How to read a Goodman serial number
Goodman furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps and air handlers use an all-digit serial, usually 10 digits[1][2]:
- Digits 1–2: the year (97 = 1997, 15 = 2015).
- Digits 3–4: the month (01 = January … 12 = December).
- The remaining digits are a running number.
97 04 811080 → 1997, April → April 1997
Month, not week: how we know
An older inspector’s chart from 2009 says digits 3–4 are a week of the year [4]. A 2017 safety recall settles it. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s notice for recalled Goodman air handlers, sold from November 2015 to October 2016, lists serials beginning 1511, 1512 and then 1601 through 1610 [3]. The numbers jump from 12 straight to 01, and the last one matches October. That only works if digits 3–4 are the month, so the decoder reads them that way.
Worked examples
| Serial | How it reads | Made | Example from |
|---|---|---|---|
9704811080 | 97 = year ’97; 04 = month (April) | April 1997 | Building Intelligence Center |
040852398 | 04 = year ’04; 08 = month (August) | August 2004 | PickHVAC |
1512123456 | 15 = year ’15; 12 = month (December)Recalled range starts with 1511/1512 (sold from November 2015). | December 2015 | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
1610123456 | 16 = year ’16; 10 = month (October)Recalled range ends with 1610 (sold through October 2016). | October 2016 | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
Where to find the serial number
On the outdoor unit, the rating plate is on the cabinet. On a furnace or air handler, it’s inside the access panel; switch off power first. Older units sold under the Janitrol name use the same code.
What this page doesn’t decode
Packaged terminal units (PTACs, the through-the-wall units in hotels and apartments) built for Goodman by Daikin use letter codes such as 5FU5472618P. Only one source describes them and gives no letter table, so they aren’t decoded.
Common questions
How old is my Goodman furnace?
Take the first four digits of the serial: the first two are the year, the next two the month. 1512… is December 2015.
Is my Goodman air handler part of the 2017 recall?
This page only dates the unit. The CPSC notice [3] lists exactly which units were recalled; check it, or contact Goodman with your model and serial number.
What if the first four digits give a month above 12?
Then it isn’t the standard Goodman format; check that you copied the serial, not the model number.
Not affiliated with Goodman or Daikin. Brand names are used only to say which serials this decoder reads.
Sources
- Building Intelligence Center: Goodman HVAC AgeUsed for: Year + month first (10 digits).
- PickHVAC (Rene Langer, 2025-06-03): How old is my Goodman AC or furnace or heat pump?Used for: Year + month first (10 digits).
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Goodman Recalls Air Handlers Due to Electrical Shock Hazard (recall 17-103, 2017-03-02)Used for: Year + month first (10 digits).
- Honest Home Inspections, LLC (hosted by InspectAPedia): How to determine Water Heater and Furnace Age (PDF, last updated 2009-01-06)