Serial Number for LG Refrigerator

Your LG refrigerator’s serial number contains its build date. According to LG, an LG serial number starts with three numbers, where the first digit is the year of manufacture and the next two digits are the month. So a serial beginning 512… was built in the fifth-listed year, month 12 (December). The format is simple, but there is one honest limitation: that single year digit does not tell you the decade.

This guide covers where the LG label is hidden, how to read the date digits the way LG documents them, and why the model number, not the serial, is what you use to order parts.

How do I read an LG refrigerator serial number?

Read the first three digits. LG states its own rule plainly: “LG product model numbers always start with a letter while the serial number starts with 3 numbers (first one indicating year of manufacturing followed by 2-digits identifying the month)”.

Breaking that down:

• Digit 1 = year of manufacture (a single digit).
• Digits 2 and 3 = month (01 through 12).

For example, a serial that starts with 410 points to month 10 (October) of the year represented by the leading 4. A serial starting 802 points to February of the year represented by the leading 8.

The honest catch: because LG uses only one digit for the year, the same digit repeats every ten years, and LG does not publish a public chart that ties each digit to a specific year. That means the serial alone cannot pin down the exact decade. We will not guess a year-digit chart, because LG does not document one. To confirm the full year, check the printed date on the rating label, the purchase records, or the owner’s manual. LG’s method gives you the month with certainty and the year within a decade, and the manual closes the gap.

Where is the serial number on an LG refrigerator?

It is inside the refrigerator, on the wall of the fresh-food compartment. LG notes the label sits on the right-hand side of the liner on older models and the left-hand side on newer ones. Open the fridge door and scan the interior side walls, usually in the upper area, for a label printed with both the model and serial numbers.

A quick tip: the label can be partly hidden behind a crisper drawer or along a seam, so a flashlight helps. Photograph it once you find it, since you will reuse both numbers for warranty, recalls, and parts.

Model number versus serial number on LG appliances

LG’s own wording draws the line for you: the model number starts with a letter, and the serial number starts with three numbers. They serve different purposes.

When you shop for a shelf, filter, or ice maker, the model number is the one that guarantees fit. The serial number is your date stamp and your unit’s fingerprint for warranty and recall checks.

How do I find my LG model number for parts?

Look on the same label, and read the part that starts with a letter. LG’s own rule is the shortcut: the model number begins with a letter, while the serial begins with three digits. So on the label inside the fresh-food compartment, the code that starts with letters (for example, an “LFXS” or “LMXS” style prefix on a French door model) is your model number, and that is the one you use to order parts. Photograph the whole label so you capture both numbers at once. When you are shopping, enter the full model number rather than a partial one, since LG changes components across model years and only the complete number guarantees the correct shelf, filter, or ice maker. The serial dates the unit; the model number fits the part.

What can I do with the date and numbers?

Knowing the build month and reading both numbers off the label unlocks the practical stuff:

• Warranty and recalls: LG coverage and any safety recalls key off the serial. Having it decoded and photographed makes those lookups fast.
• Filter timing: LG refrigerators prompt a water filter change roughly every six months, and knowing your unit’s age helps you judge whether prior filters were ever changed on schedule.
• Ordering parts by model: Once you have the model number, the correct components are a match away.

A common, easy example is the water filter. Many LG refrigerators (and LG-built Kenmore Elite units) use the LT700P-style filter. It swaps in minutes and restores flow and taste. When you are ready, browse genuine LG refrigerator parts and match to your model number.

Watch: locating the model and serial code on your appliance

The bottom line

An LG refrigerator serial number starts with three numbers: the first is the year, the next two are the month, exactly as LG documents it. That gives you the build month reliably and the year within a decade. To lock in the full year, confirm against the label date or manual, and always use the letter-led model number when it is time to buy parts.

Written by: AppliancePartsPros Team Reviewed by: Jeffrey S., Technical Specialist, Over 20 years of appliance repair and service experience