Short answer: Your appliance model number is printed on a sticker or metal tag, usually just inside a door or drawer. Look on the side wall inside a refrigerator, around the door opening on a washer or dryer, on the oven door frame or behind the storage drawer on a range, on the edge of a dishwasher door, and inside a microwave door frame. Write down the full number, including every letter and digit at the end, then use it to confirm the part number before you order.
A part that looks right is not always the part that fits. Manufacturers build dozens of versions of the same washer, dryer, or refrigerator, and a control board, pump, or igniter can change between them even when the appliances look identical. The model number is how you tell those versions apart.
This guide shows where to find the model number on every major appliance, what to do when the tag is missing or worn off, and how to turn that number into the correct replacement part.
Model number vs. serial number vs. part number
You will see three different numbers during a repair, and each one does a different job.
- Model number: identifies the whole appliance. This is the number you use to pull up a parts diagram and confirm that a part fits.
- Serial number: identifies your individual unit and, for most brands, when it was built. It sits on the same tag as the model number. Manufacturers sometimes change a part partway through a production run, so the serial number can decide which version you need.
- Part number: identifies a single component. It is usually printed on a sticker or stamped into the part itself. If you already have the old part in your hand, this number is often the fastest way to find a match.
Where to find the model number on your appliance
Tag locations change between brands and production years, so check every spot listed before moving on. Open doors and pull out drawers first. The back panel is the last place to look, because getting to it usually means pulling the appliance away from the wall.
Refrigerator
Open the fresh-food door and check the side walls, most often the left wall near the top. On French-door and bottom-freezer models, look at the ceiling of the fresh-food section near the light. If you still can't find it, pull out the crisper drawers and check the frame behind or underneath them. Some older refrigerators have the tag behind the kick plate at the bottom front. Shop refrigerator parts.
Washer
On a front-load washer, open the door and look around the door opening and the frame surrounding it. On a top-load washer, lift the lid and check the back of the cabinet top, just under where the lid hinges. If neither spot has it, look on the rear panel or the back of the control console. Shop washer parts.
Dryer
Open the dryer door and check the rim of the door opening and the inside edge of the door frame. Some dryers put the tag next to the lint screen. Stacked laundry centers usually have one tag covering both the washer and dryer, typically inside the dryer door opening. Shop dryer parts.
Range, oven, or stove
Open the oven door and look along the edges of the oven frame on both sides. If the range has a storage or warming drawer, pull it all the way out and check the frame behind it. On some models, you will find the tag under the cooktop or on the back panel. Wall ovens usually have the tag on the trim around the oven opening. Shop range, oven, and stove parts.
Dishwasher
Open the door and check the top edge and side edges of the inner door, where it meets the tub. If it isn't there, look on the side of the tub opening. A few models put the tag behind the kick plate at the bottom. Shop dishwasher parts.
Microwave
Open the door and check the door frame and the inner wall of the cooking cavity. On over-the-range microwaves, the tag is sometimes on the underside of the unit, so you may need a flashlight and a mirror. Countertop microwaves usually carry it on the back or bottom. Shop microwave parts.
What if the tag is missing, faded, or unreadable?
Tags peel, fade from heat, and get painted over. You still have options:
- Take a photo instead of squinting. Use your phone flash at a slight angle, then zoom in on the picture. Raised or stamped characters often show up in a photo when you can't read them by eye.
- Check the tech sheet. Most appliances have a folded technical sheet tucked behind a panel, inside the console, or behind the kick plate. It often lists the model number or the model family.
- Look through your paperwork. The owner's manual, installation guide, receipt, delivery paperwork, and extended warranty documents usually include the model number.
- Open the manufacturer's app. Smart appliances connected to a brand app normally show the model number in the device settings.
- Use the part itself. If you have already removed the broken part, the number printed on it may be all you need.
How to read and write down the model number correctly
A small copying mistake is one of the easiest ways to end up with the wrong part. Before you search, check for these:
- Letters that look like numbers. O and 0, I and 1, B and 8, S and 5, and Z and 2 are easy to mix up on a worn tag.
- A missing ending. The last few characters often mark a revision or production version. Two models that differ only in those characters can use different parts, so copy the full number.
- Labels mistaken for the number. Leave off prefixes like "MOD," "M/N," or "Model No." They name the field, and they are not part of the number.
- Color codes. Some model numbers end with a color code. It matters for doors, handles, and panels you can see, and usually matters less for internal parts. Check the parts list before assuming either way.
Write down the serial number while you are there. It takes ten seconds and can save a second trip to the tag.
From model number to the right replacement part
- Record the full model and serial numbers. A clear photo of the tag works best.
- Find the part number on a parts diagram. Search your model number on the manufacturer's site or a parts lookup site to see an exploded diagram of your appliance, then find the part you need and note its number.
- Compare it to the old part. If the number printed on the part you removed matches the diagram, you have confirmation. If it doesn't, the part may have been replaced by a newer number.
- Check for replacement numbers. Manufacturers regularly retire a part number and replace it with a new one, often listed as "replaces" or "superseded by." Search both the old and new numbers.
- Search the part number on our site. Enter it in the part number search at the top of any page on rabonservices.com.
- Still not sure? Send us photos. Contact our team with a photo of the model tag and a photo of the old part, including any numbers on it, and we'll help you confirm the match.
If you are replacing a control board, the number on the board matters even more than usual. Our guide on how to tell if an appliance control board is bad explains how to read a board label and what to check before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Is the model number the same as the serial number?
No. The model number identifies the type of appliance, and thousands of units share it. The serial number is unique to your unit. Both are usually on the same tag, and the model number is the one you need for finding parts.
Can I find my appliance model number without the tag?
Often, yes. Check the tech sheet inside the appliance, your owner's manual, the receipt or delivery paperwork, and the manufacturer's app if the appliance is connected. The part number printed on the old part can also get you to the right replacement.
Why doesn't the part number on my old part match the listing?
The most common reason is a replacement number. Manufacturers update parts and assign new numbers, and the new part is designed to replace the old one. It can also mean the number you copied is a supplier or assembly number rather than the service part number. When in doubt, send us a photo of the part.
Do I need the serial number to order a part?
Not usually, but it helps. For appliances where a part changed during production, the serial number tells you which version your unit was built with.
Find your part
Once you have your model or part number, search our inventory or browse by appliance: refrigerator, washer, dryer, range and oven, dishwasher, and microwave. Orders placed before 3 PM Central on a business day ship the same day. If you get stuck, call us at (651) 252-4562, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM.
Written by the Rabon Services Group team in Farmington, Minnesota. Since 2017, we've helped DIYers, repair shops, and extended warranty companies find the parts they need to repair appliances.