How old is my Carrier furnace or AC?

Type the serial number from the Carrier label to see when it was built.

Example

4006A17330

40Week: 40 (around October)
06Year: 06 = 2006
APlant: A

Built Week 40 of 2006 (around October)

20 years old

In replacement window. Inside the usual 15 to 25 year lifespan, so replacement could come any time. Worth budgeting for it.

What to do now

Get a replacement quote now, before a breakdown in the hottest or coldest week forces a rushed choice.
A common rule of thumb: if the repair cost times the age in years is over 5,000, replacing usually makes more sense.
Ask about rebates. Many utilities and states pay toward a high-efficiency replacement.
Some home insurers and home buyers’ inspectors ask the age of the HVAC system. Florida 4-point inspections record it.
Most HVAC parts warranties run 5 to 10 years and require registration within 60 to 90 days of install. Check with the installer.

How this was read

The first two digits, 40, are the week of the year.
The next two digits, 06, are the year: 2006.
The letter A is the plant that built it. The rest is a running number.

Format: Carrier week, year and plant letter. Sources: Bryant R-22 application and service manual, serial number page, Building Intelligence Center: Carrier, Building Intelligence Center: Bryant, Inspector Handbook: Carrier, Electrical Forensics: air conditioner date codes.

Reading a Carrier serial number

Since the 1980s Carrier serials start with the week and then the year, then a plant letter. 4006A means the 40th week of 2006.

Carrier also owns Bryant, Payne and the ICP brands such as Heil and Tempstar. ICP serials put the year first, so the same digits can mean a different date. Pick the brand on the label.

About Carrier

United Technologies bought Carrier in 1979. Carrier became an independent company again on April 3, 2020, when UTC spun it off onto the New York Stock Exchange.
Carrier’s plant in Collierville, Tennessee opened in 1967. It builds residential split-system air conditioners and heat pumps, and it builds them under seven different brand names.
In 2016 Carrier announced it would move its Indianapolis plant to Monterrey, Mexico. After a deal later that year it kept making gas furnaces in Indianapolis.

Sources: Carrier Global Corp Form 10-K for fiscal year 2021, Bryant Heating & Cooling: 100 Years of Doing What It Takes, Carrier Collierville: IW Best Plants Profile 2011, Carrier Corporation (Encyclopedia of Indianapolis)

Carrier week, year and plant letter

Used mid-1980s to today. Example: 3203E08663

Carrier, Bryant and Payne serials start with four digits and a letter. The first two digits are the week and the next two are the year. 3203E means the 32nd week of 2003, built at plant E.

Worked example: 4006A17330 was built Week 40 of 2006 (around October), so it is 20 years old as of October 2026.

Sources: Bryant R-22 application and service manual, serial number page, Building Intelligence Center: Carrier, Building Intelligence Center: Bryant, Inspector Handbook: Carrier, Electrical Forensics: air conditioner date codes

Carrier 1980 to 1984 month letter and year digit

Used 1980 to 1984. Example: W4D14008

From 1980 to 1984 the serial starts with a month letter (M is January, O and U are skipped) and a year digit from 0 to 4. W4 means September 1984. Units built in Canada put the digit first.

Worked example: W4D14008 was built September 1984, so it is 42 years, 1 month old as of October 2026.

Month letter
Letter	Month
M	January
N	February
P	March
Q	April
R	May
S	June
T	July
V	August
W	September
X	October
Y	November
Z	December

Carrier 1980s year and month

Used late 1980s. Example: 850304091

Some 1980s Carrier, Bryant and Payne serials are 9 digits with no letter. The first two digits are the year and the next two are the month. 8503 means March 1985.

Worked example: 850304091 was built March 1985, so it is 41 years, 7 months old as of October 2026.

Carrier recalls

Recalls from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that name Carrier. Whether a unit is included depends on its model and build date; the checker above flags matches.

Year	Recall	Hazard
2019	Carrier and Bryant ductless heat pumps	The fan motor can fail and the unit can overheat and catch fire.
2017	Carrier Greenspeed and Bryant Evolution Extreme heat pumps	A fuse board part can fail and the unit can overheat and catch fire.
2001	NOx rod gas furnaces sold in California	These furnaces can start a fire.
2001	Carrier ductless split air conditioners sold in Puerto Rico	Water can drip on the control board and start a fire.
1996	Ducane-built oil furnaces sold under many brands	The heat exchanger can crack.

Standing at the unit? Use your phone

Point your phone’s camera at this code. The scanner opens and reads the label for you.

Same serial number format as Carrier: Bryant, Day & Night, Payne.

Formats on this page were last checked against their sources in October 2026. Carrier is a trademark of its owner. This page is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Carrier. For warranty questions, contact Carrier directly.

Where the serial is on a Carrier

On a furnace or air handler, remove the front door: the rating plate is on the inside wall of the cabinet. On an outdoor unit, look on the side of the cabinet near the electrical panel.

Turn off the furnace switch before removing the front door. The outdoor unit’s plate is usually on the side panel near the electrical connections, sometimes on the back.