Louis Vuitton Authentication Guide: Date Codes, Tags & How to Spot a Fake LV Bag
Louis Vuitton authentication can feel overwhelming, especially with evolving date codes, interior tags, and stamp details. In this guide, we break down everything you need to know about authenticating a Louis Vuitton bag, including where to find date codes, how to read them, and what authentic heat stamps and materials should look like. Whether you're buying, selling, or consigning, understanding these details protects your investment and ensures you're carrying the real thing.
LOUIS VUITTON STARTED USING CODES AROUND THE 1980'S.
Notice: When buying bags on the secondhand market, make sure the details provided by the seller match the details of the date code. Checking the date code is one way to determine if a bag is fake, however this is not the only method. While this is a good start, seek the opinion of a professional when in doubt. This site does not guarantee accuracy of results.
WHAT IS A LOUIS VUITTON DATE CODE?
First things first: all modern Louis Vuitton items have date codes. LV bags do not have serial numbers, instead, Louis Vuitton handbags have "date codes" stamped on interior tags or directly on interior linings or in a hidden location on the exterior of the bag. These date codes serve to identify the manufacturing location and date for a Louis Vuitton handbag, not to verify its authenticity. Louis Vuitton date codes are a combination of letters and numbers. The letters indicated the country in which the item was made while the numbers indicate the month/year of the production date. Note, vintage Louis Vuitton items (pre-1980) do not have date codes, and on some old materials, the date codes may have faded out.
Note that because date codes are not unique serial numbers, meaning multiple items will have the same date code if they were made in the same Louis Vuitton artisan workshops at the same time.
For example, Louis Vuitton may have created 15 Pochette Metis bags in their workshop in France during August (the 34th week) of 2017. All 15 of those Pochette Metis bags would have the same date code printed on a small leather tag in the back zip pocket: FL3147. The date code dissected: FL for France, the first and third number indicate the week 34, and the second and last number indicate 17, the year.
WHY ARE DATE CODES IMPORTANT FOR AUTHENTICATING LOUIS VUITTON?
What do date codes have to do with the authenticity of a Louis Vuitton accessory? Well, deciphering the date code of a Louis Vuitton is our first step in authenticating any Louis Vuitton item. A date code tells us the history of the bag. Everything we look at from that point on will be framed around the information date code. Is it the right font? What year is the bag? When is supposed to be made? Does the Louis Vuitton 'Made In' heat stamp correspond with the date code? Was that bag ever produced in that country? Does the production characteristics of the bag match that year?
It's important to note that a date code does not automatically indicate authenticity on a Louis Vuitton item. Many counterfeit items have date codes that match the correct format. Date codes are just one piece of the authenticity puzzle. There are many factors to indicate whether or not a Louis Vuitton item is authentic. Every aspect of the item such as font, size, stampings, symmetry, stitching, hardware, authenticity stamps, as well as overall workmanship and materials are inspected and determined to be consistent with the manufacturer's established standards of quality need to pass a rigorous test in order to be deemed authentic.
WHERE TO FIND LOUIS VUITTON DATE CODES?
But where exactly are these date codes? Finding a date code on a Louis Vuitton bag isn't easy... They are always tucked away along seams and inside pockets. Get ready to look in every nook and cranny of your LV. If you’re having a hard time locating a date code, here are some tips for finding Louis Vuitton date codes:
- Embossed on a leather tab attached on the interior lining of the bag
- Stamped on the directly fabric along a seam or pocket edge
- On exterior leather strap close to the strap brass hinge
- In wallets, stamped on the inner edge of bill compartment
- In agendas, stamped under the flap closest to a seam
COMMON DATE CODE LOCATIONS ON POPULAR LOUIS VUITTON BAGS:
Louis Vuitton Speedy bag: Inside the bag under the pocket, stamped on a leather tab
Louis Vuitton Neverfull bag: Date code is located inside the bag, along the interior edge of the zip pocket, stamped on a leather tab
Louis Vuitton Alma bag: Date code is located inside flat pocket, stamped on a leather tab
Louis Vuitton Artsy bag: Date code is located on the fabric of the lining insIde one of the wall pockets, not on a small leather tag.
Louis Vuitton Date Code Fonts, Colors, and Material
Louis Vuitton has used a variety of fonts throughout the years for date codes to identify the location/manufacture date and to trick counterfeiters. You'll find serif and sans serif fonts on date codes depending on the year and factory location (for example, different Speedy bags have both serif and sans serif date codes).
A single style may have multiple locations of date codes through the years (a Speedy bag may be produced in France, Spain, and USA). A date code may look slightly different depending on whether it is stamped into Alcantra fabric or a leather tab, stamped and colored (as on Epi pieces). This can throw a buyer off in terms of whether the date code looks correct or not, but it's intentional to ward off counterfeiters.
CHARACTERISTICS OF REAL VS. FAKE LOUIS VUITTON BAGS
With the popularity of designer bags at an all-time high, more counterfeit bags are hitting the streets and online auctions. Don't be fooled into purchasing a Louis Vuitton bag that claims to be the real thing when in fact, it is not. It can be difficult at times to tell a fake from an authentic but there are several ways to identify the difference between a genuine and a fake handbag.
In April of 2021 Louis Vuitton Discontinued the use of date codes, although RFID chips (Microchips) can be found in bags, dating back to 2019. The RFID chip (Microchip) can be located anywhere inside of the product, but usually under the lining. If you purchased a Louis Vuitton item produced after March 1st, 2021 the item will likely have an RFID tag inside of it. However those Microchips are tiny, and as thin as paper. They are often placed under the lining of the bag and therefore cannot be seen. There are app’s which can be downloaded to scan for the chip but the information stored on the chip is only available through a Louis Vuitton staff application and not available to the public.
The following is information you get from scanning the RFID chip (Microchip):
- The country and factory the item was made
- Style of the bag
- Description of the bag
- When the bag was sold
- Who the bag was sold to
- The store or website the bag was purchased from