How to Read the Expiration Date on Diabetic Test Strips

Understanding the expiration date on diabetic test strips is important — both for your health and for getting the best payout when you sell. Here's how to find and read expiration dates.

Where to Find the Expiration Date

The expiration date is printed on:

• The side of the box — usually labeled "EXP" or "Use by"
• The bottom of the box — sometimes printed with the lot number
• The foil pouch — if the strips are individually foil-wrapped
• The vial label — for vial-packaged strips

How the Date is Formatted

Most brands use one of two formats:

• MM/YYYY — Month and year (most common)
• YYYY-MM — Year then month (ISO format)
• MM/DD/YYYY — Full date including day (less common)

Some brands only print the year and month. If you see "06/2027" that means the strips expire at the end of June 2027.

Why Expiration Matters for Resale

The longer the time until expiration, the more your strips are worth. Our payout tiers are:

• 12+ months remaining — Highest payout
• 6–12 months remaining — Reduced payout
• Under 6 months — Not accepted

When calculating time remaining, count from today to the last day of the expiration month.

Quick Check

If the box says "EXP 04/2027" and today is April 2026, you have exactly 12 months remaining — which qualifies for the highest payout tier.

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