VIN decoder
Decode any 17-character VIN for free
Every VIN encodes the country of origin, manufacturer, vehicle type, engine, model year, assembly plant, and a unique serial number. Here's what each position means.
What is a VIN?
A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character code assigned to every road vehicle sold in the United States since 1981. Think of it as a car's fingerprint — no two vehicles share the same VIN. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) maintains the standard, and manufacturers stamp the VIN on the dashboard, the driver's side door jamb, and the vehicle's title documents.
What do the 17 characters mean?
The VIN is divided into sections, each encoding a different piece of information about the vehicle:
- Position 1 — Country of origin. The first character identifies the country where the vehicle was manufactured. For example, 1, 4, or 5 means the United States; 2 means Canada; 3 means Mexico; J means Japan; W means Germany; K means Korea.
- Positions 2–3 — Manufacturer & vehicle type. The second and third characters identify the manufacturer (such as Toyota, Ford, Honda) and the vehicle type or manufacturing division. Together, positions 1–3 form the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI).
- Positions 4–8 — Vehicle descriptor. These five characters describe the vehicle's attributes — engine type, body style, drivetrain, restraint system, and model. Each manufacturer uses its own codes here, so the same characters can mean different things across brands.
- Position 9 — Check digit. A mathematical checksum calculated from the other characters. It validates that the VIN was entered correctly and has not been tampered with. If the check digit does not match, the VIN is invalid.
- Position 10 — Model year. A single letter or number that encodes the model year. Letters skip I, O, Q, U, and Z to avoid confusion with numbers. For example, H = 2017, J = 2018, K = 2019, L = 2020, M = 2021, N = 2022, P = 2023, R = 2024.
- Position 11 — Assembly plant. Identifies the specific factory where the vehicle was assembled. Each manufacturer assigns its own plant codes.
- Positions 12–17 — Serial number. The unique production sequence number for the vehicle. Together with the WMI and vehicle descriptor, this makes every VIN globally unique.
How to find your VIN
The most common places to find a VIN are the dashboard on the driver's side (visible through the windshield), the driver's side door jamb sticker, the vehicle title, the registration document, and the insurance card. If you're buying a used car, always verify that the VIN on the vehicle matches the VIN on the title and registration documents.
Decode your VIN now — free
Enter any 17-character VIN below and AutoVinScope will decode it instantly using the NHTSA vehicle product information catalogue. You'll see the year, make, model, engine, trim, and plant — plus any open safety recalls — at no cost. You only pay if you want the full vehicle history report.
VIN decoding vs. a full vehicle history report
Decoding a VIN tells you what the vehicle is — its factory specifications. A full vehicle history report tells you what has happened to it: title brands, accident records, odometer readings, previous sales, theft indicators, ownership history, and market value. Both start with the same 17-character VIN, but the report pulls from federal databases and licensed registries to build a timeline of the vehicle's life.