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Where to find the model code and serial
Look at the port (left) side of the transom clamp bracket — the label there carries the model code and the serial number. There's usually a duplicate sticker inside the cowling on the engine mount. The model code is the one that starts with the engine family and horsepower, like F115TLRB or 90TLRZ.
The 1984–2004 year letter table
Yamaha assigned each model year a letter, skipping I, L, M, and O (too easy to misread). The letter is the final character of the model code:
| Year 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 |
2005 and newer: no year letter
Starting with model year 2005, Yamaha dropped the year designator. The label still carries the model and serial, but the year lives in Yamaha's records: enter the serial in Yamaha's online parts catalog (parts are year-specific, so the catalog resolves it) or give it to any Yamaha dealer. If the primer sticker or emission label is intact under the cowling, it often states the production date outright — worth a look before calling anyone.
Reading the rest of the code
Using F115TLRB: F is four-stroke, 115 the horsepower, T power trim and tilt, L a 20-inch shaft (S = 15", X = 25", U = 30"), R remote steering, and B the year letter — 2003. On a used boat, confirm the shaft length matches the transom and the year matches the listing.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the serial number on a Yamaha outboard?
On a label or plate on the port (left) side of the transom clamp bracket. It shows the model code, the serial number, and often the color/transom-height codes. There's usually a duplicate sticker on the engine mount inside the cowling.
How do I tell what year my Yamaha outboard is?
For 1984–2004 engines, the last letter of the model code is a year designator — F115TLRB ends in B, which means 2003. From 2005 on, Yamaha stopped encoding the year; the serial number itself identifies the engine, and a Yamaha dealer (or Yamaha's online parts catalog) resolves it to the model year.
What do the other letters in a Yamaha model code mean?
Reading F115TLRB: F = four-stroke, 115 = horsepower, T = power trim/tilt, L = 20-inch (long) shaft, R = remote control, and the final B is the year letter on 1984–2004 models. Shaft letters: S = 15", L = 20", X = 25", U = 30".
Why doesn't my model code end in a year letter?
Your engine is likely 2005 or newer. Yamaha dropped the year letter for model year 2005 — since then the label carries the model and serial only, and the year comes from a dealer serial lookup.
The hull has a story too.
The engine year is half the picture. Decode the boat's 12-character HIN free to confirm the builder and model year — or run a full history report before you buy.