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The short answer
QR codes do not expire on a timer, and a well-made one will not suddenly stop working on its own. Whether a code lasts comes down to its type. A static QR code never expires, because the data is physically encoded in the pattern. A dynamic QR code keeps working for as long as the account behind it is active and the redirect stays online. Neither has a built-in expiry date.
Static QR codes never expire
A static code carries its data inside the black-and-white pattern itself — there is no server involved and nothing to renew. Scan it in ten years and it will still decode to exactly the same thing it did the day it was made. The only way a static code becomes useless is if what it points to goes away. A static code holding a website link, for example, will still decode perfectly, but the page it opens is only as reliable as that web address.
Do reputable providers kill codes?
A trustworthy provider will not silently disable a working code. If a plan changes, you should be warned and given a chance to keep your codes live — not left with dead prints out in the world. Before you commit to printing at scale, it is worth checking a provider's policy on what happens to your codes if you downgrade or pause. The whole value of a dynamic code rests on that redirect staying reliable, so a provider that treats it carelessly is one to avoid.
Use this guide with a physical proof
Rules of thumb are a starting point. Phones, printers, finishes, curves, lighting and viewing distance change the result. Test the final artwork on the final material and keep a record of the approved version.