Open Data

Our position on access, transparency, and shared knowledge.

Inspector Handbook supports the open-source and open-data communities and believes that certain non-proprietary reference information should be freely accessible to everyone.

Much of the information used by inspectors, contractors, and homeowners — such as manufacturer identifiers, serial number formats, and equipment reference data — is factual in nature. When this kind of information is difficult to access, it slows down professionals, increases errors, and limits education.

Inspector Handbook exists to make this type of reference information easier to access, easier to verify, and easier to share — without paywalls or artificial restrictions.

We do not claim ownership over factual manufacturer data. Instead, we act as a steward: compiling information from manufacturer documentation and publicly available sources, organizing it in a useful way, and making it available for others to learn from and build upon.

View the Raw Serial Decoder Data
Machine-readable JSON • CC BY 4.0

Copyright, Facts, and Reference Data

We’re often asked how copyright applies to reference datasets like serial number decoding. The short version: copyright generally protects creative expression (for example, original writing, original diagrams, and original images). It typically does not protect facts or the underlying systems/methods used to describe those facts.

Practical takeaway: A manufacturer’s serial number format (e.g., what each character position represents) is generally a description of how a product is identified. The format itself is typically treated as functional information. However, the specific way someone writes an article about it (their prose, their custom diagrams, their unique charts) may be protected as creative expression.

How this applies to serial number decoding

Serial number decoding typically involves:

  • Manufacturer identifiers (brand names, model families, product lines)
  • Format rules (character positions and what they represent)
  • Mappings (month codes, year codes, plant codes, etc.)
  • Contact reference info (phone numbers, websites, service contacts)

These elements are generally factual or functional. In other words, the information itself is not created as an artistic work — it’s used to identify equipment and interpret manufacturing details.

That said, presentation matters. A site’s original explanatory article text, unique screenshots, proprietary photos, custom graphic charts, or distinct instructional diagrams may be protected even when the underlying facts are public.

What we publish (and what we avoid)

Inspector Handbook’s dataset focuses on the underlying reference data, not on copying anyone’s written article text or proprietary graphics.

Included
  • Machine-readable format rules
  • Month/year translation tables
  • High-level decoding guidance
  • Public manufacturer contact references
  • Attribution links where applicable
Not included
  • Copied article text from third-party sites
  • Third-party proprietary graphics or screenshots
  • Paywalled content re-published verbatim
  • Brand assets beyond fair informational use

Licensing

To reinforce this commitment, the serial number and manufacturer reference data published by Inspector Handbook is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.

This license allows anyone to use, share, and adapt the data for any purpose, provided appropriate attribution is given and any changes are clearly indicated.

Attribution

When reusing this data, attribution should include:

  • The name Inspector Handbook
  • A reference to the CC BY 4.0 license
  • A link back to this page and/or the dataset source
  • Disclosure of modifications, if applicable

Accuracy & Verification

While care is taken to compile information from reliable sources, data is provided for reference purposes only. Users should always verify critical details directly with manufacturers or official documentation, especially when the result may affect safety, compliance, warranty determinations, or claim outcomes.

This page is provided for general informational purposes and reflects our approach to publishing reference data responsibly. It is not legal advice.