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Scuba tanks carry a number of legally required markings. These markings indicate important characteristics of the tank including:

• It's manufacture date
• It's serial number
• It's pressure rating
• It's last hydro test date
• What it's made of
• Who the tank was made by

Here is a photos of a typical aluminum scuba tank:

In the photo not all of the numbers are visible.

Let's examine these numbers:

TC 3ALM207

DOT-3AL3000 P12345678 LUXFER 08A06 S080

The TC3ALM207 indicates the following:

• TC is the Transport Canada indication (the Canadian regulating body)
• 3ALM is the material the tank is made of (aluminum in this case)
• 207 is the pressure rating in BAR where one Bar is 14.5 psi

The second line contains the remaining information along with the DOT codes which means this tank is stamped for use in both Canada and the US.

• DOT is the Department of Transport stamp (the US regulating body)
• 3AL indicates the tank is made from aluminum
• 3000 is the rated service pressure in PSI (divide by 14.5 to get BAR)
• P12345678 the tank serial number
• LUXFER is the tank Manufacturer
• 08A06 indicates the tank was originally hydro tested in Aug 2006. The symbolized A is the hydro testing facilities mark.

It should be noted that the original hydro testing date also indicates the date of manufacture since all tanks are required to be hydro tested as part of the manufacturing process.

Normally there be will other markings on the tank which are other hydro test dates and facilities.

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