Free VIN Decoder: Vehicle Identification Number Lookup
Decode Your VIN Number for Free
- Official data from NHTSA
- Most recent recalls
- Most recent complaints
What is a VIN Number (Vehicle Identification Number)?
A vehicle identification number (VIN) is a unique code assigned to every motor vehicle when it's manufactured. The VIN is a 17-character string of letters and numbers without intervening spaces or the letters Q (q), I (i), and O (o); these are omitted to avoid confusion with the numerals 0 and 1. Each section of the VIN provides a specific piece of information about the vehicle, including the year, country, and factory of manufacture; the make and model; and the serial number. VINs are usually printed in a single line.
| How many characters: |
| 17 (digits and capital letters) |
| Where to find: |
| Dashboard on the driver's side |
| First digit stands for: |
| Country of manufacturer |
How to Find the Vehicle's VIN Number
On most passenger cars, you may find the VIN number on the front of the dashboard on the driver's side. The best way to see it is to look through the windshield from outside the car. You may also find the VIN number on the driver's side door pillar. Open the door and look around the area where the door latches to the car. A motorcycle's VIN is usually on the steering neck below the handlebars, although sometimes it's on the motor or on the frame near the motor. A semitrailer's VIN is located on the front part of the semitrailer on the left side.
If you can't find the VIN number on the vehicle, you should also be able to locate it on your vehicle's title or liability insurance documents.
How to Use the VIN Decoder to Do a VIN Number Check
Enter your vehicle's 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in the field above to look up and receive an instant report on its manufacturer, brand, make and model, body style, engine size, assembly plant, and model year. The information is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) from the data submitted by the manufacturers to NHTSA. The VIN Decoder lookup is intended for use with vehicles manufactured since 1981. If your vehicle was made before 1981, the VIN will most likely contain 11 characters.
How to Decode the Vehicle Identification Number
Wondering what all the characters in your vehicle's VIN stand for?
Why the VIN Is Important
There are situations in which you will want to check a vehicle's VIN, since many data registries use it to record details of the vehicle's history. If you're interested in buying a used car, you can do a VIN lookup to get the vehicle history report and find records of its previous owners, accidents, and repairs. You can also find out if the manufacturer had ever issued a recall of the vehicle and whether those repairs were made. Finally, law enforcement agencies do a VIN check to identify vehicles that have been stolen.
Model Year Character Codes
| Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1980 | L | 1990 | Y | 2000 | A | 2010 |
| B | 1981 | M | 1991 | 1 | 2001 | B | 2011 |
| C | 1982 | N | 1992 | 2 | 2002 | C | 2012 |
| D | 1983 | P | 1993 | 3 | 2003 | D | 2013 |
| E | 1984 | R | 1994 | 4 | 2004 | E | 2014 |
| F | 1985 | S | 1995 | 5 | 2005 | F | 2015 |
| G | 1986 | T | 1996 | 6 | 2006 | G | 2016 |
| H | 1987 | V | 1997 | 7 | 2007 | H | 2017 |
| J | 1988 | W | 1998 | 8 | 2008 | J | 2018 |
| K | 1989 | X | 1999 | 9 | 2009 | K | 2019 |
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI): Country of Origin Character Codes
The first three characters of every VIN number uniquely identify the manufacturer of the vehicle. This is called the World Manufacturer Identifier or WMI code.
| WMI | Region | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A-H | Africa | AA-AH = South Africa |
| J-R | Asia | >J = Japan KL-KR = South Korea L = China MA-ME = India MF-MK = Indonesia ML-MR = Thailand MS = Myanmar PA-PE = Philippines PL-PR = Malaysia RF-RG = Taiwan |
| S-Z | Europe | SA-SM = United Kingdom SN-ST, W = Germany SU-SZ = Poland TA-TH = Switzerland TJ-TP = Czech Republic TR-TV = Hungary TW = Portugal VA-VE = Austria VF-VR = France VS-VW = Spain VX-V2 = Yugoslavia XL-XM = The Netherlands XS-XW = USSR X3-X0 = Russia YA-YE = Belgium YF-YK = Finland YS-YW = Sweden ZA-ZR = Italy |
| 1-5 | North America | 1, 4, 5 = United States 2 = Canada 3 = Mexico |
| 6-7 | Oceania | 6A-6W = Australia 7A-7E = New Zealand |
| 8-0 | South America | 8A-8E = Argentina 8F-8J = Chile 8X-82 = Venezuela 9A-9E, 93-99 = Brazil 9F-9J = Colombia |
About Our VIN-Data Pipeline
Where Our Information Comes From
We stitch together multiple government and private-sector data feeds to create both our free make-model-year report and the deeper, vehicle-specific Full History Report.
| Data Feed | Source Type | What It Adds | Update Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHTSA vPIC & Recall APIs | U.S. federal (open) | Factory specs, build plant, safety recalls | Live stream |
| OEM Technical Bulletins | Manufacturer portals | Service bulletins, common failure points | Live stream |
| Insurance & Auction Clearinghouses | Private aggregators | Total-loss flags, salvage dates, odometer snaps | Daily |
| Warranty & Valuation DBs | Industry partners | In-service date, warranty status, MSRP & retail | Live stream |
| Dealer-Reported Listings | Franchise & independent | Trim confirmation, option codes | Live stream |
Free vs Full History Reports
Free Report — Instant specs and open recalls for the entire make & model.
Full History Report — 75+ VIN-specific checks: title branding, odometer timeline,
lien records, prior sale prices, and more.
Transparency & Compliance
Personal data is redacted per DPPA and Canadian privacy laws. We are not a government agency; we aggregate and enrich public data so you can search it in one place. Always confirm critical facts with the seller, a licensed mechanic, or your DMV before purchase.
Have Questions?
Reach out any time at [email protected].