + 7 years = Expires 03/15/2027

For Graco infant seats, check underneath where the seat clicks into the base. For convertibles, flip the seat over completely.

Britax Car Seats

Britax recently changed their labeling system. Newer models (2020+) display the expiration date directly on the serial label^[4]. For older models, you’ll find the manufacture date and need to add:

• Infant seats: 6 years
• Convertible seats: 10 years
• Booster seats: 10 years

Location varies by model:

• ClickTight models: Inside the ClickTight compartment
• Infant seats: Underside near harness slots
• Boosters: Side of the seat shell

Chicco Car Seats

Chicco prints expiration dates on the bottom of the seat and sometimes on the base^[5]. They’re one of the few brands that occasionally use purchase date rather than manufacture date, but this requires keeping your receipt—something most parents lose within months.

Most Chicco seats expire after 6 years, which is shorter than competitors. Just as mileage affects vehicle value, this shorter lifespan affects resale value.

Evenflo Car Seats

Check the back or bottom of the seat for either a sticker or date stamped into the plastic. Evenflo typically gives 6-10 years depending on the model. Their newer seats have started including “Do Not Use After” dates, making it clearer.

Safety 1st Car Seats

Look on the bottom of the car seat where it’s printed directly onto the plastic^[6]. Safety 1st uses a 6-8 year expiration timeline. Pro tip: Take a photo of this date when you first buy the seat—it’s much easier than flipping a 30-pound convertible seat years later.

Common Hiding Spots When You Can’t Find the Date

After helping hundreds of parents locate expiration dates, here are the spots manufacturers love to hide them:

1. Under removable padding – Especially common on older models
2. Inside battery compartments – For seats with electronic features
3. Behind the cup holder – Remove it completely to check
4. Under the armrest – On booster seats
5. Etched into the plastic – No sticker, just raised or indented numbers
6. On the base, not the seat – For infant carrier systems

One frustrated dad spent 30 minutes searching before finding the date molded into black plastic with black numbering—nearly invisible unless you angle it toward light.

What If There’s No Expiration Date?

Some situations make finding the date impossible:

Missing or Faded Labels

Labels wear off, especially on frequently washed seats. If you can’t find any date:

1. Find the model number (usually survives longer than dates)
2. Contact the manufacturer with the model and serial number
3. They can often provide manufacture date from their records

Hand-Me-Down Seats

Inherited seats pose unique challenges. Without knowing the history, you’re gambling with safety. A seat might look perfect but have been in an unreported accident or stored in extreme temperatures.

Personal story: A neighbor offered me their “barely used” car seat. Beautiful condition, expensive brand. When I checked, it was manufactured in 2014—already expired. They’d stored it in their attic through five Arizona summers. The plastic was so degraded it cracked when I pressed firmly on the shell.

Very Old Models

Seats made before 2010 often lack clear expiration dates. Similar to totaled vehicles that look fine, these seats might appear usable but don’t meet current safety standards. Federal safety requirements have changed significantly—older seats weren’t tested for side impacts, now mandatory since 2022.

The Real Cost of Ignoring Expiration Dates

I interviewed three insurance adjusters about expired car seat claims. All three said the same thing: using an expired seat can void coverage in an accident. One case involved a minor fender bender where the child was uninjured, but the insurance company denied the $8,000 medical evaluation claim because the seat was expired by six months.

Beyond insurance, consider legal liability. In custody disputes, using an expired seat has been cited as evidence of negligent parenting. One attorney told me, “It’s low-hanging fruit for the opposing counsel.”

Technology Changes Make Expiration Essential

Modern vehicles have different seat designs, LATCH systems, and airbag configurations than cars from a decade ago^[7]. A car seat designed in 2015 wasn’t tested with 2025 vehicle technology.

Recent safety improvements older seats lack:

• Anti-rebound bars (standard after 2020)
• Load legs for infant seats
• Updated side-impact protection
• Better LATCH connectors
• Improved chest clips that actually stay positioned

According to Autvex safety data, seats manufactured after 2022 show 35% better performance in side-impact scenarios than pre-2020 models.

When Manufacture Date Isn’t Expiration Date

This confuses everyone. Here’s the breakdown by major brand:

Brand	Uses	Typical Lifespan	Calculation Needed?
Graco	Manufacture Date	7-10 years	Yes
Britax	Both (newer models show expiration)	6-10 years	Depends on model
Chicco	Sometimes purchase date	6 years	Sometimes
Evenflo	Usually expiration	6-10 years	Usually no
Safety 1st	Manufacture date	6-8 years	Yes

Key Takeaways

• Expiration dates are usually on the bottom or back of seats, either on stickers or stamped into plastic
• Most seats expire 6-10 years after manufacture date
• Graco puts dates on bottom/back (add 7-10 years)
• Britax varies by model—check ClickTight compartment or underside
• Chicco uses bottom placement with 6-year expiration
• Missing dates require contacting manufacturer with model/serial numbers
• Using expired seats can void insurance and create legal liability

Next Steps

If you found the expiration date:

1. Take a photo and save it in your phone
2. Set a reminder 6 months before expiration
3. Register your seat with the manufacturer for recall notices

If your seat is expired or expiring soon:

1. Start researching replacement options now
2. Watch for trade-in events at Target or Buy Buy Baby (typically September and April)
3. Don’t wait for a “good deal”—your child’s safety isn’t negotiable

If you can’t find the date:

1. Check the manual (often available online)
2. Contact manufacturer with model and serial numbers
3. When in doubt, calculate 6 years from purchase as the conservative estimate

Remember: A car seat is the only thing between your child and 4,000 pounds of metal in a crash. Those expiration dates aren’t suggestions—they’re safety deadlines backed by crash test data. The few hundred dollars for a new seat is nothing compared to the protection it provides.

FAQs

References

1. Brian’s Tire and Service. (2025). Why Do Car Seats Expire? What Every Parent Should Know. https://brianstireandservice.com/why-do-car-seats-expire/
2. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2025). Car Seat Safety Standards and Testing Requirements. https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats
3. Graco Baby. (2025). When Do Car Seats Expire? https://www.gracobaby.com/car-seat-expiration
4. Britax USA. (2025). Car Seat Expiration and Date of Manufacture: A Britax Guide. https://us.britax.com/car-seat-expiration-guide
5. Healthline. (2019). Why Car Seat Expiration Dates Exist and How to Find Them. https://www.healthline.com/health/baby/car-seat-expiration
6. Safety 1st. (2025). Model Number, Date of Manufacture and Expiration Date. https://consumercare.safety1st.com/expiration-dates
7. Transport Canada. (2025). Children’s car seats and booster seats: How long are they safe? https://tc.canada.ca/en/child-car-seat-safety