How to find device, serial, and lot identifiers
What the FDA calls device and production identifiers, and how to use the exact identifier requested by an official notice.
Updated Aug 23, 2026 · 4 min read
Editorial review completed 23 August 2026
Label layout and terminology vary by device. Use the exact identifier requested in the official notice and the device instructions from its manufacturer.
Device identifiers and production identifiers
FDA explains that a Unique Device Identifier can include a fixed device identifier and, when included on the label, a variable production identifier. A production identifier can contain a lot or batch number, a serial number, an expiration date, or a manufacturing date.
A recall notice may name only one of those identifiers. A matching brand or product family is not enough when the source limits the action to particular lots, serial ranges, or versions.
Where to start looking
Check the device label and package first. FDA requires UDI information on device labels and packages subject to the rule, with exceptions and alternatives specified by the rule.
If you use a companion application or have an instruction manual, use the manufacturer’s directions to identify the relevant model or software version. Do not guess from a photo, a similar product, or a retailer listing.
Compare the exact field named in the notice
Compare characters exactly, including prefixes and range boundaries. If the notice uses a lot number, compare the lot number; if it uses a serial range or software version, compare that field instead.
When the available information cannot establish a match, MedWatcher uses neutral language: the record could not be matched from the available identifiers. That is not a safety conclusion.
No confirmed match is not the same as confirmation that a device is unaffected.
Official sources and freshness
Each guide claim is limited to the source scope below. Sources were last checked on the date shown.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
UDI Basics
FDA UDI device identifier and production identifier definitions.
Last checked Aug 23, 2026
Read official source(opens in a new tab)U.S. Food and Drug Administration
What is a Medical Device Recall?
FDA medical-device recall information and official recall records.
Last checked Aug 23, 2026
Read official source(opens in a new tab)