U.S. · Home appliances
GE appliance serial number age decoder.
Enter the serial number from the model tag to get the manufacture month and the years the year letter can mean.
Your serial number
Result
GE Appliances builds the manufacture date into the first two letters of the serial number, not the model number. The trouble is that the year letter repeats about every 12 years, so one code can point to two or three years. This decoder applies GE’s own chart and lists every candidate so you can pick the one that fits your appliance.
How this is worked out
GE’s support article says its serial numbers begin with two letters, followed by six numbers, with a letter at the end. The first letter identifies the month and the second identifies the year. Month letters are A (January), D (February), F (March), G (April), H (May), L (June), M (July), R (August), S (September), T (October), V (November) and Z (December). Year letters repeat: for example A means 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989 or 1977, and D means 2026, 2014, 2002, 1990 or 1978. GE’s chart also lists older letters and eight two-letter pairs for 1961 to 1968. GE says its Café and Monogram chart uses the same letters; Café lists 2025 and 2026, Monogram’s chart stops at 2026 too. This page follows the main GE chart. Source read 2026-11-01.
Worked example
GA123456H: G is April, A is a year letter that can mean 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989 or 1977. GE’s article uses this pair as its example, giving April 2001 or April 2013. AD123456H: A is January, D can mean 2026, 2014, 2002, 1990 or 1978, so January 2014 or January 2002 are the realistic picks for a unit that has been in service. GE’s example for AD says January 2002 or January 2014. Serial numbers here are illustrations, not real units.
Mistakes people make
- Reading the model number. GE says to use the serial number, not the model number.
- Picking the first year on the list. The same letters repeat every 12 years, so check the owner’s manual print date.
- Assuming the print date must match exactly. GE says the manual date may not match the serial number month and year exactly, only be close.
- Using this for other brands. The same letters mean different dates on other brands.
Who this is for, and what it does not cover
It suits anyone buying a used GE appliance, checking a warranty or deciding whether to replace one. It does not confirm that a serial number exists, return warranty status, or cover other brands. Unusual or very old serial formats may not decode; contact GE with the model and serial number.
FAQ
Where is the manufacture date on a GE appliance?
It is coded in the serial number, not the model number. The first letter is the month and the second letter is the year, according to GE’s support article.
Why does my GE serial number point to more than one year?
GE says the year letter rotates about every 12 years, so one serial number can match different years. GE suggests using the owner’s manual print date to pick the right one.
What does GA mean in a GE serial number?
GE’s own example: a serial number starting with GA was made in April of 2001 or April of 2013. The current chart also lists April 2025 for the letter A.
Which letters are valid month letters?
A, D, F, G, H, L, M, R, S, T, V and Z, for January through December in that order.
Does this work for Cafe and Monogram?
GE publishes the same month and year letters for Café and Monogram appliances, so the decoder applies. Check the brand’s own page if the result looks wrong.
Does this page send my serial number anywhere?
No. The decoding runs in your browser.
Sources
Retrieved 2026-11-01. Each source was opened and read against the claim next to it.
- GE Appliances: How to Determine the Age or Manufacture Date: the month and year letters, the repeating 12-year cycle, the GA and AD examples and the manual-date tip.
- Café Appliance: How to Determine the Age or Manufacture Date: the same chart for Café with 2025 and 2026.
- Monogram Appliance: How to Determine the Age or Manufacture Date: the same chart for Monogram.
General information only
This page is general information, not legal, compliance or financial advice. Manufacturers change their serial formats, and your unit may differ. Confirm anything that matters, such as warranty status, with the manufacturer. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.