How to read a Yamaha model code
The label on the port side of the mounting bracket has the model code on top and the serial (PID) below it[5]. A 1984–2005 model code is built from left to right: an optional series letter, the horsepower, letters for tilt and start, shaft length and controls, and finally one letter for the model year [1][2].
E 150 E U R A → E = Enduro series, 150 HP, E = electric start (manual tilt), U = 30″ shaft, R = remote control, A = 2002
Model-year letters (end of the model code)
Yamaha counted backwards from N in 1984 to D in 1990, then forwards from P, skipping E, I, L, M and O. That meansD appears twice: 1990 and 2005 [1].
| Letter | Model year |
|---|---|
N | 1984 |
K | 1985 |
J | 1986 |
H | 1987 |
G | 1988 |
F | 1989 |
D | 1990 |
P | 1991 |
Q | 1992 |
R | 1993 |
S | 1994 |
T | 1995 |
U | 1996 |
V | 1997 |
W | 1998 |
X | 1999 |
Y | 2000 |
Z | 2001 |
A | 2002 |
B | 2003 |
C | 2004 |
D | 2005 |
After 2005: the production-date sticker
Yamaha stopped putting the model year in the code. Instead a permanent sticker on the starboard side of the mounting bracket shows the production month and year, such as 04/18 [5]. On those motors the last letter of the model code means something else, so the decoder’s answer doesn’t apply. If you have the sticker, trust it.
Australian and Asia-Pacific motors: the plate letter
Motors sold in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region can carry a single letter in the bottom-right box of the ID plate. It counts backwards and repeats every 21 years, so each letter fits two years [4][2]. Victory Parts notes that US and European motors may not follow it. Enter the single letter in the box above to decode it.
| Plate letter | Years (1990–2017) |
|---|---|
D | 1990 or 2011 |
C | 1991 or 2012 |
B | 1992 or 2013 |
A | 1993 or 2014 |
Z | 1994 or 2015 |
Y | 1995 or 2016 |
X | 1996 or 2017 |
W | 1997 |
V | 1998 |
U | 1999 |
T | 2000 |
S | 2001 |
R | 2002 |
Q | 2003 |
P | 2004 |
N | 2005 |
K | 2006 |
J | 2007 |
H | 2008 |
G | 2009 |
F | 2010 |
Worked examples
| Serial | Style | How it reads | Made | Example from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
E150EURA | Last letter of the model code (1984–2005) | A = year letter (2002)eBasicPower’s worked example. | 2002 | Basic Power |
70TLRR | Last letter of the model code (1984–2005) | R = year letter (1993)Murray Yacht Sales’ example. | 1993 | Murray Yacht Sales |
90ETLD | Last letter of the model code (1984–2005) | D = year letter (1990 or 2005)Constructed: D is both 1990 and 2005. | 1990 or 2005 | Constructed to show the rule |
D | Single letter on line 3 of the ID plate (Australian / Asia-Pacific motors) | D = year letter (1990 or 2011) | 1990 or 2011 | Victory Outboard Parts |
A | Single letter on line 3 of the ID plate (Australian / Asia-Pacific motors) | A = year letter (1993 or 2014) | 1993 or 2014 | Victory Outboard Parts |
Where sources disagree
- One parts guide lists H as 1986 alongside J; every other source has H = 1987, which the decoder uses[1][2].
- The model-code letter and the plate letter are different systems (P is 1991 in one and 2004 in the other). The decoder reads a lone letter as a plate letter and a full model code by its last letter.
What this page doesn’t decode
- Model codes from 2006 on: Yamaha dropped the year from the model code; read the production-date sticker instead (Yamaha Motor).
- The serial (PID) number: No source publishes a year rule for it; dealers look it up in Yamaha’s system.
- 1984–1986 production codes such as 150AETO: They carry no year (per the sources).
Common questions
How do I tell what year my Yamaha outboard is?
For 1984–2005 motors, read the last letter of the model code and look it up above. For newer motors, read the production-date sticker on the starboard side of the bracket [5].
Can I find the year from the Yamaha serial number?
Not from the number itself: no source publishes a rule for it. A Yamaha dealer can look the serial (PID) up in Yamaha’s system.
What does the D at the end of my Yamaha model code mean?
D was used for both 1990 and 2005. The motor’s design generation and condition usually make it obvious which.
Not affiliated with Yamaha. The brand name is used only to say which model codes this decoder reads.
Sources
- eBasicPower.com (Basic Power): Yamaha Outboard Motor Identification: Frequently Asked QuestionsUsed for: Last letter of the model code (1984–2005).
- OBParts (Marine Parts Warehouse): Yamaha Outboard Model Year GuideUsed for: Last letter of the model code (1984–2005); Single letter on line 3 of the ID plate (Australian / Asia-Pacific motors).
- Murray Yacht Sales: Decoding Yamaha outboard motor model number and manufacture date (Stanton Murray, 2022-04-05)Used for: Last letter of the model code (1984–2005).
- Victory Outboard Parts Australia: Yamaha Outboard Serial Number Lookup & Model Code Guide (2026-04-14)Used for: Single letter on line 3 of the ID plate (Australian / Asia-Pacific motors).
- Yamaha Outboards: Owner Resources FAQs (production date and PID label)