GE Serial Number Lookup

A GE appliance serial number tells you exactly when the unit was built. GE encodes the month and year of manufacture into the first two letters of the serial: the first letter is the month, the second letter is the year. Read those two letters against GE’s official chart and you have your appliance’s age in seconds.

This matters for three practical reasons: confirming warranty coverage, checking whether a model is caught in a recall, and estimating whether a repair is worth it on an aging unit. Below is where to find the serial, the official decode chart, and how to use what it tells you.

Where is the serial number on a GE appliance?

Look for the rating plate, a metal or foil label printed with both the model and serial numbers. Its exact spot depends on the appliance, but it is always on the body of the unit, never on the box or paperwork. Common locations:

• Refrigerators: on an interior wall of the fresh-food compartment, often near the top or along a side wall by the crisper.
• Ranges and wall ovens: on the frame behind the door, on a pull-out storage drawer, or along the door jamb.
• Washers and dryers: around the door opening, under the lid, or on the rear panel.
• Dishwashers: on the inner edge of the door or the side of the tub.

Write down the full serial number. For decoding age, you only need the first two characters, but you will want the complete model and serial numbers when you order parts.

How do I read a GE serial number?

Use GE’s two-letter date code. A GE serial number follows the pattern of two letters, then six numbers, then a trailing letter. The first letter is the month and the second letter is the year. For example, serial number AS 123456S = January, 2009.

First letter = month:

Second letter = year. GE reuses the same twelve-letter sequence for years on a repeating 12-year cycle, so each letter maps to more than one possible year:

More examples: a serial that begins with GA decodes to G (April) and A (year), so April 2001, 2013, or 2025. Because the year letter repeats every 12 years, cross-check the decade against the appliance’s overall condition, your purchase date, or the printed date on the owner’s manual.

Model number versus serial number: what is the difference?

The model number identifies the product design and configuration, which is what determines which parts fit your appliance. The serial number is unique to your individual unit and is what encodes the manufacture date through those two leading letters. When you shop for parts, the model number is the one that matters. When you want to know the appliance’s age, the serial number is the one you decode.

If you are not sure where to find either number, our guide on how to find your appliance’s model number walks through the label locations by appliance type.

Why does the manufacture date matter?

Knowing your appliance’s age turns several guesses into decisions:

• Warranty: GE’s warranty periods run from the manufacture or purchase date, so the serial confirms whether coverage is still live.
• Recalls: Safety recalls are tied to date-and-serial ranges. Decoding your serial tells you quickly whether your unit falls inside an affected window.

The age read also predicts what tends to fail. Older GE units most often need wear parts — igniters, elements, valves, and gaskets — while newer units are more likely to have a control board or sensor fault. Either way, the serial gets you the date, and the model number gets you the exact part.

Watch: finding the model and serial code on your appliance

Once you have decoded the age and located the model number, browse genuine GE appliance parts and match the part to your model.

The bottom line

Your GE serial number is a built-in date stamp. First letter is the month, second letter is the year, read against GE’s official chart, with a quick decade check because the year letters repeat every 12 years. Decode it to settle warranty, recall, and repair questions, then use your model number to order the right parts.

Written by: AppliancePartsPros Team Reviewed by: Ed C., Appliance Technician, 25 years