I hear what you are saying as my flares are due for replacing, maybe there should be 2 months leeway on the expiry date, as you can't expect the flares to be stamped, transported to their destination and sold within a 4 week window, I live in the pilbara so I can only get what's available, 1 or 2 months I'm not too fussed about but if longer than that I won't be too happy as my last set cost $180

 The best I could get inshore flares was 6 months old and they are only stamped for 2 years !

The expiry is from date of manufacture so you'll never get one that is valid for a full 36 months unless it is made, packed, shipped and retailed on the same day. Compared to the cost of boat stuff they are relatively inexpensive and one of the few things you don't have to pay for annually. 

This does seem to be a small problem for some people on this site,I like the comments by Yewiefish and the suggestion that their should/could be a grace period of a couple of months,This I think is sensible as long as the flares on hand are in good condition and well looked after.One of the reasons the wa government introduced this compolsury 3 year time frame is that the manufacturing companies had the garruntee stamped on the flare, IT will Work for this period if not damaged ,I used to have flares that were 10 years old and as I kept them in a safe area,they look like the day I bought them,As with food items BEST BY is what the manufactoring industry say the will work.

When this was first suggested I discussed the use by date and the month of sale dates with some marine and harbor people, I also suggested this: As we all must pay our boat registration every year (like cars) and this information is held by the department of transport why not have an attatchment that adviced the boat owner that the flares were coming up for renewl also the EPIRB,This would serve a couple of uses,One Marine & harbors would have a record of complience.Marine & Harbors could also sell these safety items which being a state government department keep the prices down EG not for profit agency,and also they would be able to stamp the flares wth some item on the month of sale,same with EPIRBs, the two marine & harbor people thought it would create to much work so they did not like it,As,it would make more work for them,

This does seem to be a small problem for some people on this site,I like the comments by Yewiefish and the suggestion that their should/could be a grace period of a couple of months,This I think is sensible as long as the flares on hand are in good condition and well looked after.One of the reasons the wa government introduced this compolsury 3 year time frame is that the manufacturing companies had the garruntee stamped on the flare, IT will Work for this period if not damaged ,I used to have flares that were 10 years old and as I kept them in a safe area,they look like the day I bought them,As with food items BEST BY is what the manufactoring industry say the will work.

When this was first suggested I discussed the use by date and the month of sale dates with some marine and harbor people, I also suggested this: As we all must pay our boat registration every year (like cars) and this information is held by the department of transport why not have an attatchment that adviced the boat owner that the flares were coming up for renewl also the EPIRB,This would serve a couple of uses,One Marine & harbors would have a record of complience.Marine & Harbors could also sell these safety items which being a state government department keep the prices down EG not for profit agency,and also they would be able to stamp the flares wth some item on the month of sale,same with EPIRBs, the two marine & harbor people thought it would create to much work so they did not like it,As,it would make more work for them,Zoom is not quite with his response,It is a month date not day so the rubbish about transport excetra is just that,The stores that sell the flares could have a month stamp for time od sale.as for the 36 months I agre,one month out not to bad,but what if the store does not sell many flares it could be 2/3/6 months out and not every one checks the date on them

Suppose dad and son have their own boats and live at the same address. Under the plan suggested they would have to have duplicate items for both boats. Under the current scheme they could have an emergency equipment bag and share it between the boats (noting that EPIRBs should be registered but often aren't).

I could see the government could have a website where you can self regulate but adding it to boat licences would cause the prices of the same to go up due to administration costs and negate any saving of your 1/36th the cost of the flares you are trying to recoup.

I would have hoped you got my point about the 36 months from date of manufacture but you didn't.

Giving retail stores the ability to self regulate and stamp the date of purchase on the flares is rediculous. When your 20 year old flare doesn't go off you can tell Davey Jones that it still had 3 years of date left!

personally I think it would be a good idea to allow retailers to stamp flares at point of sale, some regulation would be needed but I think diver is just in wanting to get 3 years use if you pay for 3 years. Other alternative is a pro rata system where you get a discount for expired time.  

What's the go with the expiry on the flares?, mine are probably the same batch as divers, they say April 2016, does this mean they are still valid for the month of April? 

If my memory serves me right a short time back Chivers marine had a sale on in-shore flare packs which only had about 2/3 of their life left.

The discount was quite reasonable considering the remaining life, I purchased a pack as to me they represented good value for money.

You will never get flares with the full 36 months of life on them for reasons stated above. If the remaining life is 6 months or so, ask for a discount or phone around and find out what shop has what expiry date on their flares before you spend your hard earned coin.

Jeez, I literally just bought a set. They're stamped from FEB 16... so I miss out on a couple of months.

It's a lose, lose for everyone involved except the manufacturers of flares. Sad thing is the ones that I am replacing literally look like i just took them off the shelf.

They will probably work for the next 5 years if kept in a cool dry place, but the regs say you must change them out on the expiry date so that is that.

If I get into trouble I have kept my sets from a couple of change outs and I'm going to really light up the sky so every body will see that I want help.

People might have thought that the flares from the Titanic where just for a celebration, there will be no mistaking what my flares will mean.

If you get into real trouble big or small and you have the flares use them.

Yep, have kept my recently expired ones. I now have 3 sets on board... And will be getting rid of another 2! 

I went down Hillarys t0-day and at the boat chandelary stoe  The y have flares for $30.00 these expire April 2017 and reflect what some comments are saying pro rata,I have one third time left,the store clearly showed the dates and I paid what I feel is fair,If I bought a box of stainless bolts with 36  in it and paid $36.00

when I counted them there is only 32 I would feel cheated,I apply the same logic to flares

The parachute flares are stamped expiry April 2016 and the other 2 stamped expiry March 2016....all in the same sealed packet.

Would be an interesting discussion if checked.

Anyway, to save the hassle I bought a new set from BCF last week stamped March 2019, which I'm pretty comfortable with.

I was in BCF joodalup store and saw about 6 packets of flares I assume they are the ones dated March 2016 Expiry March 2019 that is good only one month out but what do they do if they have not sold these all by say June or July Then they are a bit out of date.