Free serial decoder
Bradford White water heater age
Type the serial number from the label. We read the letter code, count the digits, and show the month and year it was made.
Same code: Jetglas.
Decode your Bradford White serial
It's on the label, after "Serial" or "S/N". Not the model number.
How to read Bradford White serial numbers
The first letter is the year, the second letter is the month.
- AYear
- BMonth
- 1234567Unit number
AB1234567: A = 2004 (7 digits, so before December 2007), B = February. Made February 2004.
- AYear
- BMonth
- 12345678Unit number
AB12345678: Same letters, 8 digits, so December 2007 or later: February 2024.
- LYear
- FMonth
- 12345678Unit number
LF12345678: L = 2014, F = June. Made June 2014.
Example serials, made up to show the format.
A printed date wins. If the label prints a manufacture date, use it instead of the serial.
Year letter (first letter)
Repeats every 20 years. 7 digits after the letters: before December 2007. 8 digits: December 2007 or later. No I, O, Q, R, U, or V.
- A198420042024
- B198520052025
- C198620062026
- D19872007
- E19882008
- F19892009
- G19902010
- H19912011
- J19922012
- K19932013
- L19942014
- M19952015
- N19962016
- P19972017
- S19982018
- T19992019
- W20002020
- X20012021
- Y20022022
- Z20032023
OA is a special case: Bradford White says those were all built in January 1997.
Month letter (second letter)
- AJan
- BFeb
- CMar
- DApr
- EMay
- FJun
- GJul
- HAug
- JSep
- KOct
- LNov
- MDec
No letter I.
Where's the serial number?
The model and serial numbers are on the rating plate on the side of the tank. The serial starts with two letters. Bradford White tank plates don't usually print a separate manufacture date, so the serial is the date.
Bradford White warranty
When it starts
Starts on the install date if you have proof, like the receipt. Without proof, it starts 3 months after the heater was made.
New owner?
Home tank warranties stay with the heater for later owners, as long as it stays where it was first installed.
How long
Most home tanks have a 6 or 10 year tank warranty. On many models it's the number after the T or S in the model number (RG240T6N = 6 years).
General terms only. Your model's warranty, and Bradford White's lookup, have the final word.
How long it lasts
10 to 15 yrs
Tank water heaters
20+ yrs
Tankless water heaters
Planning ranges from the U.S. Department of Energy, not deadlines. LA and Orange County's hard water can shorten them, so yearly flushing matters. Which kind do you have?
Questions
How do I tell how old my Bradford White water heater is?
Find the serial number on the rating plate. The first letter is the year and the second letter is the month (A is January, M is December, and I is skipped). Then count the digits after the two letters: 7 digits means it was made before December 2007, and 8 digits means December 2007 or later. The decoder at the top of this page does it for you.
Does A mean 2004 or 2024?
The year letters repeat every 20 years, so A can mean 1984, 2004, or 2024. The digit count settles most of it: A with 8 digits after it is 2024, and A with 7 digits is 2004 (or, for a very old heater, 1984).
What does a serial number starting with OA mean?
Bradford White says a batch of heaters got OA serial numbers by mistake, and they were all built in January 1997. O is not a year letter.
How do I find the age of a Bradford White tankless heater?
Bradford White tankless heaters are built by other makers and use those makers' codes, often with a dot or dash in the serial. The tank chart doesn't apply. Use the date on the label or Bradford White's Warranty Center.
When does the Bradford White warranty start?
Starts on the install date if you have proof, like the receipt. Without proof, it starts 3 months after the heater was made.
Does the Bradford White warranty transfer when I buy a house?
Home tank warranties stay with the heater for later owners, as long as it stays where it was first installed. Keep the original install receipt if you can.
How long do Bradford White water heaters last?
The U.S. Department of Energy says tank water heaters usually last 10 to 15 years and tankless heaters more than 20. Hard water and skipped flushing can shorten that.
Rather snap a photo?
The full Water Heater Check reads the label, asks a few taps, and tells you what it needs.
Open the Water Heater CheckOther serial guides
Sources
Checked November 4, 2026. We aren't affiliated with Bradford White.