Where is the serial number on a Mercury outboard?
For most Mercury outboard engines 8hp and higher, the serial number is located halfway down the transom bracket on the right (starboard) side, just below the powerhead. On 6hp and smaller engines, it's found on top of the swivel bracket.
Many boaters take a quick photo of their serial number with their phone—this simple habit can save hours of troubleshooting when ordering parts.
We highly recommend you take a picture of your ESN tag and keep the photo on your mobile phone in case the tag becomes unreadable or if you need this information when you’re not near your boat.
**Are you looking for Mercury Outboard parts and products for your specific engine? Check out PartsVu's Mercury Maintenance Parts Library. Common maintenance parts and products are presented by engine model allowing you to easily find the parts you need.**
What About a Mercruiser Serial Number?
On a Mercruiser sterndrive or inboard engine, typically, the tag is on the block near the starter. But, sometimes, it's down by the starter on the engine block, near the flywheel, or on the flame arrestor.
All too often, the ESN tag on a Mercruiser is not the easiest to find, so definitely take a picture and save it on your cell phone.
**Are you looking for Mercruiser parts and products for your specific engine? Check out PartsVu's Mercruiser category page. We've worked to make it as easy as possible to find the parts and products you need.**
Why Do You Need to Know Your Mercury Serial Number?
Simply put, your Mercury serial number will allow you to identify and order the right parts for your engine model and year.
Mercury manufactures many, many different models and often variations of each model. While one thermostat might be the proper selection for some variations of a given engine model, there’s no guarantee that it will be compatible will all variations of that engine—knowing your Mercury serial number is the key.
As if matters weren’t confusing enough, sometimes Mercury will change an engine model design midway thru a given engine model year.
Therefore, Mercury Marine parts are often segmented by serial number ranges. Knowing your serial number will allow you to make sure that you are ordering the right parts, whether you are utilizing a Mercury engine schematic/Mercury outboard parts diagrams, the Mercury parts library, the complete list of Mercruiser parts library, or other resources.
How do I find out what year my Mercury outboard is by serial number?
To determine the year of your Mercury outboard, use the serial number on the engine and reference a Mercury Marine serial number-to-year chart. You can also enter the serial number into the Mercury Marine or PartsVu lookup tool to identify the exact year and model.
What is the serial number location on a Mercury 9.9 outboard?
The serial number for a 9.9hp Mercury engines is usually located on the top of the swivel bracket, which may require tilting the motor to see clearly.
Where is the serial number on a Mercruiser engine?
It’s typically found near the starter or flywheel, or on the flame arrestor. Always take a photo of it for safekeeping.
How can I identify my Mercury outboard by serial number?
Use the serial number lookup on the PartsVu Mercury Maintenance Library or the Mercury Marine parts catalog to determine the engine model and year.
What year is my Mercury outboard motor?
Once you locate the serial number, compare it against Mercury’s official serial number/year chart, or enter it online in a lookup tool.
Need parts for your Mercury engine? Shop all Mercury outboards at PartsVu.
423 comments
3572468 Serial number
Supposed to be for a 50 horse mercury engine. But I’m having a hard time finding carburetors for it.
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PartsVu replied:
Hi Dylan, thanks for reaching out! The serial number 3572468 you provided didn’t return any results in the Mercury system. We recommend double-checking the serial number—it’s typically found on the mounting bracket of the engine (usually on an ID plate or sticker near the transom area) and sometimes inside the top cowling. If you’d like, you can also take a clear photo of the serial number plate and email it to us at partsvu@partsvu.com. Our team would be happy to assist with a parts lookup and help you find the correct carburetors for your engine. Let us know if you need further assistance—we’re here to help!
Best regards Markine
Hallo, ich suche für meinen Mercury 2,5 ps das Baujahr. Könnt ihr mir weiter helfen?
09873350
MfG Thomas Weiß
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PartsVu replied:
Hallo Thomas, danke für deine Anfrage!
Leider können wir internationale Mercury-Motoren nicht zuverlässig anhand der Seriennummer 09873350 nachschlagen, da diese Nummer keine Ergebnisse in der nordamerikanischen Mercury-Datenbank liefert. Das könnte daran liegen, dass es sich um ein außerhalb der USA/Canada verkauftes Modell handelt.
Wir empfehlen, dich direkt an einen autorisierten Mercury-Händler in deiner Region zu wenden. Diese haben Zugriff auf die entsprechenden internationalen Daten und können dir das genaue Baujahr deines 2,5 PS Mercury-Außenborders nennen.
Falls du weitere Fragen hast, helfen wir dir gerne weiter!
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Markine
Looking for manufacture year on Mercury 9.9. Model 1F10251BK, Serial 1R230354
Can’t find the lookup tool.
Thanks!
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PartsVu replied:
Hi Dorothy, thanks for reaching out! Based on the model 1F10251BK and serial number 1R230354, your Mercury 9.9 HP outboard is a 2023 model. If you have any additional questions or need help with parts, maintenance, or accessories, feel free to reach out—we’re happy to assist!
Best Regards Markine
Im looking for the year and model of my mercury 40hp outboard motor numbers are 5897243
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PartsVu replied:
Hi Michael, thanks for reaching out! The serial number 1436110 you provided didn’t yield any results in Mercury’s database. We recommend double-checking the serial number—it’s usually found on the mounting bracket of the engine (stamped on a metal plate or sticker), and also sometimes inside the top cowling. Once you have the confirmed serial number, we’d be happy to help identify the exact model, horsepower, and year of manufacture. If you have any other questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out—we’re here to help!
Best regards Markine
Hello I need to find the parts manuals and wiring diagrams for a mercury 402 thunderbolt serial # 7015409 . Any info you might have would be much appreciated!! Thanks :)
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PartsVu replied:
Hi Elijah, thanks for reaching out! The serial number 7015409 you provided didn’t yield any results in Mercury’s database. We recommend double-checking the serial number—it’s usually found on the mounting bracket of the engine (stamped on a metal plate or sticker), and also sometimes inside the top cowling. You may also send an image of the plate to partsvu@partsvu.com<mailto:partsvu@partsvu.com> with your parts request. Once you have the confirmed serial number, we’d be happy to help identify the exact model, horsepower, and year of manufacture. If you have any other questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out—we’re here to help! Best regards Markine