Golf cart serial number lookup: what year is my cart?

How each brand encodes the year

Club Car: year and week are in the serial number

According to Club Car's FAQ, the serial number starts with a one- or two-letter model prefix. The next four digits are the model year and production week, and the six digits after the hyphen are the unit's sequential number for that model year. In PH0901-123456, PH is the model, 09 is 2009 and 01 is week 1. The model names come from Club Car's official model and serial prefix directory (413 prefixes, including some Bobcat, Case and Husqvarna vehicles Club Car built).

Yamaha: compare the PID with the starting-number chart

Yamaha bulletin GC2018-005 (dated October 22, 2018) lists the PID where production of each model year began. Your cart's year is the row with the highest starting number that is still at or below your PID, for the same three-character code. The bulletin says the PID "is used by Yamaha Golf-Car Company to identify the model / model year of each car" and includes illustrated PID location charts. Yamaha posts it as GOLF_CAR_MODEL_V3.pdf; if that link doesn't open, a Yamaha dealer hosts a copy of the same bulletin.

Limits: the chart ends with the 2018 model year (2019 U-MAX codes are listed without starting numbers), so 2019 and newer carts aren't covered. Some codes, like JW8, JW9, JC0 and JC1, were shared by fleet, PTV and Concierge versions. In those cases the year is reliable, but the exact version isn't.

E-Z-GO: the year is in the manufacturer's code, not the serial

E-Z-GO does not publish a public year decoder. E-Z-GO parts retailers describe the same rule: E-Z-GO plates carry a 6–7 digit serial number and a separate manufacturer's code (a letter plus 3–4 digits). For carts from about 1979 on, the last two digits of the manufacturer's code are the model year (for example J1598 = 1998, F2121 = 2021). Carts from 1976–1978 are described as using the first two digits. Some carts built around 2005–2013 have sticker variations, or no manufacturer's code at all. In that case, E-Z-GO's own FAQ directs owners of pre-2013 carts to customer service.

Retailer sources for this rule: Buggies Unlimited, Golf Cart Tire Supply and Parts 'n Carts. These are not E-Z-GO publications.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the serial number on a Club Car?

Club Car says the serial number is printed on a bar-code decal mounted either below the passenger-side cup holder or above the accelerator or brake pedal.

How do I read a Club Car serial number?

The first one or two letters are the model prefix, the next two digits are the model year, the two after that are the production week, and the last six digits are the unit number. PH0901-123456 is a Precedent i2 electric, model year 2009, week 1.

Does the E-Z-GO serial number show the year?

No. Parts retailers that document E-Z-GO carts explain that the year is in the manufacturer's code (one letter plus 3 or 4 digits), not in the 6 or 7 digit serial number. For carts from about 1979 on, the last two digits of that code are the model year.

Why can't the tool decode my 2019 or newer Yamaha?

The Yamaha chart we use is bulletin GC2018-005, which covers the 1979 to 2018 model years. Newer PIDs are not in it, so a Yamaha dealer is the reliable source for those carts.

Reference tables

Golf Cart Clinic is not affiliated with Club Car, Yamaha or E-Z-GO. Results are for identification help only. For warranty, recall or title questions, confirm with an authorized dealer.