Serial number guide

LG serial number lookup: year and month in the first three digits

Updated ·Checked against 3 sources·How we check

Short answerAn LG serial number starts with three digits. The first is the last digit of the year and the next two are the month, so a serial beginning 410 was made in October 2014 or October 2024. LG states this rule officially but gives no decade, so confirm it from the model, the manual or purchase records.
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Where the serial number is on an LG appliance

LG’s model and serial label is usually a silver sticker. LG model numbers always start with a letter. The serial starts with three digits, which makes the two easy to tell apart.

Refrigerator with the door open, showing five places the serial number label is usually found
Refrigerator
  1. Upper left wall of the fresh-food section (Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Frigidaire top-freezer; Samsung French-door and side-by-side; newer LG models)
  2. Upper right wall (LG on most models; Frigidaire French-door and side-by-side; Whirlpool and Maytag side-by-side)
Front-load washer with the door open, showing where the serial number label is usually found
Front-load washer
  1. On the rim, trim or frame of the door opening, often at the top (Whirlpool, Maytag, LG, Samsung, Frigidaire, GE)
Top-load washer with the lid open, showing where the serial number label is usually found
Top-load washer
  1. Under the lid, on the tub rim or the back of the opening (Whirlpool, Maytag, Frigidaire, LG, GE near the right hinge)
  2. Back of the control panel or the back panel (GE, LG; Samsung top-loaders on the back)
Clothes dryer with the door open, showing where the serial number label is usually found
Dryer
  1. Rim of the door opening, often at the top (Whirlpool, Maytag, Samsung; LG and Frigidaire say the top)
Dishwasher with the door open, showing where the serial number label is usually found
Dishwasher
  1. Side or top edge of the door, or its inside (LG, GE, Frigidaire, Bosch, Samsung)
Kitchen range with the oven door open, showing where the serial number label is usually found
Range
  1. Oven frame or side trim, seen with the door open (Whirlpool, Maytag, Frigidaire, GE, LG)
  2. Frame of the storage drawer, with the drawer pulled out (Whirlpool, Maytag, Frigidaire, LG, GE)

Basis: Official manufacturer help pages (Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, GE, LG, Samsung, Frigidaire, Bosch) and Sears PartsDirect for Kenmore. Diagrams are simplified; your model's exact spot can differ.

ApplianceWhere LG says to look
RefrigeratorInside the fridge on the right-hand side of the liner on most models. Newer models have it on the left-hand side of the liner
Front-load washerSilver label on the front panel behind the door, near the drum opening, usually at the top
Top-load washerBack panel toward the top; under the lid toward the bottom right; or the top right corner of the left side panel
DryerSilver label on the front panel behind the door, near the drum opening, usually at the top
DishwasherRight side of the door, when the door is open
Range or wall ovenLeft side of the door or drawer; behind the oven panel headboard; left side of the bottom-drawer frame; or beneath the upper lip of the top oven with the door open

Basis: official (LG USA Support, “How To Find My LG Model and Serial Number”).

If you’re checking a fridge and can’t see the label on one side of the liner, check the other side. LG moved it on newer models.

How to read the date

LG’s own wording: the serial number “starts with 3 numbers (first one indicating year of manufacturing followed by 2-digits identifying the month).”

PositionMeaningExample: 410…
Digit 1Last digit of the year4 → 2004, 2014 or 2024
Digits 2–3Month, 01–1210 → October
The restProduction detailsNot date information

Basis: official rule (LG USA Support).

Year digit table

First digitPossible years
02000, 2010, 2020
12001, 2011, 2021
22002, 2012, 2022
32003, 2013, 2023
42004, 2014, 2024
52005, 2015, 2025
62006, 2016, 2026
72007, 2017
82008, 2018
92009, 2019

Basis: our derivation from LG’s official rule (the digit is the last digit of the year). The table shows the three decades most likely for an LG appliance on today’s used market. It isn’t an LG-published chart. Years after September 2026 aren’t listed because they haven’t happened yet.

The month is simply the two digits: 01 = January through 12 = December.

Worked examples

  • 301KRRELJ150: 3 = 2003, 2013 or 2023, and 01 = January. So January of one of those three years (example serial from partsdr.com’s LG guide).
  • A serial starting 410: October 2014 or October 2024.
  • A serial starting 802: February 2008 or February 2018.
  • Kenmore model 795.7xxxxxxx, serial starting 512: the 795 prefix means LG built it, so it’s December 2015 or December 2025.
  • An LG appliance built in March 2026 has a serial starting 603.

The decade problem and how to settle it

LG uses a one-digit year, so the cycle is only 10 years. That’s the shortest of the major brands. An LG washer starting with 4 could be two years old or twelve, and the difference matters a lot for a used purchase.

Ways to pin it down:

  1. Model number. Search the full model on LG’s US support site. If the model only has manuals and support pages from one period, that period settles the decade.
  2. Owner’s manual. A print or revision date on the manual should be near the build year.
  3. Purchase records. A receipt, delivery note or LG registration confirmation gives the earliest possible date.
  4. Another date on the label. If the label or a separate sticker shows a full manufacture date, use it. That date beats the decoded digit.
  5. Features and styling. A 10-year gap usually shows in the control panel, display and finish.

If you still can’t tell, contact LG support with the model and serial number.

What the age means for a used LG

A build date lets you compare the unit with typical service life. Our lifespan pages cover refrigerators, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers. A one-digit year can hide a 10-year difference, so settle the decade before you compare.

Warranty coverage is normally counted from the original purchase date, not the build date. Ask the seller for the receipt if a recent LG may still be covered.

Limitations

  • LG publishes the rule but no decade chart, so the decade is always an inference.
  • The code gives the month of manufacture only. It doesn’t show when the unit was sold or installed, or how heavily it was used.
  • This rule covers LG home appliances and LG-built Kenmore models (prefixes 795, 796 and 721). Other Kenmore prefixes were made by other companies; see the Kenmore page.

Next steps

  1. Enter the serial in the checker above.
  2. Check the model for safety notices with the recall check.
  3. Go through the used appliance buying checklist in person.
  4. Comparing fridges from several brands? See how old is my refrigerator.

Checked against the sources below on 26 September 2026.

Common questions

Where is the model number on a LG appliance?

On the same label as the serial number. LG's help pages describe one model and serial label per appliance; the table on this page shows where it usually is. The model number identifies the product for manuals, parts and recalls; the serial number carries the build date.

How do I tell what year my LG refrigerator was made?

Read the first digit of the serial number. It's the last digit of the year, and the next two digits are the month (01–12). Work out the decade from the model number, the manual or the receipt.

Does the LG serial number show the decade?

No. LG's code uses only the last digit of the year, so a 3 can mean 2003, 2013 or 2023.

Where is the serial number on an LG washer?

On front-load washers LG puts a silver label on the front panel behind the door, near the drum opening. On top-loaders it can be on the back toward the top, under the lid at the bottom right, or at the top right corner of the left side panel.

Do Kenmore appliances made by LG use the same serial code?

Yes. Kenmore models with the 795 (refrigerator) or 796 (laundry) prefix were built by LG, and their serials read the same way: year digit, then two-digit month.

Sources

  1. How To Find My LG Model and Serial Number | LG USA Support
  2. How to find the age of your Kenmore refrigerator | Refrigerator tips & tricks
  3. Appliance411 Repair Parts: Who makes Sears, Kenmore?

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