For example, in the serial number AR527459, A means January and R can mean 1958, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, or 2020. Entering the model number can help separate those years. When GE’s own records cover one of them, Appliage can show a confirmed manufacture date. If the records do not settle it, the possible dates stay visible.
Appliage decodes two GE date systems, and both look the same on the plate: two letters, then six digits. Serial numbers from 1944 to today use the month letter and year letter tables below, which give a month and a short list of years. Serial numbers from 1961 through 1968 use one of eight fixed two letter prefixes instead, and each prefix names one exact year. Both are covered under GE Age Rules below.
The two systems share one shape, so the letter pair itself is the test. Look at the prefix table for 1961 through 1968 first. VU, WV, XW, YX, AY, BZ, CA, and DB each name one year and give no month. Any other pair belongs to the month and year tables.
GE Serial Number Rules
Month code
| Code | Month |
|---|---|
| A | January |
| D | February |
| F | March |
| G | April |
| H | May |
| L | June |
| M | July |
| R | August |
| S | September |
| T | October |
| V | November |
| Z | December |
Year code
| Code | Published meaning |
|---|---|
| A | 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1944 |
| B | 1945 |
| C | 1946 |
| D | 2026, 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1947 |
| E | 1969, 1948 |
| F | 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1949 |
| G | 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1950 |
| H | 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1951 |
| J | 1952 |
| K | 1953 |
| L | 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970, 1954 |
| M | 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1955 |
| N | 1972, 1956 |
| P | 1973, 1957 |
| R | 2020, 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1958 |
| S | 2021, 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1959 |
| T | 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1960 |
| V | 2023, 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975 |
| Z | 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976 |
Use the month and year tables above to decode the first two letters. The month codes skip letters such as B, E, and I, so do not count through the alphabet.
Some GE serial numbers have a third letter after the six digits. It is a factory marker, not part of the date; only the first two letters are used here.
Year only prefixes for 1961–1968
The year table above has no entry for 1961 through 1968. GE dated those eight years with fixed two letter prefixes instead, and each prefix stands for one year on its own.
| Prefix | Year |
|---|---|
| VU | 1961 |
| WV | 1962 |
| XW | 1963 |
| YX | 1964 |
| AY | 1965 |
| BZ | 1966 |
| CA | 1967 |
| DB | 1968 |
The rest of the serial number does not change: six digits for the unit sequence, plus the optional factory letter at the end. A prefix from this table supplies the year and nothing else, so a result in this range carries no month. Enter VU123456 and Appliage returns 1961 with no month attached.
DB belongs to both systems. D is the month letter for February and B is the year letter for 1945, so DB123456 comes back with two possible dates: 1968 from the prefix table and February 1945 from the month and year tables. Compare them with an installation, purchase or service record. The other seven pairs are not valid month and year combinations, so only the prefix table accepts them.
Examples
Appliage uses the model number to choose among those years. It has official production ranges for 11,371 GE model series, which can help narrow the result to one year.
GE Serial Number Example 1: AR527459
Enter serial number AR527459 and model number GTS21FSKBSS. Appliage returns January 2020 (Confirmed).
- Split the serial number as A | R | 527459. The final six digits identify the individual appliance.
- A means January. R can mean 1958, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, or 2020.
- GTS21FSKBSS belongs to the GTS21FSKSS model family. GE’s records cover that family from March 2017 through January 2020. January 2020 is the only date with year code R inside that period, so Appliage marks it Confirmed.
GE Serial Number Example 2: DR527459
Enter serial number DR527459 and model number GTS21FSKBSS. Appliage returns February 2020 (Estimated).
- Split the serial number as D | R | 527459. The final six digits identify the individual appliance.
- D means February. R can mean 1958, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, or 2020.
- GE’s records for the GTS21FSKSS family end in January 2020. The serial points to the following month, just outside that period. Appliage still shows February 2020, but marks the date Estimated.
If Appliage cannot find the production period for your model, it cannot use the model number to select one year. It still decodes the two date letters in the serial number and shows every possible manufacture date.
When the Serial Number Alone Is Not Enough
Without a model number, the serial number can identify the month but cannot choose among the repeated year codes.
GE Serial Number Example 3: TR123456
Enter serial number TR123456 without a model number. Appliage returns October in a year with code R.
- Split the serial number as T | R | 123456. The final six digits identify the individual appliance.
- T means October. R can mean 1958, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, or 2020.
- Without a model number, Appliage cannot choose among those six years. The possible dates remain October 1958, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, or 2020.
Older GE serial numbers use a different system. The eight prefixes for 1961 through 1968 are in the year only prefix table above, and a serial number that starts with one of them comes back as a year with no month.
GE year codes repeat, so a code may also point to a year that has not happened yet. Appliage excludes that future year and shows only the earlier possible years.
Hotpoint, Café, Americana, and RCA use the same code
Several U.S. appliance brands use the same GE date codes. Hotpoint has been GE’s value brand for about a century. Café began as its premium kitchen line in 2007 and relaunched as its own brand in 2018, Americana was a GE budget label, and RCA appliances were built by GE under license. GE Profile and Monogram also use the same month and year tables. A 2022 CPSC range recall lists GE, Café, and Hotpoint units under shared serial prefixes.
Hotpoint machines sold in Britain and Europe come from a different company and use its own codes. Water heaters sold under the GE name were built by other manufacturers. Both groups fall outside the tables above.
The Hotpoint serial number lookup explains the American Hotpoint format in more detail. Select any of these brands in Appliage. Hotpoint and Americana use the same tables, Café serials start at the line’s 2007 debut, and RCA plates follow GE’s separate table for 1989 through 2002.
Sources
- GE Appliances month and year codes
- GE Owner Center: GTS21FSKSS. The model’s production dates help narrow the possible year.
- CPSC: GE, Café and Hotpoint range recall (22-028). The three brands share the serial prefixes listed in the recall.
For other brands, see our appliance serial number lookup.
