The earliest Force outboard motor serial numbers appeared on 90-horsepower units, beginning with serial number 1001 and model number 903F90A. In the middle of 1992, Force Marine was bought out by OMC/Mercury Marine. After the buyout, Force outboards started using Mercury Marine serial numbers. The first of this production was E000000. The 'Force' name was retired in 2000, when OMC/Mercury went into bankruptcy and ceased production of all engines. The last Force serial number was 27576, on a 1992 150-horsepower Force Model 1508C92C engine. Look at the motor mount on your Force outboard motor.
The serial and model numbers are on a placard placed next on the transom bracket of the motor. Look for a state registration decal, as well. Six states require an engine to registered separately: South Carolina, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. The date of manufacture is required for the registration process.
Force Outboard Owner S Manual
If your Force motor has such a decal, you can contact the state and use the registration number on the engine to obtain a copy of the expired registration, which will tell you the age of the engine.