Find the manufacture date and model number
Start with the seat’s own label, rather than the date on a receipt or online listing. Photograph the model number, manufacture date and any printed use-by date so you can match them to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Use the manufacturer’s model-specific rule
Graco’s expiration guidance, for example, describes different useful lives for different product types and directs owners to the manual and seat markings. Do not apply a Graco lifespan to a Chicco seat, or assume two models from the same brand expire together. If the label is unreadable or the instructions are unclear, contact the manufacturer with the information you have.
Work from the date the manufacturer specifies
For Graco’s stated method, add the model’s useful life to its manufacture date, not its purchase date. If your seat has a printed expiration date, follow it. A later purchase does not move that deadline; confirm any unclear date format with the manufacturer.
Keep the other checks separate
An expiration date answers one question. It does not tell you whether the seat has a recall, whether all its parts are present, or whether its history is known. Keep those checks alongside the date check when considering a previously used seat.
Make the information easy to find again
Keep a photo of the label with the manual and registration confirmation. If more than one caregiver has a seat, record each one separately. A note called ‘grandparent’s car, passenger side’ is more useful later than an unlabeled date.
How long do car seats last, by brand?
There is no single answer, because each manufacturer sets its own rule and then varies it by model. This is what the brands in this catalogue publish:
| Brand | Usable life the brand publishes | Models |
|---|---|---|
| Baby Jogger | 7 to 10 years | 2 |
| Britax | 6 to 10 years | 16 |
| Chicco | 6 to 10 years | 12 |
| Clek | 9 years | 7 |
| Cosco | 8 to 10 years | 9 |
| Cybex | 6 to 10 years | 9 |
| Diono | 8 to 10 years | 26 |
| Evenflo | 10 years | 4 |
| Graco | 7 to 10 years | 34 |
| Maxi-Cosi | 8 to 10 years | 16 |
| Nuna | 10 years | 7 |
| Peg Perego | 7 to 12 years | 8 |
| Safety 1st | 8 to 10 years | 32 |
| UPPAbaby | 7 to 10 years | 3 |
Each brand sets its own rule, and within a brand it varies by model. The number on your seat's own label and manual is the one that counts.
Common questions
Do car seats expire?
Yes. Every manufacturer in this catalogue sets a usable life for its seats, commonly 6 to 10 years from the date of manufacture, and some state 12. The date is on a label on the seat and repeated in the manual, and the rule varies by model within the same brand.
Where is the expiration date on a car seat?
On a label moulded into or stuck onto the shell, usually on the base or the back. It gives a date of manufacture and, on most seats, the expiry date itself. The manual repeats the rule and says how to read it.
Why do car seats expire?
Manufacturers cite the ageing of the plastics and webbing, wear from everyday use, the loss of labels and instructions over time, and changes to standards and to the seat's own parts supply. The specific reasoning is the manufacturer's, and the date it sets is the one to follow.
Can I use a car seat after its expiration date?
No manufacturer in this catalogue permits it, and a seat past its date should not be sold, given away or used. Check the label, and check for open recalls at the same time, since both depend on the same model number and manufacture date.
Go to the original source
Graco: car seat expiration guidance (Graco models) (opens in a new tab)
For individual fit or installation, consult both manuals and seek qualified help. This guide is not an installation manual.