Quick answer: The code on your LPG cylinder, like B-27, isn’t an expiry date. It’s the test due date: the letter is the quarter of the year (A = Jan–Mar, B = Apr–Jun, C = Jul–Sep, D = Oct–Dec) and the number is the year. Enter the code below to see whether your cylinder is fine to use or overdue for testing.
Every few months, a forward does the rounds on WhatsApp: “Check the expiry date on your gas cylinder before accepting it!” Then everyone at home rushes to the kitchen, squints at the metal strips around the top, finds something like “C-26”, and nobody is quite sure what it means. This page clears that up, and the checker above does the working out for you.
Decode the Code in Five Seconds
| Letter | Quarter | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | January to March | A-27 | Test due between January and March 2027 |
| B | April to June | B-27 | Test due between April and June 2027 |
| C | July to September | C-27 | Test due between July and September 2027 |
| D | October to December | D-27 | Test due between October and December 2027 |
The number is simply the year. So “27” means 2027, and “30” means 2030.
LPG Cylinder Test Due Date Checker
Find the code (like B-27) painted on one of the three metal strips around the top of the cylinder.
Where to Find the Code
Look at the top of the cylinder, just below the valve. There’s a ring with three vertical metal strips holding it up. The code is painted or stamped on the inner side of one of these strips. You might have to turn the cylinder a little, or use your phone’s torch, to read it.
“Expiry Date” or “Test Due Date”?
This is the part most forwards get wrong. IndianOil has clarified that there is no expiry date for LPG cylinders, only a test due date.
Cylinders are tested at regular intervals to make sure they’re still strong and safe. When a cylinder’s turn comes, it’s taken out of circulation, tested, and if it passes, a new test due date is marked on it before it goes back into use. TotalEnergies India, which supplies LPG cylinders, describes this statutory testing as being done every five years.
So a code that’s still in the future doesn’t mean the cylinder will “expire” on that date. It means it’s due to go back for its next check-up then.
What the Checker’s Three Results Mean
Green: Fine to use
The test due quarter is still in the future. Go ahead and accept the cylinder, after the usual checks at the door.
Amber: Due for testing now
The due quarter is the one we’re in now. IndianOil has said that cylinders due for statutory testing don’t go to the market, and that distributors are instructed to check this before delivering. Politely ask for a different cylinder.
Red: Test overdue
The due quarter has already passed. Don’t accept it. Ask the delivery person to take it back and give you another one, and if that doesn’t happen, call your distributor.
Your Five-Point Check at the Door
The test due date is just one of the things to check. Before you share your delivery code, take a minute for all five:
- Test due code: run it through the checker, or simply make sure the quarter and year are still ahead of today.
- Seal: the plastic seal on the valve should be intact.
- Smell: there should be no smell of gas around the valve.
- Body: no deep dents, heavy rust or bulges.
- Weight: if it feels light, ask for it to be weighed. A full cylinder should weigh its tare weight (marked “TW”) plus the gas, for example plus 14.2 kg.
Is a Cylinder Past Its Due Date Dangerous?
Not automatically. IndianOil has said that no LPG accidents have been reported due to a cylinder’s test date passing. The test due date is a scheduled safety check, not a countdown to failure.
But that’s no reason to accept an overdue cylinder. The whole point of the system is that every cylinder in your home has been checked on time. You’re entitled to a properly tested one, so ask for a replacement.
What If You Already Have an Overdue Cylinder at Home?
It happens, especially with a spare cylinder that’s been sitting in a corner for months. Here’s what to do:
- Don’t panic. Keep it upright, in a ventilated spot, away from heat.
- Use it as normal unless you notice a smell, a hissing sound or visible damage.
- When it’s empty, hand it back as usual. Cylinders that return to the system past their due date are tested before they’re filled and sent out again.
- If you notice any smell of gas at any time, don’t touch switches or flames, open the windows, and call the LPG emergency number, 1906.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does B-27 mean on a gas cylinder?
The cylinder is due for its next test between April and June 2027.
2. Does an LPG cylinder have an expiry date?
No. IndianOil has clarified that there’s no expiry date, only a test due date.
3. Where is the date written on the cylinder?
On the inner side of one of the three metal strips at the top of the cylinder, around the valve.
4. What do the letters A, B, C and D stand for?
The quarters of the year: A is January to March, B is April to June, C is July to September and D is October to December.
5. Should I accept a cylinder whose due date has passed?
No. Ask the delivery person for another one, or call your distributor.
6. Is it dangerous to use a cylinder past its test date?
IndianOil has said no accidents have been reported because of this, but you should still ask for a tested cylinder.
7. How often are cylinders tested?
At regular statutory intervals. TotalEnergies India describes the testing as being done every five years.
8. What happens during testing?
The cylinder is checked to make sure it’s still fit to use. If it passes, a new test due date is marked on it and it goes back into circulation.
9. My spare cylinder at home is overdue. What should I do?
Store it safely and use it normally unless you notice a problem. Hand it back as usual when it’s empty.
10. What is the “TW” number on the cylinder?
The tare weight, which is the weight of the empty cylinder. Add the gas weight to it to know what a full cylinder should weigh.
11. Does this apply to 5 kg and commercial cylinders too?
Yes. They carry the same kind of test due code.
12. Is the checker accurate?
It applies the quarter-and-year system exactly. Just make sure you read the code correctly from the cylinder.
13. Does the checker save my data?
No. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent.
Ten Seconds Worth Spending
Reading the code on a cylinder takes ten seconds once you know where to look and what the letters mean. Make it part of your routine at the door, along with the seal, the smell and the weight. Most cylinders will pass easily. The rare one that doesn’t should go straight back with the delivery person.
Read IndianOil’s clarification on test due dates in this fact check.