Club Car Serial Number Decoder: Find Your Model & Year
Last verified July 2026 against Club Car's official serial prefix directory.
Club Car makes this easier than anyone else — the serial number fully decodes itself. Model, year, even the production week are all sitting right in it. You just need the key.
Where to find it
Since 1981, the serial number has been on a barcode decal at the lower edge of the dashboard on the passenger side — roughly where the floor mat meets the bottom of the dash, under the glove box area. On some newer models check under the passenger-side cup holder or above the pedals. If the decal is gone (repaints and refurbs are common), the serial is also stamped on the transaxle, electric motor, or gas engine — the cart can be identified from any of those.
How to read it
Format: two letters + four digits + dash + unique number.
PH 09 01 - 123456
- PH — model prefix: Precedent i2 Excel, electric
- 09 — model year: 2009
- 01 — built the first production week of that year
- 123456 — this cart's unique sequence number
That's it. Prefix = model, next two digits = year. The production week matters more than you'd think — Club Car revises components mid-year, and service bulletins often apply to specific week ranges.
Club Car prefix table (golf cart models)
The full official directory runs to several hundred prefixes covering Carryall, XRT, Villager, and industrial units. These are the ones that matter for golf cars:
DS (1982–2008, fleet production later)
| Prefix | Model | Power |
|---|---|---|
| A, AC, HA | DS | Electric |
| AA, DS | DS PowerDrive | Electric 48V |
| AB | DS V-Glide | Electric 36V |
| AQ | DS (IQ era) | Electric 48V |
| AG | DS | Gas |
| F, FA | Carryall 1 / DS-based utility | Electric |
Precedent (2004–present)
| Prefix | Model | Power |
|---|---|---|
| PH, PQ | Precedent i2 | Electric 48V |
| JE | Precedent i2 (ERIC charger era) | Electric 48V |
| JH, PJ | Precedent i2, 4-passenger | Electric 48V |
| PD, JN | Precedent i2L | Electric |
| PR | Precedent i2 | Gas (FE-350) |
| SL, SN | Precedent i2 | Gas (ECH440) |
| PU, PV, PZ | Precedent i2 Signature | Electric |
Onward (2017–present)
| Prefix | Model | Power |
|---|---|---|
| TJ | Onward 2-passenger | Electric (ERIC) |
| TM, TN | Onward 4-passenger (non-lifted / lifted) | Electric (ERIC) |
| AX, BH | Onward 6-passenger (lifted / non-lifted) | Electric (ERIC) |
| DK, DL, DM | Onward HP 2P / 4P / 4P lifted | Lithium |
| FP, FR, FS, FT, FV | Onward HP Extended Range & 6P | Lithium |
| DT, DU, DV, DW, DX | Onward HP | FLA/AC electric |
| TE, TF, TK, BQ, BS, AW, AY, BW, BZ, DA | Onward gas variants (by seat count and lift) | Gas (EX-40 / ECH440) |
Tempo (fleet, 2018–present): BN, BR, BM, BP, AN, AP, and related prefixes by drivetrain.
If your prefix isn't here — Carryall, XRT, Villager, or something odd — send it to us. We keep the complete directory on file and will identify it same-day. A leading digit (1A, 7H, etc.) means a factory-remanufactured cart.
The year digits have one catch
"09" means 2009 — but a prefix that ran in both the 1980s–90s and 2000s can be ambiguous ("A87" is clearly 1987; "A05" is 2005). If the year seems off by a decade, the body style settles it instantly: the DS has the squared front cowl, the Precedent the rounded one, the Onward the sculpted automotive front end.
DS owners: the sub-model matters as much as the year
The DS ran 26+ years across three electrical generations, and their parts don't interchange:
- V-Glide (36V, through 1994): mechanical wiper-style speed control. Simple, serviceable, entirely different parts catalog.
- PowerDrive (48V, 1995–2000): first OBC (onboard computer) era — the charger talks to the cart, which is why a dead OBC stops charging entirely.
- IQ (48V, 2001–2008): Curtis controller with the MCOR throttle input — the component behind most "DS won't move" calls.
The mid-2000 body split matters for seats, bodies, and tops: 1982–2000.5 carts have two separate seat-back cushions; 2000.5+ carts have a one-piece seat back.
Precedents have their own generational split — IQ (2004–2008) vs Excel/i2 (2009+) — visible in the prefix (PQ vs PH) and critical for controller and motor orders.
Now find your parts
- Club Car DS parts
- Club Car Precedent parts
- Club Car Onward parts
- Club Car 48V lithium conversion kits
Troubleshooting?
- Club Car Precedent won't move: MCOR symptoms and testing
- Club Car charger won't charge: OBC diagnostics
- Which Club Car DS do I have? V-Glide vs PowerDrive vs IQ
Send us a photo of your serial decal any time — we'll confirm the model and part fitment before you order.
