LPG Cylinder Expiry Date: How to Read the Test Due Code

Almost every kitchen and many hostel messes in Kota run on LPG, and most people accept the cylinder at the door without a second look. A short check takes less than a minute. This guide explains how to read the LPG cylinder expiry date code, what else to look at before you accept a refill, and how to use a cylinder safely at home.

The code on the cylinder

On the inner side of one of the three metal strips (called stay plates) that join the top ring to the cylinder body, you will find a short painted or stamped code such as B-27 or D-28.

• The letter is the quarter of the year:
  • A: January to March
  • B: April to June
  • C: July to September
  • D: October to December
• The number is the year: 27 means 2027.

So B-27 means the cylinder is due for its periodic statutory test by April to June 2027. People call it the expiry date because a cylinder past this date should not be in service. After testing, a cylinder that passes is given a new date and goes back into use.

How to use the code

If the quarter and year on the code have already passed, do not accept the cylinder. Ask the delivery person for another one. If a distributor repeatedly sends overdue cylinders, complain through your oil company’s official channels.

A cylinder whose test date is close but not yet reached is fine to use.

Other checks at the door

1. Seal and safety cap: the valve should have an intact seal and a plastic safety cap. A broken or missing seal is a reason to refuse it.
2. Body condition: look for deep dents, bulges, heavy rust or damaged foot rings.
3. Leak check: after removing the cap, a hissing sound or smell of gas means stop. Do not connect it.
4. Weight: the tare (empty) weight is stamped on the cylinder, and the net gas weight is fixed for each cylinder size. If a cylinder feels light, ask for it to be weighed. You may refuse a cylinder you believe is underweight. Short-weight complaints in general are covered in our MRP overcharging and short weight guide.
5. Bill or cash memo: ask for it every time, and pay only the amount shown on it. Delivery is usually confirmed with an OTP sent to the registered mobile number; share it only when the cylinder is in your hands and you have checked it.

Safe use at home

• Keep the cylinder upright, on the floor, in a ventilated place, away from heat and electrical switches. Never keep it in a closed cabinet without ventilation.
• Use an ISI-marked regulator and hose. Check marks and licence numbers with our ISI mark guide. Replace a cracked, hard or swollen hose. Oil companies sell approved hoses through distributors.
• Turn off the regulator after cooking and when you leave home for a long time.
• Keep the stove above the cylinder level, never inside a closed space with the cylinder.
• Let the distributor’s mechanic inspect the installation when the periodic safety inspection is due. A genuine mechanic carries the distributor’s identification; ask to see it.

If you smell gas

1. Do not switch on or off any lights, fans or electrical appliances, and do not use a lighter or match.
2. Turn off the regulator and put the safety cap back on the valve if you can do so safely.
3. Open doors and windows to ventilate.
4. Move everyone out of the room.
5. Call 1906, the LPG emergency helpline, from outside the area. If there is a fire or injury, also call 112.

LPG in student rooms and PGs

Many Kota students cook in rented rooms or eat at messes that use several cylinders. If you rent a room with gas, check who owns the connection and the cylinder, whether the installation has been inspected, and where the cylinder is kept. Our rent agreement checklist and student room essentials guide cover what to agree with the owner and what else to buy for a safe room. Never keep a spare cylinder inside a small room.

Bookings, subsidy and complaints

Bookings, delivery status, distributor details and complaint channels for all three public sector oil companies are linked from the MyLPG portal (mylpg.in). Use that portal or your oil company’s official app for bookings and complaints, not phone numbers found in search ads or messages; fake “LPG KYC” and “subsidy” calls are a common route to UPI fraud. If a complaint to the distributor and the oil company does not solve the problem, the National Consumer Helpline is the next step.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Accepting a cylinder without looking because the delivery person is in a hurry. A polite “one minute, please” is enough.
• Laying a cylinder on its side to get the last of the gas out. This can let liquid gas reach the regulator and is unsafe.
• Using a cylinder from an unknown source, such as one bought from a neighbour or a roadside refiller. Refilling outside the official system is unsafe and illegal.
• Keeping old, cracked hoses because they “still work”. Rubber hardens and cracks with age and heat.
• Ignoring a faint smell of gas. Treat any smell as a leak until you have checked.

Why a one-minute check is worth it

Most cylinders that reach homes in Kota are fine. The point of the check is to catch the rare one that is overdue, damaged or leaking before it is inside your kitchen. Read the code, look at the seal, listen for a hiss, and you have done what you can.