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Canada · CFIA

Best before date builder

CFIA's format is the words "best before / meilleur avant", then the year (only if needed for clarity), then a two-letter bilingual month code, then the day. Build one below, or decode a date you found on a package.

Decode a date from a package

The bilingual month codes

From CFIA's date markings page (modified June 22, 2023; checked October 23, 2026). One code serves both languages.

Month (English / French)Code
January / janvierJA
February / févrierFE
March / marsMR
April / avrilAL
May / maiMA
June / juinJN
July / juilletJL
August / aoûtAU
September / septembreSE
October / octobreOC
November / novembreNO
December / décembreDE

Watch the near misses: MA is May, not March (MR). AL is April. JN is June and JL is July.

Rules the builder follows

  • A best before date is required on prepackaged foods with a durable life of 90 days or less. The business sets the durable life.
  • Order is year, month, day. The year goes first only when needed for clarity, using at least its last two digits.
  • Keep "best before / meilleur avant" grouped with the date, unless the label clearly explains the date elsewhere.
  • Foods packaged on the retail premises where they're sold can use "packaged on / empaqueté le" with durable life information instead.
  • A best before date may go on the bottom if the label says where to find it; a packaged on date can't.

CFIA's page doesn't say whether single-digit days take a leading zero, or exactly when the year is "needed for clarity". The builder lets you choose; keep one style throughout. Full details, exemptions and examples are in our guide, Best before date format in Canada.

General information, not legal advice. Confirm your product in CFIA's Industry Labelling Tool.