Determine the Year of Manufacture of Your Hyster or Yale Forklift

Use this handy reference list to determine the year of manufacture of a Hyster or Yale forklift.

How to Find Hyster and Yale Forklift Manufacture Year by Serial Number

The last letter of a Hyster or Yale forklift serial number indicates the year of manufacture. To determine your forklift’s manufacture year, locate the final character of the serial number and cross-reference it with the year chart below.

Understanding the 23-Year Letter Cycle

Hyster and Yale use a 23-year letter cycle that repeats throughout their manufacturing history. The same letter corresponds to different years across multiple decades. For example, the letter “A” appears in 1957, 1980, and 2003. Knowing your forklift’s approximate decade ensures accurate year identification.

Serial Number Letter Exclusions

Hyster and Yale serial numbers exclude the letters I, O, and Q to maintain clarity. These three letters are intentionally omitted because they resemble the numbers 1 and 0, which could cause misidentification during parts ordering or service requests.

For verification assistance, contact Eastern Lift Truck Co.’s Parts or Service team with your complete model number and serial number to confirm the manufacture year and original specifications.