How long does cheese last in the pantry?

Cheese is not a pantry food; keep it refrigerated.

How long does cheese last after opening?

hard such as cheddar, swiss, block parmesan: 3 to 4 weeks

How long does cheese last?

Q: How long does cheese last in the fridge?

hard such as cheddar, swiss, block parmesan: 6 months from the package date; parmesan; shredded or grated: 12 months from the package date; shredded; cheddar, mozzarella, etc.: 1 month from the package date; processed slices: 3 to 4 weeks from the package date; soft such as brie, bel paese, goat: 1 to 2 weeks from the package date

In the fridge, cheese keeps for 6 months from the package date. Once opened, use it within 3 to 4 weeks. All 5 kinds are below.

Pantry

No guideline

Fridge

6 months

from the package date

After opening

3 to 4 weeks

in the fridge unless noted

By kind

Kind	Pantry	Fridge	After opening	Freezer
hard such as cheddar, swiss, block parmesan	no guideline	6 months	3 to 4 weeks	6 months
parmesan; shredded or grated	no guideline	12 months	no guideline	Not recommended
shredded; cheddar, mozzarella, etc.	no guideline	1 month	no guideline	3 to 4 months
processed slices	no guideline	3 to 4 weeks	no guideline	Not recommended
soft such as brie, bel paese, goat	no guideline	1 to 2 weeks	no guideline	6 months

No guideline: USDA gives no time for that place, usually because the food is not stored that way.

Does cheese go bad?

Yes. The fridge time above is the window USDA gives for good quality; after it, cheese may still be safe for a short while but quality drops and spoilage signs start. The date on the package is the maker's quality promise; the times here count from purchase unless marked "from the package date".

Two numbers to keep in mind: a fridge at 40 F (4 C) or below, and no more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour above 90 F / 32 C) for anything perishable.

How to tell cheese has gone bad

Hard cheese such as cheddar, Swiss or block parmesan: cut at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) around and below the mould spot, keep the knife out of the mould, and re-cover the cheese in fresh wrap. The rest is fine to eat.
Soft cheese such as brie, goat cheese or cream cheese: any mould means the whole piece goes out, because mould spreads below the surface of moist foods.
Shredded, crumbled or sliced cheese of any type with mould goes out too. Spores travel through the pack.
Cheeses made with mould, such as blue, Gorgonzola and Roquefort, are fine as sold. Mould that is not part of the cheese follows the same rule: trim hard cheese, discard soft cheese.

Sources: Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous? (USDA FSIS). The times on this page are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.

How long do other dairy products & eggs last?

Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.