What year was my small engine manufactured?

Learn how to find the age of your engine by locating the manufacture date of any Briggs & Stratton model. Jump to the relevant engine by clicking below:

For engines manufactured after 1965
For engines manufactured before 1965

The engine’s code number indicates the exact date it was manufactured. This system provides an easy way to determine the age of your small engine.

The following is an example of interpreting date Code 99011556:

• The first two digits (99) denote the year of manufacture. In this case it is 1999.
• The next two digits (01) are the month of the year, which is January.
• The following two digits (15) are the day of the month. In this case the 15th.
• The final two digits designate the plant and assembly line.

Therefore, this engine’s manufacture date was January 15, 1999.

Unfortunately, the process for determining the manufacture date for older engines is not the same since the tracking system with the Code Number was not implemented until 1965. A great source for older and antique Briggs & Stratton engines can be found through other websites.

Note: The websites listed below are provided only as possible resources for obsolete/antique engines and are not directly affiliated with Briggs & Stratton.

• B&S Antique Engine Dating Chart (Determine year of engine manufacture using Model and Serial Number)