Do LPG cylinders expire in Pakistan?

A message circulates every few months claiming that a code stamped on your cylinder — usually written as A-26 or D-26 — is an expiry date, and that a cylinder past it may explode. It is false, and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority has said so publicly.

What does OGRA actually say about cylinder expiry?

OGRA has stated that markings such as A-26 or D-26 are not used on LPG cylinders in Pakistan. The lettered quarter-code system the viral message describes belongs to a different marking convention used in some other countries, not to Pakistani cylinders.

OGRA has also said that certified cylinders do not pose explosion risks under normal use, because they undergo periodic testing at fixed intervals. The risk in this trade comes from uncertified cylinders and worn fittings, not from a date passing.

What is actually stamped on a Pakistani cylinder?

A cylinder made to Pakistani standards is embossed with:

• The manufacture date
• The manufacturer's name
• The next test date
• The company name
• A serial number
• A batch number
• The tare weight
• The water capacity

The field people mistake for an expiry date is the next test date. It tells you when the cylinder is due back for a hydrostatic pressure test — not when it stops being safe.

What is the difference between a manufacture date and a next-test date?

The manufacture date is when the cylinder was built. The next-test date is when it must next be pressure-tested before being refilled.

A cylinder that passes its test is stamped with a new next-test date and goes back into service. This is why a cylinder can be fifteen years old and still perfectly serviceable, and why a two-year-old cylinder with a damaged valve is not.

How long does a steel LPG cylinder actually last?

Steel cylinders have an operational lifespan of roughly 15 years, across multiple internal hydrostatic and pneumatic test cycles. That figure is a service-life expectation, not a hard cut-off — a cylinder is retired when it fails a test or shows damage, whichever comes first.

Which standards do Pakistani cylinders follow?

Cylinders made in Pakistan follow internationally recognised standards including DOT 4B, DOT 4BW and DOT 4BA. These are the same construction and testing specifications used for low-pressure welded steel cylinders elsewhere.

Cylinders made without OGRA approval may not meet these standards. That is the real thing to check — approval and condition, not a supposed expiry code.

What should you check instead?

• That the cylinder carries a legible manufacturer's name and serial number.
• That the next-test date has not passed.
• That the valve and collar are undamaged and the bull nose or O-ring is present.
• That there is no deep corrosion, denting or gouging on the body.

If any of those fail, refuse the cylinder. Those are the conditions that actually matter.