VIN decoder
A free VIN lookup: enter a vehicle identification number to see the year, make, model, engine and where it was built, straight from NHTSA’s database.
No VIN handy? . Find yours on the driver’s side of the dashboard, through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
What the 17 characters of a VIN mean
| Position | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Country | Where the vehicle was built: 1, 4, 5 USA; 2 Canada; 3 Mexico; J Japan; K Korea; W Germany. |
| 2–3 | Manufacturer | With the first character, the world manufacturer identifier (WMI), e.g. 1FT is a Ford truck. |
| 4–8 | Vehicle descriptor | Model, body style, engine and restraint system, coded by each maker. |
| 9 | Check digit | Calculated from the other 16 characters to catch typos. |
| 10 | Model year | See the year table below. |
| 11 | Plant | The assembly plant. |
| 12–17 | Serial number | The vehicle’s production number. |
VIN year chart
The 10th character gives the model year, and the codes repeat every 30 years. For cars, SUVs and light trucks, a letter in the 7th position means 2010 or later; a digit means 2009 or earlier.
| 10th character | Year | Or |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1980 | 2010 |
| B | 1981 | 2011 |
| C | 1982 | 2012 |
| D | 1983 | 2013 |
| E | 1984 | 2014 |
| F | 1985 | 2015 |
| G | 1986 | 2016 |
| H | 1987 | 2017 |
| J | 1988 | 2018 |
| K | 1989 | 2019 |
| L | 1990 | 2020 |
| M | 1991 | 2021 |
| N | 1992 | 2022 |
| P | 1993 | 2023 |
| R | 1994 | 2024 |
| S | 1995 | 2025 |
| T | 1996 | 2026 |
| V | 1997 | 2027 |
| W | 1998 | 2028 |
| X | 1999 | 2029 |
| Y | 2000 | 2030 |
| 1 | 2001 | 2031 |
| 2 | 2002 | 2032 |
| 3 | 2003 | 2033 |
| 4 | 2004 | 2034 |
| 5 | 2005 | 2035 |
| 6 | 2006 | 2036 |
| 7 | 2007 | 2037 |
| 8 | 2008 | 2038 |
| 9 | 2009 | 2039 |
VIN decoder by make
Each maker codes positions 4–8 differently. These pages list each brand’s manufacturer codes and what to look for:
- Ford VIN decoder
- BMW VIN decoder
- Chevy VIN decoder
- Honda VIN decoder
- Mercedes VIN decoder
- GMC VIN decoder
- Dodge VIN decoder
- Jeep VIN decoder
- Tesla VIN decoder
- Ram VIN decoder
- Nissan VIN decoder
- Toyota VIN decoder
- Hyundai VIN decoder
- Kia VIN decoder
- Subaru VIN decoder
- Volkswagen VIN decoder
Before you buy a used car
- Decode the VIN and make sure the year, model, engine and trim match the listing.
- Check that the VIN on the dashboard, the door sticker and the title are identical.
- Look up open safety recalls on NHTSA’s recall site, and theft or salvage records with NICB VINCheck.
- For accident and ownership history, buy a vehicle history report.
Planning to tow with it? Check what it can really pull with the towing capacity calculator.
Questions
Is this VIN decoder free?
Yes. It uses NHTSA’s public vPIC database, the same data behind the government’s own decoder, and there’s no sign-up or report to buy.
Where do I find my VIN?
On a plate at the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side, on the sticker in the driver’s door jamb, and on your registration, title and insurance card.
How do I tell the year from a VIN?
Look at the 10th character. Letters run from A (1980 or 2010) to Y (2000 or 2030), skipping I, O, Q, U and Z; digits 1–9 are 2001–2009 or 2031–2039. For cars and light trucks, a letter in the 7th position means the newer of the two years.
Does a VIN decoder show accident history?
No. Decoding reads how the vehicle was built: make, model, engine, plant. Accident, title and odometer history come from paid reports such as Carfax or AutoCheck, or the free NICB VINCheck for theft and salvage records.
Why does it say the check digit is wrong?
The 9th character is calculated from the other 16. If it doesn’t match, one character is almost always mistyped; common mix-ups are 8 and B, 5 and S, 0 and D. VINs never contain I, O or Q.
