diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -2618,7 +2618,11 @@ def tag(ui, repo, name, rev_=None, **opt
     if not message:
         message = _('Added tag %s for changeset %s') % (name, short(r))
 
-    repo.tag(name, r, message, opts['local'], opts['user'], opts['date'])
+    date = opts.get('date')
+    if date:
+        date = util.parsedate(date)
+
+    repo.tag(name, r, message, opts['local'], opts['user'], date)
 
 def tags(ui, repo):
     """list repository tags
diff --git a/mercurial/localrepo.py b/mercurial/localrepo.py
--- a/mercurial/localrepo.py
+++ b/mercurial/localrepo.py
@@ -202,13 +202,11 @@ class localrepository(repo.repository):
 
         date: date tuple to use if committing'''
 
-        date = util.parsedate(date)
         for x in self.status()[:5]:
             if '.hgtags' in x:
                 raise util.Abort(_('working copy of .hgtags is changed '
                                    '(please commit .hgtags manually)'))
 
-
         self._tag(name, node, message, local, user, date)
 
     def tags(self):